Appeal to Ignorance

Paul4747 comments on May 24, 2018:

Well, I agree it's impossible to *know* there is no god, anywhere. However, it's possible to know that there is no personal God as described in the books of the Bible, who created the Earth and all the creatures thereof no more than 10,000 years ago and performed "miracles" defying the laws of ...

Paul4747 replies on May 25, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay Why do you keep mischaracterizing what I'm saying? Not believing in god is not the same thing as claiming there *is no* god.

Appeal to Ignorance

Paul4747 comments on May 24, 2018:

Well, I agree it's impossible to *know* there is no god, anywhere. However, it's possible to know that there is no personal God as described in the books of the Bible, who created the Earth and all the creatures thereof no more than 10,000 years ago and performed "miracles" defying the laws of ...

Paul4747 replies on May 25, 2018:

@EliRodriguez11 Except that it's not. With all due respect. Perhaps this is true of the strong atheist position that "there is no god", but you will note that I've very clearly said all along that this is not my stance. I've never claimed to *know* that there is or is not a god(s). I simply don't believe in god, because there's no reason to. There are many kinds of atheist. Please don't make a blanket assumption that everyone believes the same (or disbelieves the same). While there is no evidence, zero, zip, zilch, for the existence of any god, there still might be one. One that doesn't do anything. One that is functionally as if he/she/it didn't exist anyway, For my purposes, it's the same difference. I continue to live as if there is no god. This is not dogma. Dogma does not change, even with new evidence. Look at Catholic dogma if you want to see what I mean. It's simply an intellectual conclusion, after looking at the available evidence.

Why Do People Assume "Amoral" When You Say You Are Atheist?

River-david comments on May 24, 2018:

Most crimes and bad doings, by far are committed by believers

Paul4747 replies on May 25, 2018:

You would not believe how many Christians there are in prison. To be honest, I can't be sure if they were so devout before committing their particular crime, or became that way behind bars hoping to be "forgiven", but nevertheless it's staggering. I have yet to meet a prisoner who proclaimed himself as an atheist.

Appeal to Ignorance

Paul4747 comments on May 24, 2018:

Well, I agree it's impossible to *know* there is no god, anywhere. However, it's possible to know that there is no personal God as described in the books of the Bible, who created the Earth and all the creatures thereof no more than 10,000 years ago and performed "miracles" defying the laws of ...

Paul4747 replies on May 25, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay "...in light of the lack of evidence for the existence and non-existence, I just don't make a claim either way and choose to base my beliefs on the evidence I do have instead of that I don't." Okay, so please give examples of the evidence *for* the existence of god. For the record, I'm an agnostic atheist, in my understanding of those terms (and as they're broken down on the Iron Chariots site). I don't know (have no knowledge, a-gnostic) if there is or is not a god, having no evidence one way or another. Therefore, in the absence of evidence I am an a-theist. I do not believe in any god, since there is no evidence to support the existence of any god. I don't deny the possibility of a god existing, but I do think the odds are strongly against it. There almost certainly is no god. Sometimes I still wish there were, because then I'd have someone **definitive** to blame things on... but there we are.

Appeal to Ignorance

SkotlandSkye comments on May 23, 2018:

The burden of proof is on the person who makes an assertion. If I say, "my neighbor stole my lawnmower", then I need to provide evidence (security footage) or hope the police can find evidence (mower pawned by my neighbor). If no evidence is found, my neighbor is free to go on his merry way with ...

Paul4747 replies on May 24, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay No, you haven't, because you can't. Furthermore, you don't have to. A drug test puts the positive burden of proof on the testing authority, They must establish the presence of an illegal substance. It is *flat-out impossible* to prove the absence of something. You can't prove that Sasquatch does not exist, even though humans have been hunting for an 8 foot tall hairy biped, for decades, *in America*, and found not one single specimen, dead or alive. I can't prove that there isn't a flying spaghetti monster orbiting Saturn right now which has touched me with its noodly appendages, and I just don't remember. (Or maybe it's Jupiter.) You cannot prove a negative claim, unless it's proving that something else happened contradicting another claim... such as proving that the Earth did not come about in six literal days, as Bible fundamentalists would state. It's proven that the Earth took much longer to form and for life to appear, especially human life. That's not "proving a negative claim", it's proving a contradictory claim. Just as it's impossible to prove the absence of a god in the universe, which is why the majority of atheists and agnostics don't try. It's merely that the evidence shows that everything that happens can be explained by natural causes. There's no need for god to exist in order to explain the universe. But if God does exist, it's the believers' burden to prove it, not the atheists' to disprove it.

I read God is not great by Christopher Hitchens.

Unfoldingchaos comments on May 24, 2018:

And Small Gods from Terry Pratchett.

Paul4747 replies on May 24, 2018:

Ah, Sir Pterry.... how I miss him. I remember going to the bookstore every couple of months and heading straight for the fantasy section to see if there was a new Discworld title out yet... We shall not see his like again.

Appeal to Ignorance

SkotlandSkye comments on May 23, 2018:

The burden of proof is on the person who makes an assertion. If I say, "my neighbor stole my lawnmower", then I need to provide evidence (security footage) or hope the police can find evidence (mower pawned by my neighbor). If no evidence is found, my neighbor is free to go on his merry way with ...

Paul4747 replies on May 24, 2018:

@TheMiddleWay I'm going to stop you right there, because, as a law enforcement officer, I can tell you that a drug only tests the *presence* of drugs in the system, It can't test for the "absence" of drugs. There are many ways to mask the presence of drugs in the human body, by taking other substances prior to a drug test. Although tests are more sophisticated now, they can still be fooled. The more basic problem with your statement, of course, is that you cannot prove this negative claim, any more than I can prove I've never been to France, or never eaten tofu. (For example.)

We are not going to achieve the respect that we as Agnostics or as Atheists persons unless we show ...

Hitchens comments on May 24, 2018:

We are legion.

