Does aggressive antitheism beget anti-atheism?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 21, 2018:

Franklin Graham, James Bakker, John Oliver, Ken Copeland, Benny, Hinn, Joyce Meyer, etc, etc, don't seem too worried about their aggressive theism creating a backlash against Christianity. I don't think we should be worried, to that same extent.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 21, 2018:

@Gene_in_SoCal We're not "doing" anything to anybody. I don't feel we need to stifle ourselves for fear of causing offense. We have a valid point of view which, moreover, is scientifically accurate... and we don't ask people for money. When religionists go around claiming that condoms don't really prevent AIDS, or that polio vaccine is a plot to eliminate all Muslims, or that evolution is all a scam... well ffs, we need to be just as loud telling the truth as they are when they lie. They're taking offense at being called out as liars, *which they are*.

Tell us something that might be considered contradictory about yourself.

LadyAlyxandrea comments on Jul 20, 2018:

I'm on a lot of medication but I hate taking medication. I'm very lazy and slow, but I also love doing sports I am very violent for a pacifist

Paul4747 replies on Jul 21, 2018:

"I am very violent for a pacifist"... That's OK, I'm in what's considered a very violent profession, yet I go out of my way to de-escalate situations and resolve issues peacefully.

Too soon?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 20, 2018:

Nah, no problem. I don't know who that is anyway.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 20, 2018:

@Yanya Oh, well, no great loss then! Sounds like a great savings in tax dollars on his prison accommodations.

What's inside a $5000 Scientology E-Meter? [motherboard.vice.com]

19dacar52 comments on Jul 20, 2018:

I think it is nothing more than an ohmmeter.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 20, 2018:

Plus an ooh- and aah-meter.

Why is it expected to respect the opinions and comments of those who preach/post God, but not ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 19, 2018:

A social fiction says that religion has a "special place" in our discourse, and must be "respected" even though it has no rational basis.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

@Seminarian I'd argue it also has something to do with the fact that, since "religious faith isn't subject to scientific proof", there's a fictional wall that's been erected between those thoughts and all secular thought... even when religious belief contradicts proven scientific fact. Thus, even though we* know* how old the Earth is, lip service is paid to "respecting" Young Earth Creationists who keep trying to find ways that it could be only 6000 years old. We let them teach this in their schools instead of insisting they teach only accredited, actual science in science class.

[youtube.com] Like these guys. Energy and funky.

Paul4747 comments on Jul 19, 2018:

My only question is how OP looks just like me, only 5 years younger & better looking :)

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

@JustChris original poster

Do you think the world will see another Hitler?

maturin1919 comments on Jul 19, 2018:

"We learn from history that we do not learn from history." -Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel It's only a matter of time.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

History doesn't repeat itself; historians repeat each other.

Men, what would you think of a woman if they were forward with you and asked you out on a date.

Redcupcoffee comments on Jul 4, 2018:

I don't want to get rejected.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

A) Why must men be the only ones facing that possibility? B) I think the odds would be in your favor. :)

Want to hear a Funny Story about My Divorce?

AMGT comments on Jul 19, 2018:

My first husband, a police officer, lost his ass in divorce court. He was forced to pay my attorney fees on top of child support and alamony. He was furious. When all was said and done, he showed up in uniform at my attorney’s office, a 30 story high rise in Century City, Ca, with his ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

@I_dont_know Probably true. Devious, paranoid, glib, anger issues, etc. Difference being that cops choose a paycheck and criminals are out for easy money. That's the stereotype.

Laid up for the next 24 hours.

JustKip comments on Jul 19, 2018:

I'm sure you know it could have been much worse! Still hard to think of it as being lucky something worse didn't happen, when something bad *did* happen!

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

@JustKip Closer to George Carlin's 7 words

Laid up for the next 24 hours.

JustKip comments on Jul 19, 2018:

I'm sure you know it could have been much worse! Still hard to think of it as being lucky something worse didn't happen, when something bad *did* happen!

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

You bet. Could have cracked the back of my favorite head open. Got off pretty lucky when you consider the possibilities (which I did as I stumbled backwards, flailing my arms like all 3 Stooges combined)...

Laid up for the next 24 hours.

pixiedust comments on Jul 19, 2018:

Ouch! Follow your doctor's advice and have Friday on Monday if you have to.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

@RavenCT There wasn't a ladder. That was the problem. I was searching a prison cell for contraband and had to improvise with a chair to get onto the top bunk. Same thing I've done.... 19 years, 5 days a week, subtract vacations, at least once a day... I can't do the math... well over 7000 times at a guess. First time this has happened. :(

Best Thing Any Lady Ever Sent Me

Lincoln55 comments on Jul 19, 2018:

THis pisses me off. You've been reading my mail

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

Or you've been reading mine

Laid up for the next 24 hours.

pixiedust comments on Jul 19, 2018:

Ouch! Follow your doctor's advice and have Friday on Monday if you have to.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

Back to work Sunday for me. The window of opportunity must be seized.

Laid up for the next 24 hours.

JenBeberstein comments on Jul 19, 2018:

What's going on Friday? Hope you recover quickly!!

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

@JenBeberstein No worries. I'll definitely be there. And if there are any activities afterwords... if I should be so incredibly lucky... well, my ankle will just have to man up and take it. ;)

Want to hear a Funny Story about My Divorce?

