From inside sources... You heard it here first

Flyingsaucesir comments on May 1, 2022:

Why worry? Well, on false pretenses, he started a war the destabilized the whole Middle East, cost trillions of dollars, and killed hundreds of thousands of people, including thousands of Americans.

I can't keep track of everything/ everyone around here @ Agnostic.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 30, 2022:

I blocked him a couple weeks ago. I didn't see any point in interacting with him any more. He was only bringing hate and vitriol, and could not even be cajoled into saying why he was pissed off. He only had ad hominem attacks. It's like he's got a screw loose. I kinda feel sorry for him.

Today, I learned a little about Mennonites.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 30, 2022:

Quakers can get conscientious objector status. And the Moslem Mohamed Ali (the boxer formerly known as Cassius Clay) was ultimately vindicated in his conscientious objector claim. I bet an atheist could successfully claim it too.

Modified version: .

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 30, 2022:

Wouldn't it be possible for Eric to hunt god but never capture and eat her? Just playing devil's advocate 😂

PUBLIC PRAYER The problem with public ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 30, 2022:

I agree: prayer in a government setting (e.g. a public school or city council meeting) and invoking any god, even if non-denominational, is unconditional. And I would appreciate it if religious folk would refrain from making a show of their piety in public, or erecting religious symbols (e.g. crosses) on high hills where one cannot help but see them.

Airing This Sunday May 1

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 30, 2022:

I look forward to seeing the whole 60 Minutes piece 😂 I wonder how many Republicans will actually think that birds aren't real. 🤔

How the NYT botched its coverage of the Supreme Court’s football prayer case

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 30, 2022:

The question now is, is Liptak just a sloppy reporter, or does he have a hidden agenda?

New Rule: American Kleptocracy | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) - YouTube

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 30, 2022:

Hopefully the government will be able to recover a good portion of the stolen funds (and prosecute the theives).

Is it too much to ask?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 29, 2022:

I second that emotion!

One of god's mysterious ways

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 29, 2022:

The sun does not "burn." It's a giant ball of hydrogen, so massive that its own gravity causes a series of fusion reactions where atoms combine to form heavier elements. A lot of energy is given off in the process. Do Christians believe something else? 😂

Conservatives Will Use the Fight Over Prayer in Schools to Attack Diversity

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 29, 2022:

Diversity is central to what human beings are. Diversity enriches us and makes us stronger. It makes no sense to attack diversity. Alas, many fear what they do not understand.

EU: You can't use our payment system anymore Russia: OK then, if you want something from us, ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 28, 2022:

Russia is trying to get around the EU's sanctions by trying to force payment in rubles for Russian gas. (Those sanctions are completely justified. Russia invaded a European country, and is carrying out a bloody genocide there.) The EU refused to render its own sanctions toothless, so Putin retaliates by threatening to cut off the EU's gas supply. In other words, Putin is trying to extort a capitulation from the EU. Another word for extortion is "blackmail." Putin's blackmail is apparently not going to work. The EU is not buckling. They are prepared to do without Russian fuel. This is a good thing for two reasons: (1) Putin will be deprived of an important revinue source, making it more difficult for him to realize his imperial fever dream of denying the Ukrainian people of their right to exist. And (2) cutting off the gas supply will spur movement toward green energy sources like solar, wind, and geothermal energy. We are hurtling toward a climate catastrophe, and this will help us avoid a global disaster. Gotta love it! 😍

These 10 "non-commandments" seem reasonable to me. How about you?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 27, 2022:

I approve this message. I don't know who wrote it but it gets two thumbs up from me. 😎👍👍

Christian show 'The Chosen' vandalizes its own billboards to generate buzz

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 27, 2022:

Playing the martyr card again huh? I am not moved.

Christian show 'The Chosen' vandalizes its own billboards to generate buzz

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 27, 2022:

Playing the martyr card again huh? I am not moved.

Who agrees?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 27, 2022:

I agree with some of it. But if free speech in the USA were really as restricted as she (the author) makes out, we would never have seen her article. The problem is that there is a glut of information, and each voice has to compete for attention. Money makes all the difference. Believing that Musk is some kind of saviour is just religion. What the world needs is a healthy shot of skepticism. Her best line is her last: "Superhero stories are designed to prevent us from realizing that only we the people have the power to rescue ourselves." With that I agree.