Paul4747 replies on May 24, 2018:

Nice one, liked it, liked it.

A suggestion. If you don’t like what a person is posting, just pass it by...

Paul4747 comments on May 24, 2018:

Oh, that's no fun. Beyond which, if I post something and I have my head up my bum, I want constructive criticism. I don't need to be flamed, as such, but point out to me what I said and how wrong I was, and I'll change my mind. That's what the scientific method and rational thought are all about....

Paul4747 replies on May 24, 2018:

@Rideauxb There's a difference, though, isn't there? Trolling is disagreeing for the sake of disagreeing. What I'm talking about is honest difference of opinion or having a real, logical point to make. If I claim that "because A = B, and B = C, therefore A = C", but in fact my A, B, and C really aren't equal at all, someone *should* point this out to me. I don't know everything, nor does anyone. We check and balance one another. We keep one another honest.

If having no God means having no sense of humor I'm out.

Paul4747 comments on May 22, 2018:

Who says being an atheist means being unfunny? For that matter, where is it written that religious people are a barrel of laughs? There's no more connection between religious belief and humor than there is between eating pasta and humor. (Although, those Italians... funny, funny people. Mussolini ...

Paul4747 replies on May 22, 2018:

@Krypto-Knight Ah. Thank you for clearing that up.

Why do intelligent people suddenly turn to a god in there darkest hours

Beamdump2020 comments on May 21, 2018:

Hi. Me again. Something occurred to me. I'm curious about responses to an old military saying, " There are no atheists in a foxhole" . It has always caught my attention, both as a devout Christian and an emancipated one.

Paul4747 replies on May 22, 2018:

In fact there are documented cases of atheists in foxholes. Not everyone turns to an outside force for aid.

Bible Facts

SeeCanU comments on May 16, 2018:

virgin birth always gets me

Paul4747 replies on May 22, 2018:

I'm thinking that I read somewhere, the original Hebrew was "a 'young woman' shall give birth", which, as prophecies go, is just astonishing. Right up there with "A friend shall lose his friend's hammer." It was the Greek translation that interpreted this as "virgin" (like the difference between "maiden" and "maid" ) and hence gave us 2000 years of nonsense.

I'm an Atheist... Soo, Should I Feel Stressed Out?

GfromMichigan comments on Apr 29, 2018:

'change in religious activities' could also mean kidnapped by a cult and that would be very stressful, that particular question is very broad. The subtraction of points for never turning to religion seems very biased to me. I am aware that lots of public institutions are buying their training ...

Paul4747 replies on May 7, 2018:

Both. But most people aren't used to thinking, therefore it confounds them.

How would you like to identify yourself

Kyle comments on Apr 7, 2018:

I am an Agnostic Atheist. I do not believe god exists, but I am open to evidence to the contrary. I just don't think there will ever be such.

Paul4747 replies on Apr 20, 2018:

Ditto.

Explain the unexplainable

gater comments on Apr 7, 2018:

Esp is real to those that are receptive to it

Paul4747 replies on Apr 7, 2018:

Angels are real to those who believe in them. People talk to them regularly. That doesn't make them objectively real.

Do you support Trump?

Plainjane comments on Nov 4, 2017:

I support his impeachment.

Paul4747 replies on Apr 7, 2018:

@DUCHESSA I never thought you were stupid. But your perspective is wrong, in my opinion. You've heard of the Mafia, I take it... the same stereotype applies. An immigrant group is tarred by a large brush because of the activities of a few. MS 13 are a law enforcement problem, not an immigration problem.

Do you support Trump?

Plainjane comments on Nov 4, 2017:

I support his impeachment.

Paul4747 replies on Apr 7, 2018:

@DUCHESSA MS 13 are by no means a gang of illegal immigrants, even if it started that way (as a response to other gangs preying on immigrants from Central America, by the way- so we have American gangs creating a new gang). We have plenty of them here, born and bred. I'm very familiar with gangs, as I encounter them every day in my work. The street gangs have their counterparts and connections in the prison system. Deporting doesn't help. "Many Mara Salvatrucha gang members from the Los Angeles area have been deported after being arrested. For example, Jose Abrego, a high-ranking member, was deported four times. As a result of these deportations, members of MS-13 have recruited more members in their home countries." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS-13 Likewise, gang violence and crime is by NO means whatsoever a problem of illegal immigration. The vast majority of immigrants, like the vast majority of citizens, want to earn a living and have a better life for their families. There's not an easy answer to the immigration issue. The mistake is to think there is one.

Do you support Trump?

Plainjane comments on Nov 4, 2017:

I support his impeachment.

Paul4747 replies on Apr 6, 2018:

@DUCHESSA Are we talking about Obama or Trump? I think Obama was following the path of continuity. Accepted reality that we have a porous border and it's never going to be completely sealed, so you increase funding for the border patrol and INS to keep illegal immigrants out as best you can, but you also don't break the budget trying to throw people back over the border. Trump, on the other hand, is a head case. He has a dream of a Berlin Wall thousands of miles long. And we know how that wall worked out. Trump is a racist who appeals to other racists. "Go back with me to a day when every American was white, except those who mowed the lawns and cooked and cleaned for us, and they didn't really count. (Also, women didn't matter.) Let us put them in their places once more."

Do you support Trump?

Plainjane comments on Nov 4, 2017:

I support his impeachment.

