Donald Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

Fernapple comments on Sep 9, 2020:

Someone on this site made a post today, about the Spanish having a laugh at Americans. I have heard that they have a sense of humour in Norway too.

[dailymail.co.uk] That is funny

Fernapple comments on Sep 9, 2020:

I get an email every week telling me that I have been nominated for a prize, a business award no less. All I have to do is send them a registration fee.

How are you all?

Fernapple comments on Sep 9, 2020:

Fine thank you, good weather here, soon be time for beer. How are you doing ?

Do you think these people have the slightest clue what they're singing about in this "modern ...

Fernapple comments on Sep 9, 2020:

Bring back the throwing up emoji.

[sciencealert.com] what is the effect of too much CO2 on trees?

Fernapple comments on Sep 9, 2020:

I have also read that the idea of planting trees as a carbon sink will never work anyway, because the amount of carbon they take up is too small to be significant. At best they would only help a tiny little bit.

What is the source of non-religious prudishness or disgust at nudity or sexuality?

Fernapple comments on Sep 9, 2020:

Since attitudes to nudity vary so much, it is clearly a cultural phenomena, not one which is hard wired. It is also clear that it really begins only with the onset of civilization, since most of the societies that are completely accepting of nudity are hunter gatherer societies living in extended families or small tribes. In such groups there is probably a natural meritocracy, in that it does not mater much that grandfather is ugly, if he is kind strong and wise, he will be loved and honoured anyway. With the agricultural revolution population explodes however, and society therefore becomes bigger and values shallow, obvious in short term qualities more, including appearance. People in such societies will therefore almost certainly dress up to impress and maintain status. If that is true, then we would expect to see that the more meritocratic a society, and the more local democracy it possesses, the more accepting of nudity it would be. And anecdotal that seems to be the case. The ancient Greeks for example, regarded their accepting attitude to nudity as a sign of their freedom, and the covering up of their neighbours, in the imperial states around them, as a sign of repression and a rigid stratified class based society. ( So this is not a new thought.) And still in the classical world, Rome started out as a society widely accepting of nudity, but became increasing one where covering up was the norm, as its democracy failed and it became increasingly imperial. And when once the norm of dressing up is established, then those who do not do so are considered exceptional and attract notice, especially sexual attention if attractive, or revulsion if poor or ugly, and so it self perpetuates. Sadly for the political nudists, this probably means that any dream of creating a fair society by promoting nudity, is just that, a dream, since acceptance of nudity probably follows from being a fair meritocratic society, not the other way round.

Another Former Creation Museum Staffer Speaks Out About Ken Ham’s Toxic Empire | Hemant Mehta | ...

Fernapple comments on Sep 8, 2020:

Amazing, who would have guessed that one of the worlds greatest con-men and hypocrites, would not be a good employer.

UNLIKELY SOURCES DEPT.

Fernapple comments on Sep 8, 2020:

Yep , and we will continue to spread the toxic paint, because although the door is open most of us just don't want to escape our culture.

"Hero-worship is strongest where there is least regard for human freedom." - Herbert Spencer

Fernapple comments on Sep 8, 2020:

Yes where people do not want to take responsibility for or think for themselves, then they look for a leader with ready made answers. It was sad that the Russians hero worshiped Putin, and were not grown up enough to manage without a father figure to guide them. But now I see a lot of Americans worshiping Trump, which is a whole other league of giving up.

An interesting list; 20 most prosperous countries (as of 2019) [insider.

Fernapple comments on Sep 8, 2020:

I have read that one of the best things that a government can do for an economy, is to introduce a high minimum wage, in part because the spending power of large numbers raised out of poverty lifts the economy far more than the spending of rich people, which is slower and less likely to stay within the country.

Amazing how the things work out.

Fernapple comments on Sep 8, 2020:

Welcome to the blocked club, well done. Never heard of him though.