People who endorse conspiracy theories tend to be more religious, and this may be due to ideological...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 27, 2022:

It's sort of a chicken or egg question. which came first: the indoctrination in a mode of thought where evidence is not a prerequisite for belief, or belief in things fro which there is no evidence? I think that in our primitive ancestors, it was more the latter. Early hominids evolved in social groups where divining the intention of others was an advantage not only to the individual but also to his/her whole extended family group. It was no great leap to ascribe intention to natural phenomena like wind, rain, thunder, and lightening. As soon as you start seeing intention (say, expression of anger) in a phenomenon like thunder, you're off to the races with religious thinking. Then came a realization that there is a certain clockwork-like mechanism at work in the world. The days get shorter and shorter, and it gets colder and colder, and food gets scarcer and scarcer, until one day the whole trend turns around, and suddenly everything is in bloom. Repeat. Ascribe all that to the intention of a god or gods. The thought pattern is self-reinforcing when everyone in your group thinks the same way. It was only a matter of time before somebody figured out that they could use the superstitions of others to manipulate them. That's when religion really came into its own. First we had high priests playing politics, putting a stamp of approval on the king's tax law or invasion of proximal lands or elimination of rivals. Then we got televangelists collecting donations. All of it relies on providing easy answers to complex questions. It's amazing that science has made as many inroads as it has, given that it requires concerted effort of study, and sacrifice of time and resources in order for scientists to answer difficult questions and then have those answers understood by lay people. Science is fighting an uphill battle, but winning because its discoveries are so goddamn useful. Hopefully we don't blow ourselves up or destroy the ecosystems we depend on for our survival before we finally banish religious thinking to the the scrapheap of bad ideas where it belongs. 😂

The Supreme Court is about to fumble a simple church/state separation case

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 26, 2022:

Wow, this looks really bad! There are at least 6 reasons why the Supreme Court should never have agreed to hear the case. 1. The plaintiff lost in every lower court that heard the case; 2. The plaintiff's actions clearly violated the separation of church and state; he was on duty and showing off when he went onto the field to pray; 3. His actions were coercive to the players under his supervision; 4. While he was grandstanding, he was not supervising his players; 5. The District did not fire him; he was placed on paid leave, and when his contact expired, he did not apply to renew it; 6. The plaintiff moved out of the state, making him intelligible to bring a suit in that state. If the SCOTUS rules in this plaintiff's favor, that would not only be a huge blow to the constitutional separation of church and state, but also an indication that they will also overturn Roe v. Wade (which is, at bottom, also a case involving the encroachment of religion on secular territory). Theocracy here we come! And with DJT likely to steal the 2024 election if he is not safely behind bars, make that an autocratic theocracy. Or would that be theocratic autocracy? 🤔

Announcement of the death of a local but who has had a profound personal, national and even ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 25, 2022:

Here's to a life well lived! 🍷

Clearing the Air I feel it necessary to respond to a recent complaint by Ryo1 that my motive in ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 25, 2022:

I don't really care about your motivations being here. I only care about what you write while you are here.

In rejecting death row inmate's case, judge says law enforcement isn't a profession : NPR

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 25, 2022:

Semantics aside, it sounds like the Board violated its own rules. However, the guy's crime was particularly heinous, so I'm not shedding any tears over him.

Preacher: Teachers "grooming" kids should be beheaded on live TV

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 25, 2022:

There's good Christian values for you! 😵‍💫

A good point

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 24, 2022:

I'll take the Kamasutra over the Bible any day! 😂

The Untold Truth Of The Book Of Revelation - YouTube

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 24, 2022:

Apocalypse Now! The movie title captures what I mean: that apocalypse is occurring to someone somewhere all the time. Take the people of Ukraine, for example...or Yemen, or South Sudan, or...

After losing his job for praying on the field, ex-high school football coach brings case to Supreme ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 24, 2022:

I don't think he should lose his job for praying on the field, and Colin Kaepernick should not have lost his for taking a knee

A bad death: the importance of truth-telling at end-of-life

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 23, 2022:

There is all too much of this in America. For too many people, the majority of their medical spending occurs at the very end of life. We have an unhealthy attitude towards death, and a system that can best be described as "sick-care," not healthcare.