Paul4747 replies on Apr 6, 2018:

@azzow2 I can't really tell, but I think you might be trying to reply to me... and either way it's obvious you don't know anything about history or technology. So you think that the TOW missiles the Reagan administration sold were impregnated with a computer virus to sabotage Iran? Bad news for that scenario... the TOW is a simple wire-guided missile that doesn't connect to any computer. You propose the scenario "Obama gave the farmers in Syria guns to protect themselves hence arming al qaeda. Then when the Taliban nerve gassed Syria the Obama admiration refused to help because all the farmers (wink wink al qaeda were armed)". Here's all the things wrong with that idea: Al Qaeda grew out of a group of Arab fundamentalists (mainly Saudi and Egyptians) who went to Afghanistan to fight against the Russian occupation of that country during the 1980s. Many of their arms were financed by the American government and even church donations to help fight against the "godless Communists". We contributed Stinger missiles, which were later used by terrorists to shoot at Western airliners. After the Soviets withdrew, the Taliban rebels took over Afghanistan's capital Kabul and much of the country (all the while fighting competing groups within that nation). Al Qaeda made an alliance with them and took refuge in that country, since most of Al Qaeda's members were criminals and were unwelcome in their own home countries. So, it's more accurate to say, "Reagan, Bush, and the House of Saud gave the Taliban arms to defend themselves, hence arming Al Qaeda." As for the Taliban gassing Syria, they would have had to cross the Arabian Peninsula to do so. It was the Syrian regime under Assad who used nerve gas on their own people. Also- there is a terrorist movement in Iraq, but hardly a terrorist regime. In conclusion- while I applaud your efforts to blame everything that's happened in the Middle East since about 1985 on President Obama, they are doomed to failure because it just ain't so.

Do you support Trump?

Plainjane comments on Nov 4, 2017:

I support his impeachment.

Paul4747 replies on Apr 6, 2018:

@Seriousreason "With respect," from your comment, I can't believe that you have ever served in the American armed forces. Professionalism and the respect for the civilian chain of command are bred into our armed services. There would be no martial law... no coup in the event of an impeachment. There would, in fact, be a sigh of relief. If anything, it's Trump who is being questioned as to his fitness to command. Among the Joint Chiefs there has been serious discussion over whether the Commander in Chief should have sole authority to order a nuclear strike, considering statements Trump has made about nuking other countries as a viable strategy. (Keep in mind, he's not talking about responding to an attack... he's talked about a nuclear first strike, which would kill innocent civilians by the thousands.)

Prostitution, how do you feel about it?

Islandgurl comments on Apr 5, 2018:

For me, I think the issue is people taking ownership of their own bodies. If everyone involved is a consenting adult why should it be anybody else's business.

Paul4747 replies on Apr 5, 2018:

Amen, sister!!! (So to speak...)

I'm an Atheist... Soo, Should I Feel Stressed Out?

jacpod comments on Mar 31, 2018:

Most of these tests are discreditied lookii it up online Myers Briggs is the worst I think but they are all pointless and do not take anything real into account like ho wwell you can do the task in hand.

Paul4747 replies on Apr 3, 2018:

@ThinkKate I actually brought the paperwork home, it was written up by my department's Ordnance Unit (which seems an odd choice, but I guess that's the technical name of the training division, since I'm in law enforcement).

Now that the pope has declared HELL closed for eternity, which other 'beating stick' of religion ...

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

Wait- he can DO that? So, everyone that was there is now going to Heaven eventually, right? This means Catholics get to sin their little hearts out? Sweet.

Paul4747 replies on Apr 3, 2018:

@Mcflewster I researched this after I commented... But doesn't Catholic dogma state that whatever the Pope holds true on Earth, God must hold true in Heaven? So, he could technically just say whatever damnfool thing comes into his head and it would happen. It's like having Trump as the Pope, only good-natured.

I'm an Atheist... Soo, Should I Feel Stressed Out?

Beach_slim comments on Mar 30, 2018:

Stress is good. Stress makes you adapt and learn. Those without stress do nothing with their life. An example is the man that walked barefoot everywhere, the stress created tough feet. If his feet were coddle, they wouldn't be tough.

Paul4747 replies on Apr 3, 2018:

@Beach_slim Now I'm curious, because my reading comprehension is right up there with any other post-grad. What part of "There's no reason to debate semantics with an obviously misinformed loser that's scared of stress" did I misunderstand? I'm the only one you were debating semantics with, therefore it was a reference to me. You're now trying to deny the obvious. I don't particularly care, I was done with you at "Have a nice day", but it amuses me to see you trying to retract your words. (See, now THIS is good stress. Winning a debate? Oh yeah, baby.) Hey, have a nice day.

Are Atheist hateful towards spiritual people?

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

From one Paul to another, I know religious people have no problem whatsoever telling atheists that we're going to be smoking in hell after we die. Now, I take issue with that. I do tend to be dismissive of people who reject evidence when it conflicts with the words that were written down 6000 ...

Paul4747 replies on Apr 3, 2018:

@LiterateHiker Yes. I do. But look at who won the last election cycle, and look at the party in power. We're outnumbered. I try to educate people I know, those who might actually handle the knowledge, on the idea that being a "values voter" is actually voting against their own interests... but it's an uphill battle. People who vote based on the myth that Democrats want to ban all guns and force women to have abortions, are not going to listen to rational discussion about macroeconomics and tax policy. In our current political climate, it's held to be suicide for an American politician to openly state they're an atheist... although I suspect a large percentage really are. I dream of the day when an atheist is President.

Newly Nominated Secretary of State is a Holy Crusader - TheHumanist.com

Paul4747 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

I was not aware that there was any problemn with religious freedom in the military, considering that each unit has a chaplain and each post has a chapel. Members officially get time off to go to services every week. Maybe their complaint is that they're not free to proselytize and discriminate ...

Paul4747 replies on Apr 3, 2018:

@Ganaimn I did know this was a problem, thanks. I was (sarcastically, I admit) alluding to "freedom" for the poor persecuted Christians, which is usually what stories like this boil down to. In the nation with perhaps the highest percentage of religious fundamentalists outside of the Middle East, they continue to claim that they aren't free to practice their religion... when they really just want to be free to impose it on the nation.

Newly Nominated Secretary of State is a Holy Crusader - TheHumanist.com

sassygirl3869 comments on Mar 31, 2018:

Why aren't we hearing this on the news? Trumpty Dumpty is controlling the news cycle.