4 Essential Elements of Agnosticism

Fernapple comments on Sep 8, 2020:

My wife was a believer, but divorced. So we married in a civil ritual arranged through the town hall, and then went to the chapel to have a church blessing service. ( It amazes me the nit picking that religions will go to. They won't perform a marriage, but will do a blessing service, which is exactly the same ritual.) But I was happy to go along with it, since it made my wife happy, and it meant nothing to me. Since all religion is meaningless, there is no reason why I should not go through any ritual, pray, or be blessed, it has no meaning. The only possible harm done is that by adding a little to the size of the congregation, and thereby I may add a little to religions prestige, but one grump in the corner, who puts little or no money on the plate, will make little difference that way, but attending may be very important to my loved ones, so you go with it.

Add some guilt to your sadness by feeling bad about not speaking to the imaginary sky daddy enough ...

Fernapple comments on Sep 8, 2020:

Sad but true.

It really really saddens me knowing that many children were raised in a household where religion was...

Fernapple comments on Sep 8, 2020:

Passing on cultural heritage may be inevitable, but there is no reason why cultural heritage can not include a sceptical view. To those who would say that indoctrination is not child abuse, I would say that one of the symptoms of child abuse, is that the abused are often made to feel life long guilt, for imaginary sins on their part. Now if you wish to tell me that religion is not abusive, persuade me that people only follow extreme physically harmful penitence if they are adult converts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMoeCWyLhaQ

Have you seen glacial flour?

Fernapple comments on Sep 8, 2020:

Snow melt can often produce some beautiful colours too, because it is too cold for alga to grow amongst other things. I saw this beautiful azure blue river, with perhaps a hint of milk, in Turkey a couple of years ago.

Anyone else here listen to podcasts?

Fernapple comments on Sep 8, 2020:

No I have not found that one, thank you for the eyes up.

Happy Labor Day to All!

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

Have a good day.

Weirdest Passages You've Read?

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

Balaam’s Donkey Numbers 22:21-39

All our fruit trees were bare this year.

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

Gardeners just have to learn to go with the flow I think. But that is the best thing about growing a big range, not only is it more fun, but you are much less likely to lose everything.

Happy Labor Day everyone!

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

Have a great day.

It's starting to feel like Dr Doolittle's house here.

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

A sparrow. I love them they are wonderful. I know people in the states are not all that happy about them, but they are charming little rogues.

So many conservative people bemoan the children of today and their lack of respect.

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

Think there may be a word or two missing from your title. recommend an edit, I know what you mean but it does not read well.

These are my grandfather's medals from WWI; they are 100 years old.

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

There is no better judge than history. And soon Trump will be sharing it with those he disparaged, the long perspective is not kind to the untruthful.

“The ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas, i.

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

No I don't agree with that, very often political power clashes with the ruling intellectual force.

coffeetime☕

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

My place or yours ?

Racism among white Christians is higher than among the nonreligious. That's no coincidence.

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

If you can believe one really stupid half baked lie, you won't find it hard to believe half a dozen.

Yeah suspicious

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

Its not finished yet, watch this space.

Are you a humanist?

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

OK quite good, it seems honest if a little banal. Very often with these things you will find that they give you a 'correct' or 'good' score, no mater what answers you give, since they are just click bait to draw you in. So I ran it twice, the first time giving honest answers, and the second time making half my answers random. The first time it said, yes you are a Humanist and the second time, "Its not for you." So it would seem to be for once and rarely an honest quiz.

Retired Major General sounds off on Trump

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

How sad that someone has to say something like that. You would hope that, even if a countries leader is not patriotic, they would at least have a brain big enough to see that belittling their fellow citizens is stupid, unkind and counter productive.

Hi , why isn't it possible to browse currently online members?

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

You can go to members and look for the ones with the green dot. It is a bit harder than having a specific list, but not much.

I like to read logic, science, history, linguistics. Site looks nice!

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

Hello and welcome, enjoy the site, and do check out the groups if you have time, there is something for everyone.

I desire to make an observation that has intrigued me since joining this site.

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

"Its a shallow approach to evaluating another's worth" Very true, perhaps you should tell them that it is a shallow world in which we live, and that if they want to live in a world where individuals are truly valued for their deep personal qualities, then there are still a few hunter gatherer societies remaining where they could go and live in an extended family. Assuming they can get in in the first place.