The girl I'm mentoring won $35,409 in scholarships so far. Hooray!

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 23, 2022:

Right on! 😎👍

Florida atheist asks book-banning school districts to get rid of the Bible, too

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 23, 2022:

Next thing you know, they'll be banning biology textbooks that discuss Darwin.

New Rule: The War on Democracy | Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO) - YouTube

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 23, 2022:

I love it! Wait....no, I hate it. 🤣 Truth is stranger than fiction. The truth, at least in this case, hurts.

Alone with depression

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 22, 2022:

Do you absolutely have to live in Alabama? Maybe it's time for a move...

One atheist wrote on another atheist platform in response to my graphics below.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 22, 2022:

The pig farm worker's assessment of pigs is a gross mis-characterization. In the wild, pigs are actually clean, intelligent animals. They only appear disgusting to us humans when they are forced (by humans) to live in disgusting (and inhumane) conditions. Ironic, no?

An Alabama couple can't adopt a child because they're non-religious

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 22, 2022:

It will be interesting to see how all the religion-inspired, draconian laws and policies being set in place in Bible-belt states like Texas and Alabama affects their populations over time. Will they attract more people? Or will those states' populations decline relative to more liberal states like California and Washington?

A while ago, I asked the following question and got an informative answer from a person who lives in...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 22, 2022:

To the extent that Denmark is a secular country (how can it be, really, if it has an official State religion?), that probably has more to do with their particular religious sect (Lutheranism) being fairly moderate in its credos (as compared with American style Evangelical Christianity).

Satanists will sue PA school district for rejecting After School Satan Club

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 21, 2022:

If they allow Christian groups (e.g. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, a group that met regularly in a school where I worked) then they should allow a Satanic group too. Fair's fair.

Your Local Epidemiologist Transmission on Planes

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 20, 2022:

This article lends support to the CDC's decision to keep a mask mandate in place for air travel. And if the CDC cannot act to protect public heealth in the context of interstate and international travel, what can they do? What is most troubling to me is the politicization of the science, and, arguably even worse, the co-opting of the federal judiciary (an institution that needs to at least appear non-partisan in order to maintain credibility) for partisan purposes. That Trump-appointed federal judge really overstepped her purview, and I would not be a bit surprised if her ruling is reversed on appeal. By that time, though, the CDC might have ended the mandate anyway. However, this sets a bad precedent. The Justice Department really had no choice but to appeal.

Just remember, one of the most horrific terrorist attacks in the USA was committed by a homegrown ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 19, 2022:

I don't even have to look at the link. I remember very well his infamous name: Timothy McVeigh. And also his partner in crime, Terry Nichols. Rot them both, and the wacko militia-head ideologies they followed.

REGARDING THE RECENT ARCANE DIALOG ABOUT NEAR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN EUROPEAN MYTHOLOGY.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 19, 2022:

The more white supremacists try to suppress frank discussion of our chequered American past, the more the subject will bubble up. If we want to move on, there must be truth and reconciliation. IMHO.

Honestly, worshiping the sun god seems like a better deal than worshiping the Judeo-Christian god.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 19, 2022:

The native Americans were the only people who ever lived sustainably on this continent.

What are you most proud of?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 19, 2022:

Well done! Keep up the good work! 😎👍

Canadians say evangelicals hurt society more than any other religion

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 19, 2022:

I'm not surprised 🤣

Is bruce Jenner the father of his 6 children?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 19, 2022:

Bruce? Her name is Caitlyn. She WAS the father of her children. 🤣 As for what the appropriate term is now, why not ask the Jenner family?

Merika.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 18, 2022:

We all know CRT (Critical Race Theory) is not taught in K-12 schools. It's a graduate-level course. But that is not stopping right-wing extremists from using CRT as a proxy for all they see that is bad in education: namely, teaching a version of history that more accurately represents what has taken place in this country vis-a-vis slavery, Jim Crow, red-lining, lynching, massacre, apartheid, and genocide perpetrated against black and brown people over centuries. If we never address our chequered history, then it will continue to haunt us. We should not be afraid to face it. Other countries have done it and have only benefitted. IMHO

FL school board member admits prayer resolution is about "God and Jesus Christ"

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 18, 2022:

They are insidious and unflagging in their mission to convert, indoctrinate, and brain wash.