AMGT comments on Jul 19, 2018:

My first husband, a police officer, lost his ass in divorce court. He was forced to pay my attorney fees on top of child support and alamony. He was furious. When all was said and done, he showed up in uniform at my attorney’s office, a 30 story high rise in Century City, Ca, with his ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

That is pretty good. No, I don't feel sorry for him, and I wonder that the bailiffs let him get that far. Being completely honest, the post was a throwaway line on my part. A character on *Burn Notice* (classic TV series) used it in a bar to introduce himself to another guy whose confidence he needed to gain. I just thought it was a good line. My divorce was actually incredibly civil. No lawyers. We talked it over and decided that we trusted each other, and the money that could go for lawyers (the weasels) would be better spent on our daughter. So... still very civil. That could change if I meet someone and start dating steadily... but hopefully not. In Michigan she could always opt to take me back to court and revisit the settlement.

Laid up for the next 24 hours.

JenBeberstein comments on Jul 19, 2018:

What's going on Friday? Hope you recover quickly!!

Paul4747 replies on Jul 19, 2018:

Date ;) with someone I've been talking to for hours and texting all week. I have keen anticipation. :) Thank you, Jen.

Hey, would someone mind taking screenshot of what it looks like to “hover” over someone?

BlueWave comments on Jul 18, 2018:

For those of you who do not want to see whether somebody hovered over you, go into your alert settings and review all of your options. There are several more than when I joined, and the hover feature is one of them. I turned it off, so it does not show any more in my visitors log that someone ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 18, 2018:

I'm not finding that option... am I an idiot?

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

TheoryNumber3 comments on Jul 13, 2018:

I just think it says "Hey, I'm normal. and not a scammer from Nigeria" A friend of mine married a guy she met on a dating site and I remember her telling me that she was initially attracted to him specifically because he had posted a sweet photo of himself with his little granddaughter.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 17, 2018:

@TheoryNumber3 In a man's case, we're assumed to be more horny than lonely. Which, to be fair, in my case is totally true. ;) But it doesn't mean that the blood immediately pumps away from my brain at the sight of a nice body whose alleged owner says she wants me to contact her and hook up right away. I've been lucky enough not to get the "foreign inheritance" scam, but I do keep getting very authentic-looking emails telling me that my credit card information has been compromised and I need to confirm my information through their link. Luckily they chose a card that has been inactive for years to try to scam me with, so it was a dead giveaway. Otherwise their emails look quite authentic. That is, until you hover on the links and see that they all go to the same address no matter where they supposedly lead. Plus odd phrases and things that just... don't quite seem right. And once they got my address the emails kept pouring in.

So, who else here finds tickling sexy?

nutrition_nerd comments on Jul 17, 2018:

Light tickling can be very sensual. Feeling your lovers fingertips trace across your skin. Causing little goosebumps. :)

Paul4747 replies on Jul 17, 2018:

That's what I'm talkin' about ;) I think a lot of people associate tickling with only the mean, torturous, "please stop" kind of tickling. That's not where my interests lie at all. The brushing of fingertips or a soft brush or even feathers (!!!!!) over the skin, waking up every nerve... tickling is a loving thing for me.

So, who else here finds tickling sexy?

ShieldMaiden_76 comments on Jul 17, 2018:

I only like the very, very gentle tickle. It's arousing!!

Paul4747 replies on Jul 17, 2018:

Very very gentle tickling is definitely a thing. ?

So, who else here finds tickling sexy?

JenBeberstein comments on Jul 17, 2018:

I hate to be tickled, I find nothing sexy about it.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 17, 2018:

I know it seems to be either a love or a hate thing, very little middle ground.

Here's the sequel. Such a giving couple ;-)

Seeker55 comments on Jul 10, 2018:

Face sitting should be an Olympic event.....

Paul4747 replies on Jul 16, 2018:

Synchronized. The challenge would for each couple to cross the finish line at the same time.

Here's the sequel. Such a giving couple ;-)

Mikey5236o6 comments on Jul 10, 2018:

https://youtu.be/Dax_tnZRExc

Paul4747 replies on Jul 16, 2018:

You beat me to it...

Since I am not in church....I can have some internet fun...lol

Paul4747 comments on Jul 15, 2018:

That carrot makes me feel inadequate by comparison...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 16, 2018:

@Blindbird Not about the size, it's about the proportions. Specifically the length...? I mean, come on, that's the John Holmes of carrots

I was thinking about posting about apathy, then I thought,... Meh.

jacpod comments on Jul 15, 2018:

sometiems I wish I could be apathetic but i havent got the energy!

Paul4747 replies on Jul 15, 2018:

I used to be more apathetic, but then I became so lethargic....

I am curious if anyone ever wonders how can this really smart person believe in God?

AmiSue comments on Jul 15, 2018:

Many of us were once believers - are we suddenly smart when we disbelieve? Does the simple fact of our questioning make us 'smart'?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 15, 2018:

The smarter you are, the better chance you have to recognize if an answer to your questions is just dogma or a real answer.

Spankins! Yes? No? If you like them, how do you like them best?

ShieldMaiden_76 comments on Jul 14, 2018:

Guess I am the only female that has commented that does not enjoy spankin's. I got a LOT of them as a child, don't need any as an adult. I don't like giving them either. Just my personal preference. I prefer a very very light tickle on my butt or upper back thighs.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 14, 2018:

Happy to oblige ?