Jebus H.

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

I think that it is very unlikely that Zuckbook has trained his bots. to understand quotation mark, or that he even cares. Pity you did not quote Goebbels, I think that Zuckbook is using him as a model.

Cat meets shrew (2nd kill of the week).

Fernapple comments on Sep 7, 2020:

Great face shot, getting a cat to look into the lens well done.

During the geography class on the Eastern Mediterranean, the teacher asked Little Johnny, "What are ...

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

Venetian. The Phoenicians were noted for inventing phones.

Is America really the richest country in the world? Yes and no! [swedishnomad.com]

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

Even if you take out the city states, and the oil states. America is still behind Ireland, Switzerland.

Religion observations

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

Amazingly it was once considered very important, the church flip flopped for many years over the issue of Adam and Eves belly buttons, and in the middle ages artists who portrayed them the wrong way, according to the then fashion, could be charged as criminals. Many used sprays of foliage and the like, painted over the areas to avoid the problem.

That's disturbing.

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

Big flowery hats, like they wear to church, that's way beyond passive aggressive.

I'm kind of curious about why women do strange things to their bodies: waxes, tummy tucks, face make...

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

Good smart appearance is not just for what you get out of it, but also like not displaying your dustbins on the street, a kindness to everyone else. But of course it can go too far, and many people fall for the, more is better trap, as sold by consumerist industry and advertising, the simple truth that just because someone is selling it, it does not mean it is good, has not dawned on many. (Especially the starkly grotesque cosmetic surgery victims you see everywhere.) Just as not leaving your bin out is good taste, so is not decorating your front garden with a large pimped truck, and a pink plastic hot tub. And there is no reason to think that taste, sense and the ability to resist indoctrination, are likely to be more common in the realm of personal appearance, than housing. With regard to men of course, men are just a push over, we are so hard wired by nature to like women, that we are dead easy to manipulate. It is about status and hoping, almost certainly in vain, that you can get a 'better' mate by so doing. Though from a womans point of view, you only have to give it a seconds thought to realize that it is actually far more likely to get you a far worse mate, if he is shallow enough to be fooled, well, you can work it out. But of course appearance is not about attracting the opposite sex, that is easy. Most birds sing and have bright feathers, not to attract, but mainly to daunt their own sex, it is about passive aggression not attraction. And happily for you if you are not an aggressive woman, then perhaps it is to your credit that you can not see the point of it.

Happened this afternoon (06th of September) at North Point, in the North Eastern part of Hong Kong ...

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

If beautiful women can still be so beautiful even wearing a mask, what is all the fuss about. ?

Why isn't there a better word for "miracle" that doesn't have religious connotations?

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

Yes I do not think that there is a neat single word. I always have to resort to phrases like. "Wonderful good fortune." Which is not very satisfactory. I think that AmytheBruce below comes up with the closest, 'serendipity' though that is not perfect since its has slightly trivial associations. Why not invent one yourself, and persuade this site to begin promoting it ? How about something like an, "incredibility".

“Evil isn’t the real threat to the world.

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

Stupid, and sometimes just the effect of unforeseen consequences, when even the most intelligent could not be expected to understand what they truly did.

Default to Atheism - The Catholic Thing

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

If atheism succeeds, I do not think that will be "the end of civilization as we know it". If civilizations does end it will most likely be mainly brought about by forces beyond our control, aided by religious science and reason denial. But all of that is beside the point, it would not make any difference if the whole world could be saved, climate change reversed and every form of crime abolished forever, by just one more person believing in god, that still would not magic god into existence. I do not think that the article though is a particularly stark example of class condescension in religion, speaking as a life long member of the lower orders, I have encountered far worse than that. Indeed one of the main reasons for leaving religion was the arrogant snobbery of the religious system. Where working class boys, ( probably the same for girls I don't know directly,) could be stood against the wall and be used as punch bags by religious teachers, (for their own good ) but children with high earning parents were immune from such treatment.

Saturday I picked beans...

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

Great harvest, lovely colours.