Canadians consider certain religions damaging to society: survey - National | Globalnews.ca

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 18, 2022:

I think the Canadians have got it right. "Religion poisons everything," to quote the late great Christopher Hitchens.

He tells the truth [fb.watch]

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 18, 2022:

You could always count on G.C. to tell it like it is 😎👍

Knowledge is a subset of belief, they say.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 17, 2022:

The ball-and-glove metaphor is an over simplification. Just because I receive a piece of information, that does not necessarily mean I have new knowledge. What is the source of that information? Is it a reliable, trusted source? If I am skeptical of the information, can I be said to have assimilated new knowledge? I think not. If the information is false, can I be said to know something new? Or am I just misinformed? I will go with the latter. Knowledge, in my book, is a cognitive state that accurately represents reality, facts, or truth. Belief is confidence that a proposition is true with or without supporting evidence. (Belief can also imply uncertainty. Someone could say, "I believe Ukraine will be victorious," and that would be more of an expression of faith rather than of knowledge.) There are beliefs that can be described as knowledge, because they focus on truth or facts. For instance, I might say that I believe that climate change is real. That statement is an affirmation of the work that thousands of scientists have done over many decades in collecting and analyzing millions of pieces of data, and the scientific conclusion that they have come to. In other words, I believe climate change is real because I know that climate change is real. And then there are also beliefs that are not supported by the facts. Can these beliefs be considered knowledge? No. Calling belief in a false proposition "knowledge" weakens the whole concept of knowing. However, this will not prevent deluded people from mis-using the word "knowledge" to describe their delusion. Some people will claim to "know" things that are either verifiably false or not substantiated by any evidence. In cases like these, the people are making very poor use of language. They are misleading others into thinking that they know something verifiably true when it is either not substantiated or simply false. In sum, knowledge is a mental representation of reality. Belief may or may not reflect reality. Belief could be characterized as a qualified subset of knowledge.

Florida man guilty of killing wife, 3 kids and dog because he thought 'apocalypse was coming'

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 17, 2022:

The guy obviously has mental problems. I wonder if this might have been avoided if our healthcare system worked better and for more people. What a waste.

Religious bullshit doesn't work very well in modern warfare.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 15, 2022:

By their own belief system, God is apparently NOT on the side of the Russian invaders. They should go home while they can.

Agree or disagree and why?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 14, 2022:

I would agree with the proposal if the children received training and instruction in science from a young age right up through high school and college. Then religion wouldn't stand a chance. 😂

“Before he died, Hitchens called Collins “one of the greatest living Americans.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 14, 2022:

He (Francis Collins) always struck me as a competent and diligent scientist. I never knew about his religious views, and frankly, didn't care. I still don't.

Judge OKs lawsuit against ex-cop who baptized woman against her will

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 14, 2022:

Bad cop Wilkey apparently has not internalized the central tenet of Christianity: forgiveness. He cited her for the joint and other picayune offenses. What a hypocrite!

David Barton is spreading a new lie about churches and the Constitution

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 14, 2022:

David Barton "...claimed to have an earned Ph.D. that was later revealed to be a hoax." Isn't this all we really need to know about him?

The great Hitchens {R.I.P.) We desperately need a replacement. [youtu.be]

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 12, 2022:

Sadly, the Hitch left us. Thank gawd for video and audio recordings of him. 😎👍

Like defenders of libertarian free will, transhumanists believe we can make ourselves into who we ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 12, 2022:

Great strides have been made in designing neural interfaces between the human body and machines. Ocular implants, cochlear implants, and prosthetic arms and legs that move like natural limbs and provide sensory feedback are already a reality. This certainly represents a step towards some kind of new human (if a cyborg can be considered human). And, perhaps even more significant is the progress being made in understanding and manipulating DNA. The field of molecular biology is arguably still in an early stage. Down the road, combining genetic engineering with robotics, who knows what is possible? This is not to say that I am in favor of such change. It seems alien and cold to me. And l suspect that any attempt to do an end run around nature is bound to have negative consequences. Sooner or later, natural selection is bound to have its say. Which brings up another question. Haven't we already created a civilization populated with people whose immune systems would be inadequate for survival without the help of vaccines and other miracles of modern medicine? Any large-scale breakdown in the delivery of such modern developments is bound to result in a massive dieback, as less fit individuals face environmental challenges they are simply not equipped to overcome. And if we leave it up to humans to design themselves, instead of letting nature take its course, aren't we just crawling further out on a slender limb? In biology we have a sub-field called population dynamics. One of its lessons is that when any population, whether it be bacteria bats, grows beyond the carrying capacity (a population size that the environment can sustain indefinitely) there will come a drastic rise in the death rate due to limiting factors such as the buildup of wastes (think greenhouse gases and the global warming they cause), or introduction of contagious disease (for instance, a virus like SARS CoV2 only more deadly). I personally have little faith in mankind's ability to design better than natural selection trims. But that's just me.

World Council of Churches faces calls to expel Russian Orthodox Church WCC head the Rev.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 12, 2022:

Ahhh, there's the link! 😂

World Council of Churches faces calls to expel Russian Orthodox Church WCC head the Rev.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 12, 2022:

Ahhh, there's the link! 😂

What was the point?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 12, 2022:

Wow, they really showed their true colors, huh?

I have recently lost my beloved daughter to suicide.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 11, 2022:

So sorry for your loss! I think it would be hard either way, with or without religious belief. At the very least you can take some comfort in knowing that she is not suffering. Try not to suffer yourself. She wouldn't want that. You might throw yourself into a good cause to honor her memory...

Kareem: Oklahoma Bans Abortion So Let's Ban Oklahoma

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 11, 2022:

Ban Oklahoma? It works for me!

A 26-year-old woman, Lizelle Herrera, was arrested last Thursday in Starr County, Texas, and charged...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 10, 2022:

In addition to stories about ridiculous criminal charges, we will soon be hearing about a surge in deaths caused by clandestine abortions gone wrong. Wait and see. Sigh.

I am reading a short book by Sam Harris called a letter to a Christian Nation.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 10, 2022:

Excellent book!

Climbing Sauer's Mountain three years ago today.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 9, 2022:

Little piece of Dan Diego sky, shot about the same time you were in the Wenatchees.

Climbing Sauer's Mountain three years ago today.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 9, 2022:

Beautiful! 😍

An Arkansas official bragged about injecting Christian prayers at meetings

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 9, 2022:

Rust never sleeps. Neither does mould. In fact, rot of all kinds is constantly creeping in.

I want this guy back in office.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 9, 2022:

Oh I wouldn't say he does nothing. He has exploited every fault line in society and torn the country in half. That's something. As for daddy's girl...I wonder what she told the Committee. Probably nothing.

The Secret Life of the Catholic Church in an Age of Scandal (2004)

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 9, 2022:

The Church is like a cat trying to cover shit on a marble floor.

Does Death Have to Be a Death Sentence? - Freakonomics

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 8, 2022:

Death is a natural part of life. In fact, it is essential. Imagine how uncomfortably crowded it would be if no one ever died. And how would there ever be any progress if old farts carried on for eternity? Perish the thought!

Was the Pledge of Allegiance plagiarized from a child?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 8, 2022:

Whatever its origin, it should not include the words "under God."

The woman who kept aborted fetuses in her home works for an atheist

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 8, 2022:

Most interesting comment so far: "Terrisa Bukovinac lies about being a democrat and progressive, so she's probably lying about being an atheist too." That would make it a false-flag fetus fiasco. 😂

Hey Everyone, I am now fewer than 1,000 points away from Level 8! Please forgive my shameless ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 8, 2022:

P.S. Don't look up!

Hey Everyone, I am now fewer than 1,000 points away from Level 8! Please forgive my shameless ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 8, 2022:

You go girl! 😎👍

Easter joke A priest didn't think anyone knew the true meaning of Easter anymore so after mass ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 8, 2022:

As I understand it, Easter is actually a re-working of a pagan ritual, a rite of spring celebrating rebirth and renewal. Some scholars think the word "Easter" comes from the name for a pagan fertility goddess who was known as Estarte.