Paul4747 replies on Mar 31, 2018:

It was on NPR the day of his nomination I believe, as part of a wider story about Trump appealing to the Christian Right. It's the TV news that ignores in-depth journalism and just does 30-second fluff pieces.

I'm an Atheist... Soo, Should I Feel Stressed Out?

Beach_slim comments on Mar 30, 2018:

Stress is good. Stress makes you adapt and learn. Those without stress do nothing with their life. An example is the man that walked barefoot everywhere, the stress created tough feet. If his feet were coddle, they wouldn't be tough.

Paul4747 replies on Mar 31, 2018:

@Beach_slim Really? With the personal insults? Not only am I a misinformed loser, I'm also apparently unsuccessful. Huh. How about that. And yet here you are debating with me. Successful people don't feel the need to insult others on the internet. Have a nice day.

Are you racist?

Druvius comments on Mar 17, 2018:

As I am sure others have pointed out, pretending to be colorblind is racist through and through.

Paul4747 replies on Mar 31, 2018:

@Druvius I don't buy that for even a minute. It's putting me in a trap. It's saying I'm a racist if I acknowledge skin color, but I'm a different kind of racist if I don't acknowledge skin color. Particularly her little game with words: "Color-Blind = 'People of color — we don't see you (at least not that bad ‘colored' part).'" Baloney. Obviously people look different and, sure, I guess have different cultures, but it doesn't make a damn bit of difference. Everybody's a human being. Nobody is any better or worse because of it.

Are you racist?

Druvius comments on Mar 17, 2018:

As I am sure others have pointed out, pretending to be colorblind is racist through and through.

Paul4747 replies on Mar 31, 2018:

Huh??? I don't understand how you get to that. Not caring about color is racist?

Problems NOT a result of religion

MrLizard comments on Mar 30, 2018:

That sore on my leg I keep picking at.

Paul4747 replies on Mar 31, 2018:

As the unions learned- if you picket it won't get better

Proof of no god?

Dingodadd comments on Mar 31, 2018:

Atheism is a lack of belief in gods. It’s that simple. We don’t have to prove there is no god, because we’re not making the claim. If you are making an extraordinary claim (like gods exist), you must provide the evidence. Atheism is not a religion. There is no belief of faith involved....

Paul4747 replies on Mar 31, 2018:

@Palindromeman Let's put it this way: There's equal evidence that EVERY god the human race has EVER believed in exists. So, Odin, Thor, Frigga, Zeus, Hera, Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, Nyame, Ogun, Olarun, Igaluk, Nanook, Pinga, Mammon, Belial... and the same evidence for the existence of Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny. There's no reason to believe in ANY God. But that would change if God started talking to us from a big hole in the sky. That's the difference between atheism and religion. Religion starts with belief as a given. Atheists demand proof.

Is life meaningful without religion?

Scoobs comments on Mar 26, 2018:

I'm a little late to the conversation, but I'm going to say no --- life is not meaningful without religion. I'll add onto that by also saying that religion doesn't somehow make life meaningful either. Atheism, skepticism, agnosticism, etc., all quickly lead down a path to nihilism. For most of ...

Paul4747 replies on Mar 31, 2018:

I can't help but disagree; hopefully not in a mean-spirited way, however. Atheism certainly doesn't lead inevitably to nihilism, any more than religion inevitably leads to a life of certainty. One could, of course, believe that they know what god has planned for them, but objectively this can't be. But just because there is no absolute meaning to be found, it doesn't follow that life, with or without religious belief, is meaningless. For example; some people perform charitable acts in connection with religious organizations, others just because they like to do a good deed. Regardless of the motive, the same act is accomplished and is equally meaningful. The difference is that the atheist finds the meaning on a purely human level, while a religious believer is scoring points for an afterlife that atheists don't expect to see.

What do we all have in common as humans?

Sticks48 comments on Mar 30, 2018:

The love and respect for donuts. It may be our only hope.

Paul4747 replies on Mar 31, 2018:

Mmmmmm donuts.

I'm an Atheist... Soo, Should I Feel Stressed Out?

Beach_slim comments on Mar 30, 2018:

Stress is good. Stress makes you adapt and learn. Those without stress do nothing with their life. An example is the man that walked barefoot everywhere, the stress created tough feet. If his feet were coddle, they wouldn't be tough.

Paul4747 replies on Mar 31, 2018:

@Beach_slim In general the point of my thread was the bias about religion being a necessary component in coping with life. I think we're overthinking this a little.

I'm an Atheist... Soo, Should I Feel Stressed Out?

Beach_slim comments on Mar 30, 2018:

Stress is good. Stress makes you adapt and learn. Those without stress do nothing with their life. An example is the man that walked barefoot everywhere, the stress created tough feet. If his feet were coddle, they wouldn't be tough.

Paul4747 replies on Mar 30, 2018:

I'm aware there's such a thing as positive stress too, this was a part of the training segment. But the career I'm in has an average life expectancy of 58 and tend to live only 18 months past retirement, with a higher divorce and suicide rate than police, firefighters, and active military... so we as a group clearly need to learn how to handle "bad" stress. This was the point of the training; to raise awareness that we need to find more positive ways of coping with stress.

I'm an Atheist... Soo, Should I Feel Stressed Out?

sassygirl3869 comments on Mar 30, 2018:

Definite bias there. Maybe you should voice opinions to Human Resources. I'd contact FFRF or ACLU if it affects your employment.

Paul4747 replies on Mar 30, 2018:

Good news there is, it's a completely voluntary survey and nobody but me reads the result, if I even take it. I'm probably the only one in the group who even read it, to tell you the truth... but I'm thinking of contacting the training division and making them aware that the people they buy their materials from are out of touch.

I'm an Atheist... Soo, Should I Feel Stressed Out?