So, if we placed a satellite six hundred billion miles out in space (tenth of a light year)focused ...

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

If It focused its camera on the microwave background radiation, nearly to the big bang. If it focused it on earth, one tenth of a year for light to reach it, and one tenth of a year for the message to come back to us therefore about seventy days. But since it would have to journey to its position at lower than light speed, that would still be a time after the launch day. Now, have I done enough to earn the laugh, when you tell me the silly reason why I am wrong.

The first rule of fight club is no damned fight club. Who's with me?

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

The first rule of life is. If you have time to watch trashy Holywood productions, you haven't got a life.

“I am an Agnostic because I am not afraid to think.

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

That will do well enough. Hello and welcome to the site. Do check out the groups if you have time, there is something for everyone.

I constantly watch/listen to this at least once a week.

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

She needs the sceptic community badly. Its a pity we can't send her a message about sites like this.

"Orgasm on a plate." Laughing at the Farmer's Market.

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

I just love markets, even if I don't buy anything. Just meeting people who made or grew what they are selling, and watching people just wandering around enjoying the fresh air and the social interactions, instead of trying to fill their trolley faster than everyone else.

Are you conditioned? If so in what ways? Please share. [quotes.justdharma.]

Fernapple comments on Sep 6, 2020:

Why would I not wish to be controlled by circumstances ? I am here to live, and to interact with the world in which I live.

Is there anything that can be done about people who post things multiple times in the same group?

Fernapple comments on Sep 5, 2020:

I don't know, when once I did it by accident, I got a warning message, saying. You have posted this already. Or something like that.

Having moved away from the Co-operative bank as i lived too far away, I’m thinking about moving ...

Fernapple comments on Sep 5, 2020:

Really good information thank you. I am thinking of putting money into a credit union so that sub-page about those is really useful. PS. I did not realize that we are quite near neighbours, at least in global terms.

The Lie and The Truth

Fernapple comments on Sep 5, 2020:

There is a lovely old painting too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_Coming_Out_of_Her_Well

Multiple times now I have written private messages only to have them disappear when I hit send.

Fernapple comments on Sep 5, 2020:

No, but the site does seem to be geared for a PC rather than a mobile device, nearly all the problem reports do come from people using mobile devices.

Going to kinda free write this, and none of this will qualify as "required reading" so if anybody ...

Fernapple comments on Sep 5, 2020:

Hello and welcome. Enjoy the site, and if you have time do check the groups, there is something for everyone. But posting on one page is generally enough, it will still show on the front page.

Hello Heathens, Just joined a few hours ago.

Fernapple comments on Sep 5, 2020:

Hello and welcome. Enjoy the site, and if you have time do check the groups, there is something for everyone.

Do new members get free Coffee? TeeHee

Fernapple comments on Sep 5, 2020:

Hello and welcome. Good members get a T shirt, but for free coffee you need to go somewhere where they take money off you for other things, like a church for example. Enjoy the site, and if you have time do check the groups, there is something for everyone.

Hello I’m new.

Fernapple comments on Sep 5, 2020:

Hello and welcome. Enjoy the site, and if you have time do check the groups, there is something for everyone.

[livescience.com] some vikings believed in a mirror world

Fernapple comments on Sep 5, 2020:

I have heard that the legend of El Dorado, and the city of gold that the Spanish spent such effort chasing in South America, back in the sixteenth century. May well have arisen out of a simple misunderstanding. Because in many native cultures it was believed, that the spirit world was what you saw when you looked at reflections, and most mirrors were made of gold. Therefore the man and city of gold, were just the native name for heaven or at least the equivalent of the Christian 'Pearly Gates', which could be viewed quite literally in mirrors, or on the bright surface of the sun.

I have access to 4 or more browsers on my computers.

Fernapple comments on Sep 4, 2020:

Try updating Firefox, the latest one shows your most visited sites on the home page with icons, by default.

Do you care?

Fernapple comments on Sep 4, 2020:

Knowledge is power and understanding, that's why good governments try to spread it, and bad ones suppress it.