This wise woman wrote (although she has no children she is financially free): I am not depending on ...

MsHoliday comments on Jul 14, 2018:

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/quality-of-life-full-list

Paul4747 replies on Jul 14, 2018:

@Beach_slim https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/methodology It was also developed by a marketing firm, and they are usually rabid neocons. No, actually they're just marketing firms. That was just me parodying your style, or lack of same. I thought I should make that clear "This was developed by a professor, and they are usually communist."- you've won the Trump Award for Ludicrous Statement of the Month. Communism hasn't been a serious intellectual movement in the West in decades. Your continuing conflation of socialism, communism, and all the other -isms show your lack of understanding and lack of any nuance whatsoever. You simply throw these words around like brickbats to insult anyone who dares disagree with you. Your sweeping generalizations and dismissing any fact you don't like as being politically motivated is utterly ridiculous. The article @Holiday cited is a survey of over 21,000 people worldwide. "A professor's" involvement doesn't change the survey or the results. Your arguments would carry a little more weight if they showed any sign at all of you having read the citations before picking out one piece on which you could base an irrelevant bit of demagoguery. I'm done with you.

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

TheoryNumber3 comments on Jul 13, 2018:

I just think it says "Hey, I'm normal. and not a scammer from Nigeria" A friend of mine married a guy she met on a dating site and I remember her telling me that she was initially attracted to him specifically because he had posted a sweet photo of himself with his little granddaughter.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 14, 2018:

All my scammer approaches are (or claim to be) 22-30 and looking for men, age 50-100, with income over $100K a year. And if I don't respond within about 30 minutes, the profile has disappeared. I'm sure men approaching women take a different tack than the women approaching men, but their main goal is to have you email so they get a hook into your personal information from which they can work on getting more. Once they have that they can sell it, too. I know I'm not telling you anything you don't know.

Does anybody else watch foreign language films even though their first language is English and their...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 13, 2018:

Kurosawa, definitely. Watching those films dubbed would be like watching Godzilla without the monster.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 14, 2018:

@Surfpirate That's right Speed! Haha! Father, the Mach 5 is not ready! Haha! But I must win the race! Haha! Haha, haha! Haha!

Does anybody else watch foreign language films even though their first language is English and their...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 13, 2018:

Kurosawa, definitely. Watching those films dubbed would be like watching Godzilla without the monster.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 14, 2018:

@Surfpirate Check out Yojimbo too. It's the basis for Fistful of Dollars.

Respecting movies that are musicals

Donotbelieve comments on Jul 13, 2018:

I like that movie, but only because it's nostalgic for me. I dislike musicals and if someone starts singing during a movie, I cringe.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

Generally speaking I agree, but A Chorus Line, as a musical about making a musical breaks the fourth wall enough that I don't mind. And A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is just hilarious.

Respecting movies that are musicals

brentan comments on Jul 13, 2018:

Maybe his family have Nazis in the closet?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

Like hostages or something?

Thursday again...

MissKathleen comments on Jul 13, 2018:

just call me

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

@MissKathleen No need for apologies, I expected as much. Funny, I'd never thought of a tux as "uniform". Formal wear, yes, but not a uniform. Worn a couple, never expect to again.

Thursday again...

MissKathleen comments on Jul 13, 2018:

just call me

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

@MissKathleen I do wear a uniform to work, but not a tuxedo. Way way far from a tuxedo.

Thursday again...

MissKathleen comments on Jul 13, 2018:

just call me

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

@MissKathleen It's all good, I'm honest enough to know he's the good looking rich one :)

Thursday again...

MissKathleen comments on Jul 13, 2018:

just call me

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

Unless that's DiCaprio you're talking to

Thursday again...

MissKathleen comments on Jul 13, 2018:

just call me

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

Yes ma'am!

Guy who says God sends natural disasters to punish gays has his home destroyed in a natural disaster...

kiramea comments on Jul 13, 2018:

Look at the date. This story is almost 2 years old.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

And still good fun.

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

thatgirllaura comments on Jul 12, 2018:

My kid comes with the package. Ie...pick me and you're also a parental figure. Dont like that? Please dont pick me. (I just re-read your question and that is exactly what you are saying. I now get what you mean. So 1) I'm a new mom and I guess I never thought about it like that 2) Yes I guess ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

Thank you for that window into your thoughts, and I'm glad at least one person sees things my way... I think

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

IAMGROOT comments on Jul 12, 2018:

I have to comment a second time. You critics are reading a SHIT TON into the fact that someone chooses to post images of their children (either with or without themselves included) in their profile here. Maybe it means something, maybe not. The certainty here is that YOU are perceiving whatever ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

My point didn't involve this site specifically, but it might as well. I had in mind the expressly-designed-for-dating sites. This place is a discussion site, with dating optional. And if you're trying to attract a date, with a picture of yourself and *your kids*... there's something wrong there.

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

Hihi comments on Jul 12, 2018:

I love the photos of dads with kids. That being said, I think most people see this more as a community site than a dating site. But since you asked specifically about putting pictures with your kid on a dating site - it makes a lot of sense because it automatically deters people people who don't ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

@BlueWave The only point I was making.

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

mordant comments on Jul 12, 2018:

I'm sure motivations vary but certainly a lot of people (not just men either) are adverse to dating someone with dependent children and so putting that right out front saves a lot of time. Pragmatically speaking, there's no buzz-kill like children in the household, so if you're looking for ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

That's why I write about it in my profile. But not pictures.