Qualia comments on Mar 30, 2018:

So the point schedule is the higher the # the less stressful? And change of religious activities is rated as more stressful than divorce? Did I read that right? Bad test. Also, good things create cortisol too. It's why some can seem to have it all then check out permanently. Some people process...

Paul4747 replies on Mar 30, 2018:

I'm sorry, there were actually two different charts. I didn't make that clear enough. One is a "life events stress analysis", and the other is a "stress vulnerability test". Both rate high numbers as "more stress" than low, but it's done in a weird way. For example, on the stress test, if you "always" get 6-8 hours of sleep, you score a low number for stress risk. The religious activity change is rated as 1/3 as stressful as a divorce (19 vs 73). I think that's taking your religion too seriously.

I'm an Atheist... Soo, Should I Feel Stressed Out?

AnneWimsey comments on Mar 30, 2018:

I hope you didn't pay for that "training"!

Paul4747 replies on Mar 30, 2018:

Nope, it's a day at work for me... and less stressful than a normal day of work when all is said and done.

Sexual Compatibility

jrtaylor711 comments on Mar 30, 2018:

Sorry to hear you had those kinds of experiences. I might be on the younger end here so I might not be able to speak for the older guys (I'm 34) but if I'm into someone then sex is never an issue like I can go multiple times in a day for a pretty long period, sorry if that's TMI there. Just saying ...

Paul4747 replies on Mar 30, 2018:

Enjoy it while it lasts, friend. :)

Would you dare to have sex in a church?

silvereyes comments on Mar 30, 2018:

With dead Jesus hanging out watching? LOL

Paul4747 replies on Mar 30, 2018:

That would tend to take the edge off it for me... Yeah. Thanks for the image. I'm going to get a drink now. :D

You died, I lived, god is good!

Arrgh-El comments on Mar 30, 2018:

I thought it was a well accepted fact that god will, evidently, manipulate the laws of physics just so some self-absorbed, ignorant person can boast how special they are while those around them are suffering. God also likes to manipulate most other facets of people's lives so that exams are passed, ...

Paul4747 replies on Mar 30, 2018:

I hate him just in case He turns out to be real. It's like an insurance policy. Sort of like Pascal's Wager, except that I don't want to have anything to do with Jehovah if he turns out to exist. I'd rather hang out with the demons.

Should public nudity be legal?

Paul4747 comments on Feb 3, 2018:

How do you tell the difference between those people who are enjoying the nudist environment because they enjoy being nude, and those who enjoy looking at other nude people (or both)? Who "have a sexual agenda" as you put it? Isn't this rather a point of judgement? In the absence of blatant ogling or...

Paul4747 replies on Feb 5, 2018:

@snytiger6 I'm just wondering, if two people are laying on a beach, both looking around, how do you tell with what intention each one is looking around? One could be looking around to enjoy the view of the ocean, the other could be enjoying... other sights, if you get my meaning. I'm not a mind reader.

Is it wrong to use child soldiers?

EllenDale comments on Jan 30, 2018:

War is wrong

Paul4747 replies on Feb 4, 2018:

@EllenDale You've addressed different issues and therefore I will respond to them separately. The death penalty has nothing to do with war. The death penalty results from a trial process long after a crime is committed. There's no analogy between a criminal execution and a death in combat. The nearest analogy to combat in the civilian world would be a person being assaulted. That person has the right to defend themselves. This basic right, by extrapolation, is what gives nations a right to defend themselves against attack by other nations. By the same analogy, a person does not have the right to make a preemptive attack on another, in the absence of some imminent threat, merely because they fear being attacked. An "imminent threat" like a gun pointed at someone's head can justify shooting first, but this is a very fine line. On a national level, a preemptive strike can only be justified by clear preparations for an attack by another nation. This is even harder to define, but sometimes the circumstances exist. And I agree that it's often used as a flimsy pretext. But generalizing from "some nations do things in war that are wrong" to "therefore all war is wrong" doesn't follow.

Is it wrong to use child soldiers?

EllenDale comments on Jan 30, 2018:

War is wrong

Paul4747 replies on Feb 3, 2018:

Aggression is wrong. Going to war, unprovoked, certainly is wrong. Attacking first is generally the first clue as to who is in the wrong between two sides morally. However, the blanket statement "War is wrong" implies that going to war to defend yourself against an aggressor is also wrong. I disagree. It's well established in international law that nations have the right to defend their integrity and people against attacks. In the face of an attack or an imminent attack, self-defense is a right for nations as well as individuals.

Moon landing deniers

kiramea comments on Jan 9, 2018:

My first husband and my grandfather were moon deniers. I can understand my grandfather being one but not my first husband. As hubby put it, parts of Arizona looks a lot like the Moon. He also told me to watch Capricorn One and I would understand how easy it would be to fake the landing.

Paul4747 replies on Jan 14, 2018:

Except- Capricorn One was filmed in 1977, with 1977 technology. That movie technology didn't exist in 1969.

The old testament, are we guilty of throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

273kelvin comments on Jan 13, 2018:

I do not maintain it is accurate or rules to live by ffs would I be here if I was? What I am asking is it worth looking at for information of those times? I doubt if any historical records are particularly accurate or without bios even about more recent events such as the Alamo or Boston tea party. ...

Paul4747 replies on Jan 14, 2018:

The news is at least a contemporary, documentary account. With the religious books of the Middle East (Old & New Testament and Q'uran alike) you are talking about "books" that began as word-of-mouth, handed down for many generations, before ever being reduced to writing. We have no clue how close even the first writings were to the original stories. Imagine if the first records we had of the D-Day invasion began with "Saving Private Ryan". That's similar to the situation with the books of the Middle Eastern religions. They can't be looked at for documentary information because they're heroic fiction. Abraham and Moses did not exist. The Hebrews didn't have an exile and return, because they never lived in Egypt in the first place. It's all pretty much BS.

Pledge of Allegiance--- under god??