Which are you? ;)

Fernapple comments on Sep 4, 2020:

Complexity and truth are two different qualities, which do not relate to one another. That's why the modern common misunderstanding of Occam's razor is false, though the original was useful. Quality of evidence needs to be considered as well as quantity. But at the same time it is generally better to hold something to be true, if it is supported by multiple sources of evidence, rather than one, if the evidence is all of the same quality.

.

Fernapple comments on Sep 4, 2020:

Secular charities are far bigger overall in Europe than the Christian ones, (I suspect that may be true even in the US.) and they are by default none religious. To paraphrase the old saw. Agnostics and Atheists are not organizations or movements, in the same way that not playing golf is a sport.

Comparative evaluations are accurate .. [agnostic.com]

Fernapple comments on Sep 4, 2020:

Scientist. "I think we should measure the level carefully before we make statements." Pedant. "It all depends on the size of the glass, and are we measuring in litres or pints." Realist "It does not mater, a part full glass, even of piss, is more useful than an empty one." Socialist. "Its better everyone has half a glass, than one person has two glasses full and another has none." Capitalist. "Its my glass therefore I own the piss, whoever made it." Feminist. "I bet a man did that." Opportunist. "Great its nearly time for another round."

When should you decide to engage in civil discourse?

Fernapple comments on Sep 4, 2020:

Don't start to debate, just state your position in a positive way, in other words don't say. "No I do not agree with that." Instead say. "I am finding that the freedom, and positive personal growth that I gain from not engaging with astrology right now are too valuable to loose." Then leave it to them to start the debate if they want to, which they probably won't, but by the time they have heard you say something like that several times, they may just start to question for themselves with out you having to do anything. Example wins more converts than debate.

Can an atheist be a proud Secular Christian?

Fernapple comments on Sep 3, 2020:

Since there are so many different forms of Christianity, it is a virtually meaningless term and can therefore be anything you want it to be. So that if someone, like everyone else, wanted to cherry pick out the bits they like and then call that Christianity, then they are no different from anyone else, and are perfectly entitled to call themselves a Christian if they wish. Personally if they believed in "love your enemies", "turn the other cheek", and "take care of others outside your tribe (good Samaritan) " I would probably call them simply a, good person instead, because I think that they are better than that religion. Or even better than Jesus who if we take the New Testament as half true, also said some really horrible things.

Trumpers vs isis

Fernapple comments on Sep 3, 2020:

One lot are going left to right, and the other lot are going right to left ?

Marcionism and Mormonism Gnosis reinvented by the Latter Day Patriarchs By Len Hazell

Fernapple comments on Sep 3, 2020:

I love the way the, perfect holy word of god, emerges from a horse traders market of dealing and double dealing.

Never again ever

Fernapple comments on Sep 3, 2020:

Who is Chuck Norris ?

In his book "Quantum Reality", Jim Baggott writes: "When we look closely we find that it’s not ...

Fernapple comments on Sep 3, 2020:

Yep that's basically true. We all have to accept certain things as givens before we start. As in mathematics where they are called axioms. The most important of which, beyond pure maths, is that we all have to accept the idea that the only input we receive, that from our senses, is not a total illusion, for if we don't accept that then nothing is true and we are going nowhere, except into empty aimless solipsism. The idea reflects however on the big mistake however that many religious apologists then make, which is to confuse the acceptance of practical axioms with faith. But they are quite different in that axioms, though without any basis in evidence, are things that you accept because you have too, especially where you have no choice, so that they could be called necessary faith or axioms. Whereas religious faith is used when there are choices, elective faith. And that difference is not just a practical mater of how we work things out, but actually changes the whole nature and meaning of the acceptance. So much so that the two things should probably have different names and it is an unfortunate accident of history that in English the word faith has been applied to both. The language needs revising.

Why do we like distant train whistles?

Fernapple comments on Sep 3, 2020:

Good question. Right now anything that reminds me of travel makes me sad.

Never thought of using Japanese anemones as cut flowers before.

Fernapple comments on Sep 3, 2020:

They are lovely. I always wonder if they are the last of the summers bounty, or the first glory of autumn.