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

Voyagefan comments on Jul 12, 2018:

Its recommended not to post pics of kids,grandkids...But some women get contacted by men that can't read!...Maybe it helps?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

@Julie808 On singles' dating sites, like Match.com

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

Julie808 comments on Jul 12, 2018:

Is your judgment only for those who are primarily on this site for dating purposes? Many of us are here mostly for community, but might be open to the possibility of dating. Are these photos of children you object to being posted with addresses or something? Please explain the foundation of ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 13, 2018:

In retrospect, I neglected to point out that I was talking about the sites that are *specifically* dating sites, naming no names... but even this site is marketed as a site for people looking to meet. In other words... A dating site. And thanks for implying I'm a deviant... no, wait, you pretty much came out and said it. But even though I'm not, plenty are. I don't imagine you have a high concentration on a site like this, or on a travel blog... but on a dedicated single's dating site, you certainly do run that risk. I've been single less than a year and already been stalked once. I'm damn glad that person didn't know what my kid looks like, or what the house looks like, or anything else from my photos that could be helpful in locating me after I blocked the phones. You're right, my concern doesn't apply to everyone on this site. I'll make it more clear what sites I *was* talking about.

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

I_dont_know comments on Jul 12, 2018:

What I cannot understand is pictures of pets, or a group of people with the faces so small you can't tell who is the person in the profile, or random landscape photographs, or pictures in which there are men next to the member of the dating website and you wonder the relationship.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

YES!! Those are almost worth a separate question!

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

NothinnXpreVails comments on Jul 12, 2018:

My son is on my page so I get to look at him every time I log on and so when I talk about him, one can have an image of him in their mind. I miss the fuck out of him and I’m not here to chase women.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

I'm not talking about this site per se, which I should have made clear... and I apologize. I'm talking about the "expressly designed for dating" dating sites. Naming no names *cough*eHarmony*cough*

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

Kepler-452b comments on Jul 12, 2018:

I build software posting a pic of your child these days is no less safe than doing nearly every other internet based activity. If youve been paying attention to how many massive internet breaches have happened the last few years rest assured that its highly likely that much more detailed profiles of...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

True, but why give out more information even to amateurs and strangers? It's like those "family" stickers on the windshield of the car... "My family has 2 adults, 3 kids and a dog, and we like soccer. Have fun stalking us!"

Why Post Pics With Your Kids on a Dating Site?

Gwendolyn2018 comments on Jul 12, 2018:

I see quite a few older men holding newborn babies or toddlers in their profile pics. I think it is like the fish pictures: they don't have their pictures taken unless they're holding a baby or a fish. In this day and age, I cannot fathom why parents post dating site pics of their kids; it's like ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

Exactly. You have NO IDEA who's looking at those kids, or what they're doing while they look.

Wise words from a great man

mordant comments on Jul 12, 2018:

More foundational is that Christianity is based on an epistemology (theory of knowledge) that says the only reliable source of knowledge is a supernatural being who, conveniently, is unseen and unheard. So in fact the source is an alleged holy book as interpreted by alleged holy men. In order to ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

Brilliant analysis!

Show of hands: Who started drinking hot tea because of Jean-Luc Picard and Star Trek?

Sara72712 comments on Jul 12, 2018:

Wait!? Is this why my late husband always requested Earl Grey!?!?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

It's quite possible. Especially if he was bald and a starship captain. ;)

What is the craziest, most impulsive thing you've ever done?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 12, 2018:

Drove 65 miles through a blizzard warning to see my *ex* fiance, and her girlfriend (yes, that's right)... just to prove we were still friends. Then drove home again. On the way back, I was almost run off the road by an 18-wheeler merging onto the freeway, found myself in the grassy median strip, ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

@SukiSue Seriously? That it's okay to be hurt when someone leaves you, and you don't have to go 130 miles out of your way (round trip, in a blizzard) to prove to yourself that you're "not really hurt". I wasn't doing it for her, I was doing it for an image I wanted of myself as emotionally invulnerable. I learned that it's alright to be vulnerable.

What is the craziest, most impulsive thing you've ever done?

JustLynnie comments on Jul 11, 2018:

Had sex on a hiking trail in the middle of the woods in a State Park. We didn't get caught.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

@JustLynnie Danger Sex requires Danger Music! The kind they had on Star Trek!

What is the craziest, most impulsive thing you've ever done?

JustLynnie comments on Jul 11, 2018:

Had sex on a hiking trail in the middle of the woods in a State Park. We didn't get caught.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

@JustLynnie I once almost got some oral favors on a nature trail in the local woodland preserve, but my lady chickened out when she thought she heard hikers coming our way. My fiance and I did get naked and fool around in the laundry room at my college apartment block once... :)

What is the craziest, most impulsive thing you've ever done?

JoshArnaldo comments on Jul 11, 2018:

I joined the Army after September 11th.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

Thank you.

What is the craziest, most impulsive thing you've ever done?

JustLynnie comments on Jul 11, 2018:

Had sex on a hiking trail in the middle of the woods in a State Park. We didn't get caught.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 12, 2018:

That's what you think. Maybe the park rangers enjoy a good show. ;)

The Supreme Court Has Destroyed the Principle of the "Consent of the Governed" - Foundation for ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 11, 2018:

"Imminent civil unrest" over Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid? I think we're being a tad alarmist here. The time of the strict constructionists is over and done. The founders also did not envision a standing Army. Times change.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 11, 2018:

@Blindbird I agree to the extent that the Republican party has their claws into things. I'm not one, though, who accepts the notion that both parties are identical.