Paul4747 comments on Jan 14, 2018:

I still use the original version. And when I appeared in court I stated, "I solemnly affirm." The non-religious version, in other words. You can't swear if there's nobody to swear by.

Paul4747 replies on Jan 14, 2018:

@RavenCT The officer of the court should be asking "Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you give..." etc. If not, you should still be able to simply "affirm" that you are about to tell the truth by using this wording.

Well it happened.

CMWCasper comments on Jan 13, 2018:

No more than any of us who still yell out “oh my god” during sex! ????

Paul4747 replies on Jan 14, 2018:

Lucky you. It's been so long for me, I can't even remember who's supposed to get tied up anymore...

Badly describe your hobby.

GeekLeen comments on Jan 5, 2018:

I'm a hooker

Paul4747 replies on Jan 14, 2018:

My first thought was actually "fishing"

For atheists - what makes you believe no deity exists?

tsakoniotis comments on Dec 24, 2017:

The question is stupid. Are you?

Paul4747 replies on Dec 30, 2017:

Come now. Let us be civil. At all times, let us be civil.

Do you support Trump?

Plainjane comments on Nov 4, 2017:

I support his impeachment.

Paul4747 replies on Dec 26, 2017:

@Harleyman Taking your critiques one at a time: The cost of regulation is highly debated and depends on the regulation youu're talking about. Are you referring to prohibiting oil exploration in ANWR? The cost of oil and gas is still half what it was in the Bush years, due to declining demand (partly from those idiotic hybrid cars that the Obama administration pushed for further development on). Are you referring to prohibitions on coal "mining" by just b lasting the top off of mountains? People who live near mountains with coal in them think those regulations were a good thing. Protecting the environment produces an intangible public good that can't have a dollar amount placed on it. Nobody "gave" anything to Iran. Iran's own assets were unfrozen. (I wonder how you felt about President Reagan's sale of TOW missiles to Iran in exchange for their influence in releasing hostages in the 1980s? Good American capitalism?) Your careless use of the conjunction "and" makes it seem that President Obama, not Iran, supported Morsi. I'm sure you didn't mean to give that impression. Mohammed Morsi is far from the first unsavory character that was tied to a foreign regime whom the U.S. has supported. If you examine the puppet government we tried to usher into place in the wake of our invasion of Iraq in 2003, you'll find that we had chosen Achmed Chalabi, who was persona non grata in Jordan due to his activities as an embezzler and fraudster, and who almost immediately took up his own alliance with Iran when he didn't become president of Iraq. Jerusalem is a divided city. East Jerusalem is Palestinian. Israel CLAIMS "an undivided Jerusalem" as their capital, against international law. It's questionable exactly HOW viable Israel's democracy is, since the country is still in the habit of invading and annexing neighboring territory belonging to other nations and claiming that their God promised it to them; therefore it belongs to them. And while Israelis who move to this "new Israeli" land can still vote, the people who now live involuntarily in Israel can't. Because they would almost certainly vote to give the annexed land back to the people it belonged to. I support Israel unquestioningly when they are under attack by other nations. I categorically denounce terrorism. I also categorically denounce Israel's annexations of their neighbor's land and their bombing and shooting offensives against Palestinians, which is nothing better than state-sponsored terrorism. Final point: Take a deep breath on your "course to civil war" rhetoric. And then drop it.

Do you support Trump?

Plainjane comments on Nov 4, 2017:

I support his impeachment.

Paul4747 replies on Dec 25, 2017:

@Harleyman Wait a second. I think you have your "arrogant idiots" backwards. Trump's accomplishments so far have been to neuter the EPA, destroy our credibility as honest brokers in the Middle East by recognizing Jerusalem as capital of Israel, show that he's just as unstable as Kim Jong Un when it comes to being head of a nuclear power, and pass a tax cut which gives most families LESS THAN a $100 tax cut while giving billionaires further millions (all while claiming to be a champion of the middle class). Color me unimpressed, except by his ability to delude his followers and possibly himself, assuming he believes his own lies.

Why do celebrities get a free (religious) pass?

Hugene2002 comments on Nov 11, 2017:

Some good answers below. Celebrities as artists clearly have a double standard where they are admired for their art and not necessarily their personal lives. It is interesting to take the question further to someone like Trump, where even though he is a politician, his celebrity status and obvious ...

Paul4747 replies on Dec 11, 2017:

Party loyalty trumps (no pun intended) moral outrage. It's easy to be disgusted with someone from the other side of the aisle's behavior, and in fact there's an incentive for it, but when an ally is endangered, that means your party is going to lose power as well... and it's time to circle the wagons. I think it's to the Dem's credit that Al Franken was pressured to resign, even though his offense was relatively less offensive than many. To have "zero tolerance" means you can't tolerate it among your own, either.

Why do celebrities get a free (religious) pass?

evergreen comments on Nov 12, 2017:

People making their living in the arts are otherwise no different than any of us. Some are really nice, regular folks. Some are assholes. some are highly talented - others mostly lucky. Some are truly devoted to their art, others devoted to the money they get. Some are very religious, others...

Paul4747 replies on Dec 11, 2017:

Yeah... but I, at least, can't be blamed for Pauly Shore.

About three weeks before I got fired on November 22, 2016, the man I now presume to be the head ...

IndridCold comments on Dec 8, 2017:

I was once a staunch republican. I firmly believed that the successful simply worked harder than the poor and downtrodden. I took pleasure in comparing my own accomplishments to the misery that exists at the bottom of the economic ladder. I viewed with great suspicion, anything foreign or ...

Paul4747 replies on Dec 11, 2017:

Welcome to the club, friend. Many on the right wing don't realize how easy it is to moralize from the top when you've never been on the bottom.

Do you think all religious are equal?

Diarmaede comments on Oct 25, 2017:

No. If your religion inspires you to make the world a better place (MLK Jr., Gandhi), then your religion is much better than religions that encourage their adherents to do harm.