I thought this concept was brilliant.

Fernapple comments on Sep 3, 2020:

Religion is taught like that in schools in a lot of Europe, including the UK. And has been fading fast for a long time as an important part of life.

A good dose of the Philosophy pf Religion is enough to make anyone an atheist.

Fernapple comments on Sep 2, 2020:

Very good. But you left out, twenty centuries of milking every ounce of wealth possible out of the poorest and most innocent communities.

Good morning

Fernapple comments on Sep 2, 2020:

Yep but shall soon be going to bed, different time zone. And sorry but your cat appears to be from the southern hemisphere.

How to slam dunk creationists when it comes to the theory of evolution

Fernapple comments on Sep 1, 2020:

Yes the only problem with that is that some creationists are quite happy to question any science, even gravity. (Although you could, perhaps, make the case that the theory of gravity is built on less solid evidence than evolution.)

Will spend my birthday helping a dear friend.

Fernapple comments on Sep 1, 2020:

Well done. I am sure it will be a happy birthday.

Life in Lockdown

Fernapple comments on Sep 1, 2020:

Yep can't argue with that, though you did miss out beer.

"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone ...

Fernapple comments on Sep 1, 2020:

Very clear and succinct statements.

Landscapes — 1: On the Moralana Scenic Route, South Australia, 1987.

Fernapple comments on Sep 1, 2020:

Do you know by any chance what the blue flowers are in one, please ?

Sure you really want total freedom?

Fernapple comments on Sep 1, 2020:

Good Peter, You rhyme so well. You from a poet, I could not tell. Lunch I buy ! Its very nice for me, To come on here, And get a poem for free.

Trump declines to condemn teen who killed two in Kenosha

Fernapple comments on Sep 1, 2020:

Actually he did not refuse to condemn, he actively supported. He said . "Self defence." Which is pre-judging the court case in public, which I am sure he should not be doing. He is simply playing to his core supporters prejudices to gain their handclaps. The trouble with that is, that he will alienate the middle ground if he becomes too extreme, and he may then find that come the election, his core supporters are a much smaller minority than he thought. You should never underestimate just how many basically good sane people there are in the world, however loud the extremists may be.

I'm glad to have found this community! It is good to have access to like minded individuals.

Fernapple comments on Aug 31, 2020:

Hello and welcome, enjoy the site and do check out the groups if you have time, there is something for everyone. I don't know about 'like minded' though, some of the people here are pretty freaky, I love them to bits. Be especially wary of the pedants, we have some gilt edged beauties.

Can an atheist and an Evangelical be friends?

Fernapple comments on Aug 31, 2020:

Yes of course, Christians are the victims of the religion for the most part, you should not hate the victim, only the thing which misleads them, in fact you have to try the harder to help them.

Another thought on Kenosha: the kid's mother armed him, drove him there, dropped him off.

Fernapple comments on Aug 31, 2020:

I was amazed that she was not charged, in Britain the guardians of a minor are responsible for the minors crimes.

An aged (wo)man is but a paltry thing, A tattered coat upon a stick, unless Soul clasp its hands...

Fernapple comments on Aug 31, 2020:

Happy birthday. The sweetest of chestnuts do not ripen till last, and wear the most tattered garments, it is the kernel grown inside that counts.

Many rehabs rely on religion.

Fernapple comments on Aug 31, 2020:

Many rehabs rely on replacing one addiction with another. It may be that for the individual at least, religion is a less harmful addiction than say drugs. But it is funny that one of the principle objectives of ethics in mental health, is to insure that the therapist does not create a dependency in the patient on the therapist. Though of course the further you get from mainstream health-care and the deeper into alternatives, the more that is waved, until it becomes the normal thing to do. "My receptionist will deal with your bank details. See you next week."

What religions have you been associated with/called just by how you act?

Fernapple comments on Aug 31, 2020:

I come from the UK, so that, as in most of Northern Europe, everyone assumes you have no religion until you tell them otherwise. Though there are a few of the older generation still living who assume you are a low level christian by default, but even they would never assume that much up front without asking, that would be considered at the very least impolite.