Do you think it's wrong to lie about your age on a dating site? He's 68. His profile says 53.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 7, 2022:

Yes. Honesty is the best policy.

Former Trump Aide Pleads Guilty to Kiddie Porn Charge | US Attorney’s Office District of Columbia

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 7, 2022:

There is definitely a loose nut behind the wheel.

Trumpster furious because I refuse to date Trump supporters.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 7, 2022:

Lacking the capacity for self reflection, Trumpers cannot see how odious, obnoxious, and obtuse they really are. And that's only the Os...🤣

Will a Stand Your Ground Self-Defense Claim Save Black Oklahoma Man Who Killed White Intruder?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 7, 2022:

I don't think anybody should get a pass for shooting through a closed door. I understand how scary it must be to have someone breaking down your door, but shooting through it is not the way to go. Better to take up a position a few feet back, let them break through and cross the threshold, THEN blow them away. 😎

63 Republicans Vote Against Resolution In Support For NATO

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 6, 2022:

Dirty bastards!

Have to credit @Dyl1983 for this idea. It's already in the market.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 6, 2022:

Who is the lady under the green wig? Is that Jada Pinket Smith? Are you looking to get slapped?

They're so pro-life, that they want to kill you.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 6, 2022:

Way to go Texas! 😵‍💫

Bipartisan Gottheimer Amendment Passes, Will Study Ways to Determine if a Driver is Impaired by ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 6, 2022:

One other thing has also changed: a major political party has become a personality cult centered on a white supremacist, malignant narcissist bent on ending our democracy. That's new. 😬

Massive software updates are my nemesis. How about you?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 3, 2022:

They always want to do it when I want to use the app 😂

Traitors in our midst: "I identify more with Putin's Christian values than I do with Joe Biden.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 3, 2022:

I know these Christian values of which you speak. They include homophobia, racism, xenophobia, keeping women barefoot and pregnant (better they die than get a legal abortion), dominance of nature rather than stewardship (i.e. destroying the Earth for short-term profit), rank hypocrisy (AR15-toting warriors for Jesus!), rejection of scientific process and facts, and that odious, arrogant, I-know-better-than-you attitude that brings the Bible-thumping, proselytizing little shits to our doors.

Ukraine Strikes Fuel Depot Inside Russia | Washington Examiner

Flyingsaucesir comments on Apr 1, 2022:

"April 1 (Reuters) - Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Friday he could not confirm or deny Ukraine's alleged involvement in a strike on a fuel depot in the Russian city of Belgorod because he was not privy to all military information." "Responding to a question about the attack at a briefing in Poland, Kuleba said: "I can neither confirm nor reject the claim that Ukraine was involved in this simply because I do not possess all the military information.""

Lots of folks who realized that religion was a tall tale, go on to parrot what they hear from the ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 30, 2022:

First off, Ukraine did not invade Russia; Russia invaded Ukraine. But you are right about most religion: it is largely bullshit. As for the media, you paint with too broad a brush. The level of bullshit coming from the media greatly depends on the source. Some outlets are more egregious than others. PBS, NBC, NY Times, Washington Post, Fresno Bee, not too bad. Fox is pretty bad. News Max is even worse.

Atheism is inconsistent with science....

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 26, 2022:

For future reference, this is from Wikipedia: "Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities.Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist.In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities."

Atheism is inconsistent with science....

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 26, 2022:

I have to agree with the basic premise that pure, unadulterated atheism is unscientific. That is, if atheism is defined as belief that God does not exist, which is not the same as lack of belief in God's existence. If it is the former, then to claim that the lack of evidence of God proves his non-existence would be going too far. Absence of evidence of God is not proof that He does not exist. HOWEVER, a scientist could reasonably talk in terms of probabilities, and say that, considering the dearth of evidence of God's existence, the many inconsistencies in His personality (e.g. His supposed benevolence contrasted with his obvious indifference to the suffering of innocents), and the human propensities for invention and for lying, the PROBABILITY of there actually being a God is vanishingly small. It would be perfectly acceptable for a scientist to self-identify as an atheist-leaning agnostic, or an agnostic who estimates the probability of God's existence at 0.01%, or says (s)he is 99.99% certain that He does not exist. That would be quite alright. But I doubt that most scientists spend a whole lot of time on this issue. There are many more pressing matters at hand.