Now this is my type of protest poster!

Paul4747 comments on Jul 10, 2018:

Mornings and evenings after 11, round at my place, please. Appointments are appreciated but not necessary.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 11, 2018:

@thinktwice Unusual places are even more fun ;)

The Supreme Court Has Destroyed the Principle of the "Consent of the Governed" - Foundation for ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 11, 2018:

"Imminent civil unrest" over Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid? I think we're being a tad alarmist here. The time of the strict constructionists is over and done. The founders also did not envision a standing Army. Times change.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 11, 2018:

@Blindbird My point, though, is that if it comes to that, they won't be protesting over the federal government's overreaching and doing too much. Rather the reverse, the problem is the private sector run wild.

Now this is my type of protest poster!

archer5691 comments on Jul 10, 2018:

...and they wonder why the "new feminism" is so distasteful to so many......male AND female. ;)

Paul4747 replies on Jul 10, 2018:

@archer5691 ....You got all that from one poster...?

Now this is my type of protest poster!

archer5691 comments on Jul 10, 2018:

...and they wonder why the "new feminism" is so distasteful to so many......male AND female. ;)

Paul4747 replies on Jul 10, 2018:

..... Why?

Are atheists criticising the wrong things about religion?

educatedredneck comments on Jul 5, 2018:

I'd love to live in a secular humanist society, but you cannot force people to not believe or to be moral and a government that mandates what people think won't be moral.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 10, 2018:

Exactly the atheist's point. Most governments in human history have been some form of theocracy or have a state-sponsored religion. This is nothing but telling people what to think. In the U.S., conservative Christian activists want the government to make religious beliefs into law. Again, telling people what to think about sexuality, marriage, speech, and a whole raft of ideas. All secular humanists tell anyone is, live and let live, and don't discriminate based on your particular religion. I do however reserve the right to discriminate against bigots, which I know bigots see as reverse discrimination. Too bad for them.

'Had Republicans not obstinately blocked Obama’s own supreme court nominee, Merrick Garland, in ...

Marionville comments on Jul 10, 2018:

There is no point in rehashing what happened in the past. You can analyse ad nauseum it will not make a jot of difference to what is happening in the here and now. What ifs seem pointless to me, get out and try to change things now so that tomorrow will be better. Change is only effected when ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 10, 2018:

Santayana's words are as relevant today as ever. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Understanding how we came to this point is a vital part of changing the future course. The Republicans have a propaganda smog machine which excels at rewriting history to put the blame on everyone but themselves. It's more important now than ever before (which is saying a LOT) to know how we got here, so we can get out.

The humbling of the atheists: How religion survived the progress of science "Not so long ago, ...

G0dlessHeathen comments on Jul 9, 2018:

I don't appreciate the tone this has towards atheism. Atheists aren't asserting anything. Atheism isn't a belief that people choose or dont choose. It is simply the lack of belief. If it wasn't for religion dominating the world since the dawn of time we wouldn't even need a label to describe it. ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 10, 2018:

@WilliamFleming Name a religion supported by scientifically supported evidence, and then I'll go along with you. But then, that wouldn't be a religion, it would be simply facts. The definition of religion, as given by religionists, is "belief based on faith". That is by definition unsupported.

The humbling of the atheists: How religion survived the progress of science "Not so long ago, ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 10, 2018:

So who's humble already? (Feel free to read that in a Jewish-sounding voice.) I'm a proud atheist. I'll put my atheism up against anyone's theism in 10 rounds, last one standing. Religion! Bah! A lot of fairy tales it is! Who needs it? Nobody, that's who!

Paul4747 replies on Jul 10, 2018:

@Matias I don't disagree, but the title was about "humbling" of the modern atheist. I was going the humor route. It's late, I'm going to bed now...

'Had Republicans not obstinately blocked Obama’s own supreme court nominee, Merrick Garland, in ...

Paul4747 comments on Jul 10, 2018:

Spot on. McConnell was frustrated in his stated goal of making Obama a "one-term President". Even in Obama's first term McConnell set a course of doing everything possible to frustrate the Democrat agenda and make it impossible to compile a record of achievements, thus keeping the economy as slow as...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 10, 2018:

@moNOtheist Historian and liberal. A dangerous combination. I remember things.

The humbling of the atheists: How religion survived the progress of science "Not so long ago, ...

G0dlessHeathen comments on Jul 9, 2018:

I don't appreciate the tone this has towards atheism. Atheists aren't asserting anything. Atheism isn't a belief that people choose or dont choose. It is simply the lack of belief. If it wasn't for religion dominating the world since the dawn of time we wouldn't even need a label to describe it. ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 10, 2018:

@WilliamFleming If I state that the speed of light is 186,000 miles per second, is that also an assertion? Religions (and religious people) do believe in unsupported claims. There is no support or substantiation beyond the biblical account for the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, Jesus rising bodily to heaven, yet these are central to the Christian religion. It's not an "assertion" on my part to say this, it's a statement of fact.