I strongly think that a person is a coward to be science educated on one side and believe in ...

Fernapple comments on Aug 31, 2020:

I do not therefore think that they are cowards, merely deluded. Some people, like famously Stephen J. Gould, see religion and science as existing in two separate realms, ( he called them magisteria, ) one in the spiritual or supernatural and the other in the natural. Which is great if there is no overlap and both sides respect the boundary. But of course religion can never do that, because religion is, by its nature, imperial and has to expand its empire into the natural world, since no mater how much power and knowledge you may have within the, possibly none existent, supernatural world, it profits you not one jot until someone puts a real material coin in your collecting tin. So that while science never ventures out of its realm, religion in order to appear to have something to give, and a way of obtaining something, must by its very nature invade the natural world or make statements about it. While since religion is free of the idea of objective truth, pear review, or even the need to be logically consistent, it is free to make any claims it wishes, which means of course that if you have a claim to make, especially an unpopular or criminal one, religion is where you go to make it.

Belief, Love and Politics

Fernapple comments on Aug 31, 2020:

Good article.

Aliens; why should we "listen" for them? Have they ever visited us?

Fernapple comments on Aug 31, 2020:

Good read thanks.

What determines whether a person is a Christian or not?

Fernapple comments on Aug 31, 2020:

There are also many different sects within Christianity, many of which claim that they are the only true Christians. And you have also to remember that the religion has changed vastly over time. A Nazarean, would not recognize the followers of Paul as Christian, who in turn would not understand the views of post Constantine Christians, while a couple of hundred years later the split between Rome and Greece made it into different churches, the Reformation and post Reformation non conformism, all change it again. And who knows what happened in the muddles of the first two centuries before any original written records. That fact is that you just have to accept that a Christian is anyone who self identifies, with what is basically an almost meaningless term, some don't even believe in a physical Jesus. The only common thread is that each are trying to give their quite different views a little extra (fake) authority, by linking them in name with a tradition. My guess is that the next incarnation of the name, will be as a rebranding of fascism. That is what you get when you set up the god fallacy, and/or, give god like authority to tradition. Anyone can manipulate god and tradition, (who have no voice or opinion of their own), to support whatever views they like, they are therefore, 'gods gift' (sic) to the criminal exploiter, and always fall into the criminals hands in the end.

A nice surprise, my t shirt arrived 😊

Fernapple comments on Aug 30, 2020:

Well done, and it fits too.

7 Things that PROVE God is Real is an article written six years ago by J.

Fernapple comments on Aug 30, 2020:

Link timed out, I am sorry to say.

40 of them?! Wow! I go first. The Ring.

Fernapple comments on Aug 30, 2020:

The wicker man.

What is something (besides religion) commonly believed to be true that is actually not?

Fernapple comments on Aug 30, 2020:

Art. Not works of art, but high art, the idea that some works of human craft are somehow 'spiritual' (another meaningless word) while others are mere crafts. Organic. The idea that you can use a chemical from a plant, which probably evolved the chemical to kill animals in the first place, with safety. But a chemical devised in a lab and tested though the most stringent safety standards must be dangerous, ( OK, sometimes they are, but prove that all plants etc. are safe.)

Vincenzo Galilei Fantasia Terza from Il Fronimo performed by M.

Fernapple comments on Aug 30, 2020:

Sad Alamanda went, and the site moves on, things change not always for the worse.

Here’s a question.

Fernapple comments on Aug 30, 2020:

There may already be one. The Humanist sub-group of sceptical thinking, sets out the view that. If you reject god and the supernatural, then your own species becomes the most important thing in life, and therefore fulfilling human needs and promoting human happiness becomes the highest goal, by default . I have a few reservations about it. For one, the lack of direct environmental commitment in that, unless you believe that looking after the environment is a prerequisite for human good, especially long term; which seems sensible. And perhaps it is just a little too anthropocentric a view in general. But those are small concerns.

Then there is this....

Fernapple comments on Aug 30, 2020:

Groan.

I've never posted before.

Fernapple comments on Aug 30, 2020:

Hello and welcome.