So, for fun, I went to this site .

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 23, 2022:

Did you expect them to follow standard rules of logic and reason? 🤣🤣🤣

Unbelievers. Are there any moral flaws in Jesus?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 9, 2022:

Debating whether Jesus had any moral flaws is beside the point. Don't get me wrong; Jesus is alright with me. But if he ever existed, he's been dead for over two thousand years. So-called Christian's, however, continue to plague us with their militant sanctimony, their "I know better than you" hubris, and their rank hypocrisy. So instead of arguing about how many angels can fit on the head of a pin, let's talk about how we can purge superstition from the human psyche.

Wisdom for the Trumpanzee / Trumptard…..

Flyingsaucesir comments on Mar 7, 2022:

The number of idiots out there is truly astounding...and shocking...and depressing... I want to take heart from the Select Committee's finding that Trump and his minions engaged in criminal conspiracy, but I am worried that the Justice Department does not appear to be investigating it. We cannot afford to let those sons of bitches get away with it. They will only be emboldened to try again.

Ketanji Brown Jackson was wrong to say "one can only come this far by faith"

Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 26, 2022:

We all need a little faith to keep us going. As a nearly-atheistic agnostic, my faith is not in any God, but in the power of nature, good people, certain institutions, my own intellect and capabilities, and of course luck. We all need a little luck. As for Ms. Brown Jackson, who am I to say that she was wrong to mention God in her speech. I have no idea what she means by the term. Is it the simplistic and childish image of a nosy, judgemental, angry, jealous, and...yes, loving old man in the sky? Or did she mean something more nuanced and ineffable, like the totality of energy in the universe? I think it is a mistake to put too much weight on one offhand comment which could ultimately be nothing more than a figure of speech. This is one agnostic resisting the impulse to tilt at windmills.

I identify as agnostic but I can’t imagine not celebrating Christmas.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 23, 2022:

I cannot speak for "North American and Western European families." All I know is that the commercialism of Christmas, the rank consumerism, the religious overtones, freighted as they are with hypocrisy and chauvinism, make me sick to my stomach.

In my continuing effort to understand why so many people who claim to prefer science over faith are ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Feb 23, 2022:

Gee, isn't it obvious that religious belief has caused more trouble than it is worth? Religious belief has held back human progress in science and education; it has been the cause of countless wars; it promotes and defends the kind of flabby thinking that allows justification of the most idiotic, pernicious, and destructive impulses. For instance, the Christian Bible promotes the idea that mankind was placed here on Earth NOT to be good stewards of nature, but to exercise DOMINION over nature. This misguided view may well be our undoing. We are just beginning to find out what a terrible idea it is to screw with Mother Nature.

'We're tired of watching people die': the 6 stages of critical COVID-19 care | Nebraska Medicine ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jan 13, 2022:

You're tired of people dying because they are so hooked by wacko conspiracy theories that they refuse vaccination? That they listen to malignant toads like Dr. Andrew Wakefield and Dr. Robert Malone? That big tech companies like Facebook put their profit ahead of the public good and set their algorithms to spread false content that engenders fear and anger because that gets more clicks and therefore more money? That Vladimir Putin has buildings full of Russian trolls working 24-7 to pit Americans against one another with fake news? That a significant proportion of Americans simply cannot tell truth from fiction, are convinced that the government has been taken over by a cabal of blood-sucking pedophiles and that vaccines contain microscopic tracking chips and/or are designed to kill people? That the current pandemic is merely a dress rehearsal for the infinitely more dire long-term crisis of climate change, an emergency with true civilization-crushing potential that we continue to ignore at our peril? You're tired of all this? Me too! I wish I had a quick and effective solution, but I don't have one. All I know to do is keep on trying to reason with the gullible people I know who are in the thrall of lies and disinformation. It is thankless work. I have not been able to change anyone's mind yet. But hope springs eternal.

Interesting conversations are going on here: [reddit.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 31, 2021:

Family lore passed down to me has it that during the Great Depression US police were often highly educated people. White collar jobs were scarce, and many men with college degrees turned to policing to make a living. I am all for upping the educational requirements for entry into law enforcement. And let that learning be weighted toward the humanities!