Paul4747 replies on Nov 23, 2017:

Again, an example of followers not following the religion itself.

Do you think all religious are equal?

Diarmaede comments on Oct 25, 2017:

No. If your religion inspires you to make the world a better place (MLK Jr., Gandhi), then your religion is much better than religions that encourage their adherents to do harm.

Paul4747 replies on Nov 23, 2017:

@GareBear517 Buddhism not only respects other religions, but encourages followers to learn about them and respect their teachings if they are rational and reasonable. There is a quibble here as some might not view Buddhism as a religion in the strictest sense, no god is worshiped, it is a doctrine of spiritual practices and meditation... but most who aren't as pedantic about such things as we tend to be would call Buddhism a religion and I think it qualifies. Certainly the military and the Department of Corrections recognize it as such.

The western liberals feel ashamed of their ancestors who enslaved the Africans and killed the native...

Paul4747 comments on Nov 17, 2017:

Are you talking about foreign affairs, domestic politics, or what exactly? What is this post about?

Paul4747 replies on Nov 18, 2017:

@Yousif-Altimimi "Politics" covers a very broad spectrum. I don't want to put words in your mouth by interpreting what you're saying. Are you discussing international politics or American politics? Because you seem to be expressing a fear of "Islamists" taking over America through the political process, and I have to say this is just fear-mongering.

Was there a specific event that led to realization that there is no divine intervention?

invictus0x0 comments on Nov 5, 2017:

I'm honestly not sure I ever thought divine intervention was real, In fact I remember thinking that he must not be able to intervene because if he could, and allowed all this horrible shit to happen, then he would have to be a fucking monster, and clearly that 'couldn't be' so he must not be able ...

Paul4747 replies on Nov 17, 2017:

I believe it's Lex Luthor in the Batman v. Superman movie who says something like, "God can't be all-good, all-knowing AND all-powerful. Only two out of three."

Why do celebrities get a free (religious) pass?

zanyfish comments on Nov 10, 2017:

Politicians and the like thrive based on conformity - it's how they get votes - and their religious affiliation (honest or not) is part of that. I can't personally believe that Trump is a Christian given his behaviour, but pretending to be one seems to work in his favour. Some other professions ...

Paul4747 replies on Nov 17, 2017:

Why can't you believe Trump is a Christian? Plenty of Christians are self-serving, lying hypocrites. Jerry Falwell. Jimmy Swaggart. Oral Roberts. G. W. Bush. James and Tammy Faye Bakker. The list is longer than my arm. Trump is just the culmination of the trend.

How do you feel about AI is it a threat in itself, is it a threat in the hands of the military or is...

evidentialist comments on Nov 2, 2017:

I am a Science Fiction writer. I touch on this topic from time to time from all angles, but speaking now in serious science terms, I am convinced that AI will be the stepping stone to achieving Type I Civilization status. That it will help us to overcome our tribal instincts by removing our ...

Paul4747 replies on Nov 12, 2017:

I hate to be so cynical, but I find myself so often justified. I like people, but I don't trust them to act altruistically. The profit motive is too overwhelming.

I am accused of having no morals because I am an atheist.

MichaelSpinler comments on Nov 4, 2017:

theist are told this by their church, they demonize atheist, and other religions. why we have to lead by example. is far as a refuting with a person directly stating this to you god believers doing things based on a gods punishment or reward, is not morality, its extortion. as far as the ...

Paul4747 replies on Nov 6, 2017:

As a corrections officer, I'm not sure about your statistic "atheists are 10% or more of the general population, yet take up less than 1% of the prison population" but I know I've met a lot of prisoners who are convinced that "God" has forgiven them. What a shame they didn't discover morality and religion before they committed those crimes...

Beyond MeToo and IBelieveYou -- What will it take to end rape culture?

Paul4747 comments on Nov 4, 2017:

Wait a minute. Hang on here. Rape "culture"? This sounds like the entire culture is devoted to raping women. Maybe I'm not part of the "culture", but I'm appalled by the idea of forcing anyone into any sexual acts against their will. This sounds to me like the old radical feminists' claims that rape...

Paul4747 replies on Nov 6, 2017:

@vertrauen And yet, that doesn't mean I'm a participant. The reason I dislike terminology that implies an entire culture is that it stereotypes me as a potential aggressor, when my own history is that I've been the victim of false allegations- those allegations automatically believed because "that's how men are" and women should be immune from questioning. I don't question anyone involved in any of the allegations under discussion in this thread, I'm only relating my own story. And I was injured (and lost a job) because someone manipulated the trust that "a woman wouldn't lie". So while I'm outraged when I hear proven allegations, I'm still tender about the idea that males are universally "toxic". And that's where I'll depart the thread.

Just in case the Christians are right.

silvereyes comments on Nov 4, 2017:

So to save the world-- we need to de-voice the Christians and take away their visas!

Paul4747 replies on Nov 4, 2017:

@Hellbent Don't forget American Express and Discover. Just to be on the safe side, nab the Diner's Club too.

Just in case the Christians are right.

silvereyes comments on Nov 4, 2017:

So to save the world-- we need to de-voice the Christians and take away their visas!

Paul4747 replies on Nov 4, 2017:

I think it's the logical conclusion.

How do you feel about AI is it a threat in itself, is it a threat in the hands of the military or is...

evidentialist comments on Nov 2, 2017:

I am a Science Fiction writer. I touch on this topic from time to time from all angles, but speaking now in serious science terms, I am convinced that AI will be the stepping stone to achieving Type I Civilization status. That it will help us to overcome our tribal instincts by removing our ...

Paul4747 replies on Nov 4, 2017:

I did. The AI is only as intelligent as the person that programs it. 99% of all humans are controlled by laziness, greed, and sex. So AI will be used to do tasks that people don't want to do, to make money for the owner, and as sex-bots. But because the inventors themselves are lazy and greedy, and thinking about getting out of work to go try to have sex with somebody, the AI will be poorly designed and expensive. It won't work and will cost too much. Consider that Google Chrome is supposed to be the best browser in the world, yet I have to manually reload the page every time I turn the computer on to get the latest web page. That's the kind of AI we will have.