This is me. For real! Anybody else feel the same? ;)

EvaV comments on Jul 9, 2018:

I find it interesting how many see it as power play...Is seduction wrong?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 10, 2018:

@nutrition_nerd A friend of mine (from another site, we've never actually met) used that phrase too... then had to explain it to me. Someone she used to be with actually complained about her topping from the bottom... I had no idea why. He was an idiot, obviously...

This is me. For real! Anybody else feel the same? ;)

EvaV comments on Jul 9, 2018:

I find it interesting how many see it as power play...Is seduction wrong?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 10, 2018:

Definitely not. Not at all. Heck no.

Safety First!

TheGreatShadow comments on Jul 9, 2018:

Reminds me of a friend that shoots pop roman candles from his hand, and checks a few seconds after the last shot to see if it is out. Stares down the barrel to see if it's out. Did that many times on the 4th. I told him I was not going to take him to the ER. He said well you need to count the ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 10, 2018:

Oh ffs

Safety First!

Kojaksmom comments on Jul 9, 2018:

Depends

Paul4747 replies on Jul 9, 2018:

@SACatWalker Look again, that's a "she" :D Japanese animation...

What is "promiscuous teleology" ?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Interesting perspective. No matter what our emotional needs are, that does not explain away our questions about existence in a strange and eerie reality. Despite what many people say, there is some evidence for a higher intelligence—that which I call universal awareness. My emotional needs are ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 8, 2018:

@WilliamFleming James Randi is an expert on "supernormal" phenomena, I am not. So far nobody has proved its existence. That's where the burden of proof is. Not to disprove, but to prove it exists. "The beauty and majesty of nature", like the hymenoptera wasps that paralyze their victims so they can lay eggs which will then hatch into larvae, who feed on the still-living host? There ARE NO answers. Life evolved this way because life was more successful than the forms that didn't live. Seeking deeper answers than "because it is" is futility. And religion.

Pence will attend Southern Baptist Convention meeting amid turmoil over gender - The Washington Post

AmelieMatisse comments on Jun 12, 2018:

"Woman can serve in biblically appropriate ways" yeah I stopped reading right there. And why should the VP be there? This is a country that has separated church and state. I find it amazing how we as a country are all antsy about keeping the middle east, or should I say Turkey, secular but here in ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 8, 2018:

HA!!! I hit that exact line and burst out laughing... stereotypical right-wing Xians.

If atheism is a position against the existence of gods, is it also a-religious bearing in mind that ...

educatedredneck comments on Jul 8, 2018:

Atheism isn't necessarily against the existence of gods. I'm gonna go out on a limb and predict almost all of us evil atheists would abandon our baby eating ways if only one or more gods would say "HOWDY". It's fairly certain few of us would worship deities who stop to chat. Considering ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 8, 2018:

There's good eating on one of them...

What is "promiscuous teleology" ?

KKGator comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Yeah, that's a complete load of bullshit. We are all born atheists. Belief in gods must be taught.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 8, 2018:

That's easy to say from our present perspective. The belief in gods was originally to account for gaps in knowledge. It was actually sort of logical to believe that everything had to be made. Yes, the watchmaker argument is a specious one, and yet it was persuasive given the limits of knowledge at that time.

What is "promiscuous teleology" ?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Interesting perspective. No matter what our emotional needs are, that does not explain away our questions about existence in a strange and eerie reality. Despite what many people say, there is some evidence for a higher intelligence—that which I call universal awareness. My emotional needs are ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 8, 2018:

@WilliamFleming "Argument from authority". Opinions are not evidence, only evidence is evidence. There is evidence for the "intuitive teleology" theory in that human beings throughout all cultures find intention and agency in nature, in inanimate objects which can't possibly have intentions. We appear to have an evolutionary bias toward seeing "something" controlling the environment around us, probably because those who didn't look for danger as successfully were less likely to reproduce. Our brains are hardwired to imagine that everything is alive and has purpose. How many times have you pleaded with your car to start on a cold winter morning? This is all strong, if anecdotal, evidence that humans are set up to believe all things are alive and controlled, even those who know better intellectually. It's instinctive. As for supernatural or, as you style it, "supernormal" mental powers, you have the wrong end of the stick. I don't need to prove the concept wrong. Someone has to prove the theory right. Prove the phenomena exist in repeatable, falsifiable, verifiable demonstrations. James Randi will be happy to hear all about it.

What is "promiscuous teleology" ?

WilliamFleming comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Interesting perspective. No matter what our emotional needs are, that does not explain away our questions about existence in a strange and eerie reality. Despite what many people say, there is some evidence for a higher intelligence—that which I call universal awareness. My emotional needs are ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 7, 2018:

And what is this evidence?

Why I don't eat at Chick Fil A

Paul4747 comments on Jul 7, 2018:

Oh yeah... "Not only are we bigoted, we think deliberate misspellings are cute." I can't STAND that shit.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 7, 2018:

@HippieChick58 There's a place near me with a huge sign advertising (I can barely stand to type it) "Kute Kuntry Kabins".

The old debate rises again! (or closes again)

Duchess comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Ok men, here are your choices: Put the SEAT down always (or suffer the wrath of a woman who fell in) Put the LID down always (prevents microscopic ( at the least) urine water spray all over the counter ... including your toothbrush) Close the SEAT and LID always (peace on earth ) Why do you ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 7, 2018:

@iamjc And if someone hasn't got the consideration to put it back down, I think that's an even bigger problem.