[cnn.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 31, 2021:

"Comedians are the most honest and serious people I know." True, and quite a startling commentary on our times.

'Go in peace': US church founded in 1800 holds last service A central Pennsylvania church with a ...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Dec 31, 2021:

It is tempting to take the news of this church closure as a sign of progress. Unfortunately, however, while moderate Protestant church attendance is waning, Evangelical membership is waxing. This is real cause for concern. To the extent that Evangelical Christian dogmas conflicts with science, the future of human civilization, and possibly even our species' continued survival, is placed in grave peril. While China's greenhouse gas emissions have recently exceeded America's, the USA still holds first place as the world's greatest polluter. And we are quickly running out of time to address the climate change crisis. Feedback loops in the climate system are already kicking in, and the signs of impending catastrophe are everywhere: drought and megafires in the West, tornadoes and Hurricanes in the East, and crop-withering heat waves in the Midwest. The kind of science illiteracy we see in Evangelical Christian congregations has greatly enabled the fossil fuel industry to continue its rape of the natural world. Witness the high rate (85%) at which Evangelical Christians voted for Donald Trump, an unabashed climate science denier and toady to corporate interests. And before Trump, we were saddled with oil man George W. Bush, who billed himself "born again" and whose disastrous presidency would not have been possible without the Evangelical Christian vote. So no, I am not celebrating. This is no county fair midway ride, but it is white knuckles all the way.

The Vast Majority of Atheists Believe in Intelligent Life on Other Planets | Hemant Mehta | Friendly...

Flyingsaucesir comments on Aug 26, 2021:

Since we have no evidence of such life, it is entirely inappropriate to speak in terms of belief, with one exception: belief in the POSSIBILITY of such life. The presence of intelligent life on Earth proves that life can spontaneously arise on a planet with the right conditions.

First Law of Thermodynamics: energy can be neither created nor destroyed.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 31, 2021:

Scientific laws are factual descriptions of nature. They are not to be believed or disbelieved, but rather understood and accepted. You might as well ask if I believe in gravity. (By the way, the phenomenon of gravity, ubiquitous as it is, is not completely understood by science; there is no theory of gravity. Nevertheless, I am compelled by my senses to accept the varying attraction of bodies depending on their masses.) Most living things on Earth get their energy, directly or indirectly, from the sun. A small minority get their energy from the Earth's internal heat (generated from the breakdown of radioactive elements). All living things use their energy to drive chemical reactions that allow them to build and maintain a body, procreate, gather needed, nutrients, etc. You can think of this process as creating order out of disorder. The chemical reactions of life are mostly facilitated by proteins called enzymes, which are built according to the organism's DNA code. most of the energy that an animal like a human being takes in is used for moving around, digesting food, running the immune system, thinking, etc. As these activities are carried out, the energy is released in the form of heat. The heat dissipates into outer space. Some of the energy is also used for growing, by building macromolecules like proteins, fats, oils, DNA, and glycogen. These molecules contain energy in their chemical bonds. When an organism dies, the reactions specified by the DNA cease and a different set of reactions take over, resulting in the decomposition of the body. This second set of reactions is also driven by solar energy (heat). You can slow these reactions down by lowering the ambient temperature. That's why morgues are kept relatively cool. Since this second set of reactions is not guided by DNA but rather another thermodynamic law called entropy, the body goes from a more ordered state to a less ordered state. The spontaneous breakdown of the body's tissues is usually accompanied by the release of heat. This heat also dissipates into outer space. Ultimately, the amount of energy taken in by an organism is exactly equal to the amount that it gives off during its life and subsequent decomposition. The ledger is perfectly balanced.

There is nothing more obnoxious to me than an evangelistic Christian trying to convert me.

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 31, 2021:

I respect people's right to believe whatever they want. I do not, however, respect superstitious, anachronistic, childish beliefs.

I believe that Jesus as a historical figure. Am I wrong about this?

Flyingsaucesir comments on Jul 28, 2021:

You are probaby not wrong. I think there are contemporaneous Roman writings that mention Jesus, or at least describe someone with his attributes and activities operating in Galilee.