Is it possible to have sub-categories?

MichaelSpinler comments on Oct 28, 2017:

oh that kind of sub. lmao not the want a ball gag and be whipped kind huh? j/k

Paul4747 replies on Nov 3, 2017:

I was thinking the "long, hard, and full of seamen" kind.

What do you like to do to relieve stress?

Hellbent comments on Nov 3, 2017:

Read while drinking.

Paul4747 replies on Nov 3, 2017:

Or drink while reading? Which is the priority?

What do you like to do to relieve stress?

VictoriaNotes comments on Nov 3, 2017:

ATM, over half of the comments here don't show a like button (yet), but just wanted to say thanks for commenting.

Paul4747 replies on Nov 3, 2017:

I'm doing my part

Do you think all religious are equal?

Diarmaede comments on Oct 25, 2017:

No. If your religion inspires you to make the world a better place (MLK Jr., Gandhi), then your religion is much better than religions that encourage their adherents to do harm.

Paul4747 replies on Nov 3, 2017:

And yet, the "same" god that MLK followed that led him to preach non-violence, is also theoretically the one that GWB prayed to when he started a war in Iraq. It's not the religion so much as what the individual follower does with it that matters.

I’ve been trying to exercise my demons, but they won’t budge.

Hellbent comments on Nov 3, 2017:

Did you hear about the fellow who didn't pay his exorcist's bill? He was repossessed.

Paul4747 replies on Nov 3, 2017:

HAH!!!! I'm going to send that to my ex-wife's pastor...

Biblical dilemma?

Paul4747 comments on Nov 2, 2017:

Dear Penultimate, Far be it from me to call anybody out, but you seem to be recirculating the letter originally written by a gentleman named Kent Ashcraft to Dr. Laura Schlessinger (https://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/drlaura.asp) and widely distributed via the internet since then. So that our...

Paul4747 replies on Nov 2, 2017:

I'll bet you any money you like that she didn't.

Why can't Americans disagree respectfully?

torquemada comments on Oct 11, 2017:

Because they turn political issues into moral issues and vice versa.

Paul4747 replies on Nov 1, 2017:

In a nutshell, that is the problem.

Honoring the dead & cremate or bury?

Decieven comments on Nov 1, 2017:

Medical programs rely on body donors. Some schools even use prosections (dissected) for some non-MD/DO programs - this way they can use past cadavers to learn from. It's a huge honor & they do what they can to keep the specimens in good condition. It's giving back & still honoring those who have ...

Paul4747 replies on Nov 1, 2017:

I had forgotten about that... Somehow the Monty Python "Live Organ Donor" sketch always haunts me. What if they want my liver and I'm not done with it yet?

Do you support Trump?

Logician comments on Oct 14, 2017:

Here's the bottom line, folks. ALL politicians are really nothing more than self-serving, ego driven Narcissists, who suffer under the delusion that they are better than most others in some way, and therefore think that they have some kind of innate right to act as our master. Agreeing that ...

Paul4747 replies on Oct 30, 2017:

By FAR the vast majority of people who go into politics are different from your caricature. Most who go into politics have a genuine desire to make things better for their city, county, state, country; whatever level they're at. Your definition or my definition of what constitutes "better" will obviously differ, but that's why the process of politics is to compromise. At least it used to be. Once upon a time there was a "loyal Opposition". Now the other party is demonized. I take it for granted that almost everyone loves America, but the form that love takes is the problem. Some want to love America by turning it into their idea of what it was in 1783 or 1850 or 1950, and others think the way to love our nation is to let the people who live in it do more or less what they want as long as no consenting adults are hurt. Can I name one politician? Bob Corker. Jeff Flake. Sherrod Brown. John McCain. Al Franken. Al Gore. Olympia Snowe. I could go all day, but then my post would cover the page.

Do you support Trump?

freethinker09 comments on Oct 17, 2017:

If I believed I would say he portends the end of times!!!

Paul4747 replies on Oct 30, 2017:

Well... it's possible that he constitutes evidence. I try to keep an open mind...

Do you support Trump?

badpenguin comments on Oct 23, 2017:

So Kennedy got killed by the Mob with CIA connivance, yet this HOWLING TWAT-WAFFLE is able to act like an adult-toddler at his taxpayer's expense as he flies around playing golf and telling lies? Americans (with anything approaching an IQ) I pity you.

Paul4747 replies on Oct 30, 2017:

If you're referring to JFK? Lee Harvey Oswald, acting alone, killed Kennedy. He had no CIA, FBI, or any other affiliation except in the heated minds of Jim Garrison and generations of conspiracy theorists. Sorry. But the mention is appropriate in a thread about Trump. He just goes to show the damage one unbalanced individual can do.

Do you think that science teachers should teach alternatives to evolution in public schools?

Mark1 comments on Oct 24, 2017:

Just because we do not believe does not mean we should not be tolerant of others in their beliefs. Most schools in the UK give a basic understanding of the main religions. You cannot challenge what others believe if you don't take the time to study their point of view

Paul4747 replies on Oct 30, 2017:

But do they teach those in science class, on the same footing with evolutionary theory? Or let me ask it a different question: Do they teach that Christian Science has an equal standing with the germ theory of disease? We wouldn't be having this discussion if the question were anything other than evolution. I'm fine with science classes teaching the history of scientific thought and discovery, i.e. "we once thought this but now we know it to be wrong..." but there's no reason to teach religious dogma as scientific theory. And that's the real problem; Creationism is not science. Science means refining your theory in light of new evidence, coming closer to the truth all the time. Creationism is presented as a proven fact. "Creation science" is a contradiction in terms, because it consists of going out and looking for "evidence" to support a preconceived notion that is unable to be challenged.