The old debate rises again! (or closes again)

vmedel comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Probably because we expect a gentleman to do it, just because... but I totally get your point.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 7, 2018:

@RobLawrence So when a drunk driver hops the curb, you die a split second before her?

The old debate rises again! (or closes again)

Duchess comments on Jul 3, 2018:

Ok men, here are your choices: Put the SEAT down always (or suffer the wrath of a woman who fell in) Put the LID down always (prevents microscopic ( at the least) urine water spray all over the counter ... including your toothbrush) Close the SEAT and LID always (peace on earth ) Why do you ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 7, 2018:

@iamjc You're saying you can't put something back where you found it? How do you feel when the TV remote isn't where you left it? Same thing.

The old debate rises again! (or closes again)

LilAtheistLady comments on Jul 3, 2018:

I think that there is mostly no consequence for a man who stands and unzips to accommodate the urge for number 1 with the seat up or down and without usually risking the unpleasant experience of a nasty cold toilet-bowl water wetness on one's bum. Whereas women must always sit, and because we must...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 7, 2018:

@LilAtheistLady Exactly the point. A man who lifts the seat, puts the seat back down. Common courtesy. You put things back where you found them. I know I used to get peeved when the TV remote etc was not put back in the agreed position (the central position on the coffee table, where everyone could find it). By that token, the toilet seat position is "down", where the last person left it, and it's returned to "down" when I'm done using it. Even, as I mentioned above, when I'm the only one living here now. Just habit.. Maybe I'm domesticated... maybe other men like thinking that it's a sign of their rowdy independence that they don't have to put the seat down. I think it's a sign of thoughtlessness.

The old debate rises again! (or closes again)

Paul4747 comments on Jul 5, 2018:

What is the big deal about not wanting to put it down? Is this some assertion of manliness? I live by myself. I leave the damn lid down. The muscle power involved in lifting the lid is MINIMAL. Gravity puts it down for me again. Really. What's the big deal? Men?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 7, 2018:

@Gwendolyn2018 Awww. :) I love you too, Gwendolyn. In a "you're a beautiful person, we can be friends online" kind of way.

Mosques in America

Paul4747 comments on Jul 4, 2018:

Most fundamentalist Xian churches are actively involved in recruiting members to become radical conservatives prone to violence against anyone who doesn't conform to their narrow views. Their are many more Xian churches than there are mosques. Most violence in this country is committed by Xians. ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 7, 2018:

@archer5691 What percentage of crimes are Islam motivated? My point was to highlight the absurdity of the idea. Mosques are not terrorist recruitment centers.

Mosques in America

Paul4747 comments on Jul 4, 2018:

Most fundamentalist Xian churches are actively involved in recruiting members to become radical conservatives prone to violence against anyone who doesn't conform to their narrow views. Their are many more Xian churches than there are mosques. Most violence in this country is committed by Xians. ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 6, 2018:

@archer5691 Abortion clinic bombings? Doctors killed?

Evangelist Says Christians Should Run For School Boards to End LGBTQ Advocacy – Friendly Atheist

Paul4747 comments on Jul 4, 2018:

*Franklin Graham* doesn't believe in separation of church and state? *Nobody* on the religious right believes in separation of church & state. Theirs is a fantasy world where the US was founded by WASP ministers, for WASP ministers, and nobody else existed. Although there's plenty to suggest that ...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 6, 2018:

@starwatcher-al Don't forget the Deists, who, from their writings, were agnostic atheists by any other name...

Dear diary.

Beach_slim comments on Jul 4, 2018:

You're like the never ending stampede of liberals that come here and say the same thing. Are you following the herd?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 6, 2018:

@Beach_slim You know, your hurling of insults makes your arguments really effective. "Working CLASS" is a specific definition of an economic and job type, compared to working "people", which is basically anybody who works. Republicans play fast and loose with these words, claiming they cut taxes on "all working people"; this implies "working class" when the primary beneficiaries are millionaires who "work" in corner offices on Wall Street. And since I already looked up quantitative easing before I replied to your first post, and it has zilch to to with economic inequality, I didn't bother to address it. But you want me to say you win? Fine, you win. In your mind, you win.

Dear diary.

Beach_slim comments on Jul 4, 2018:

You're like the never ending stampede of liberals that come here and say the same thing. Are you following the herd?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 6, 2018:

@Beach_slim While high interest rates create artificially low prices. Money supply is not the be all and end all of economics. Unless you're David Stockman. Bye bye now.

Do you love sleeping with Windows open?

Paul4747 comments on Jul 6, 2018:

I'm nervous about sleeping with Windows open. Then again, sometimes I fall asleep with my computer on, and I forget to close my Windows. Sometimes if I'm watching certain videos.... I get very excited ;) and then afterwards I'm so exhausted I fall asleep without closing the Windows. Wait......

Paul4747 replies on Jul 6, 2018:

@Sheannutt It's possible that I knew this going in... satire is a lost art :)

Dear diary.

Beach_slim comments on Jul 4, 2018:

You're like the never ending stampede of liberals that come here and say the same thing. Are you following the herd?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 6, 2018:

@Gwendolyn2018 That's why I just put the facts out in 1 reply, and then got the hell out. I see now, when I look in again, that BS is still stuck on "quantitative easing", a fancy phrase for "the Fed buying T bills to lower interest rates". He thinks low interest rates are bad because... not sure why low interest rates are bad, really... but that's pretty much his entire schtick, other than having no knowledge of economic history and/or politics. And following the far-right party line 100%.

Athiests and Guns

PalacinkyPDX comments on Jul 5, 2018:

Remind me again, why do you need an AR15?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 6, 2018:

I don't. But I might want one someday. "Because it looks scary" is not sufficient reason for banning a thing. If that were the case, Marilyn Manson would have been gone years ago.

Athiests and Guns

Paul4747 comments on Jul 5, 2018:

I'm a shooter, collector, LEO and self-defense advocate who also agitates for stricter screening, training, and licensing procedures. (Emphasis on the training before giving someone a permit.) So I don't see a conflict. Once someone is licensed, they should be considered trustworthy, even in the...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 6, 2018:

@Bendog Rear Echelon (I'm sure you can figure the rest out...) Okay, so you have valid concerns. Then if and when you get firearms, make sure you get training. Treat them as loaded AT ALL TIMES, even when you "know" they're not, even when you know they're not because you just unloaded them. Never aim at a person you don't intend to shoot. Practice dry-firing (but once again, never at a person, or at a thing you wouldn't want to shoot). Practice reloading. Keep the muzzle pointed at the target. Practice keeping your eyes on the target, using peripheral vision to reload. I'm not talking about "field strip the gun blindfolded" or any of that special forces BS, just being able to get your hands to work the weapon without looking right at it. Get a quality holster that you're comfortable wearing and comfortable carrying... one that keeps the pistol secure and accessible, and a style of carry you're comfortable with. This will take a while. I have 3 bags of holsters for my various guns, most of them I haven't touched for years. I highly recommend (as painful as it is to say) an NRA certified training course. Ignore the pamphlets and other propaganda BS and just concentrate on the practicals. Better still, seek out your local law enforcement and find out if they run a training course. Odds are it will be the same thing, but law enforcement will probably have less propaganda than an NRA instructor. The course I go to for my certifications are run by a neighboring county sheriff dept. and their state police post, it's a weekend with 8 hours of classroom work (laws and scenarios dealing with when you should and should not use force) and 8 hours of range time making sure you're familiar and qualified with your chosen handgun. I remember a lawyer who bought a 357 Magnum for his 5'2 wife (all of 110 pounds) as her first handgun. She was missing the target by a foot... just because she was intimidated by the loud, heavy monster in her hands. A trooper let her fire his 9mm auto, coached her through the trigger squeeze, and she shot bullseyes. They passed her on the course, with the caveat that they get an appropriate gun for her to use. That's the quality of training you want to look for. I wish you the very best, no matter what you decide. Be safe, my friend. Feel free to PM any time you want information.

Athiests and Guns

Paul4747 comments on Jul 5, 2018:

I'm a shooter, collector, LEO and self-defense advocate who also agitates for stricter screening, training, and licensing procedures. (Emphasis on the training before giving someone a permit.) So I don't see a conflict. Once someone is licensed, they should be considered trustworthy, even in the...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 6, 2018:

@Bendog Sounds like a REMF? What is your concern that makes you feel you need to own guns against your will? I would never advise someone to be armed if they have mixed feelings. That's begging for an accident or worse, in my opinion.

How do you deal with today's pain in this difficult world?

Paul4747 comments on Jun 29, 2018:

Booze and masturbation. Oh, wait, joy to myself *and others*... I'll get back to you.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 6, 2018:

@hiil You can pm me here...

When did you last have sex with a partner? (A 50 and over confidential poll)

Paul4747 comments on Jul 4, 2018:

Mine is not going to be a representative sample, since it was an attempt by my ex as an alternative to marriage counseling and getting to the bottom of the real problems. And I gotta tell you, "save my marriage" sex is the worst kind of sex.

Paul4747 replies on Jul 5, 2018:

@Minta79 At this point I have to take your word for it...

Dear diary.

Beach_slim comments on Jul 4, 2018:

You're like the never ending stampede of liberals that come here and say the same thing. Are you following the herd?

Paul4747 replies on Jul 5, 2018:

@Barnie2years I think you meant to tag Beach. I'm the liberal.

Athiests and Guns

Paul4747 comments on Jul 5, 2018:

I'm a shooter, collector, LEO and self-defense advocate who also agitates for stricter screening, training, and licensing procedures. (Emphasis on the training before giving someone a permit.) So I don't see a conflict. Once someone is licensed, they should be considered trustworthy, even in the...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 5, 2018:

@jlynn37 no sweat and you're welcome

Athiests and Guns

Paul4747 comments on Jul 5, 2018:

I'm a shooter, collector, LEO and self-defense advocate who also agitates for stricter screening, training, and licensing procedures. (Emphasis on the training before giving someone a permit.) So I don't see a conflict. Once someone is licensed, they should be considered trustworthy, even in the...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 5, 2018:

@jlynn37 Leo, the astrological sign, would not be in all caps...

Athiests and Guns

Paul4747 comments on Jul 5, 2018:

I'm a shooter, collector, LEO and self-defense advocate who also agitates for stricter screening, training, and licensing procedures. (Emphasis on the training before giving someone a permit.) So I don't see a conflict. Once someone is licensed, they should be considered trustworthy, even in the...

Paul4747 replies on Jul 5, 2018:

@jlynn37 L.E.O. Law Enforcement Officer This is what happens when terminologies clash....