Hi everybody!

Triphid comments on Oct 11, 2018:

G'day there fellow hermit type person. I'm a wee bit of a recluse myself, but not by personal choice but by the lingering results of Chronic Depression etc.

Anyone want to answer the question?

Triphid comments on Oct 11, 2018:

Kanye West, Never heard of her....LOL.

New here. How do posts work? What do people post about?

Triphid comments on Oct 11, 2018:

G'day there Snowsue, nice to see you've joined us, post/discuss things that interest you, etc, etc, and enjoy the ride.

What is your Definition of:

Triphid comments on Oct 9, 2018:

1) Atheist - someone who DOES NOT believe in any Supreme Being/Deity/Deities what-so-ever, denies the existence of the same, is a true Free-Thinker. 2) Agnostic - someone who is uncertain as to the existence of any Supreme Being/Deity/Deities thus sits on the fence or is hedging their bets, 3) Spiritualist - a vast amount of differences to quantify here, in my opinion, so let's just take on example; A spiritualist - believes that the 'essence' of the being is somehow released from the corporeal body after death and that it continues on existing as an entity in another form not readily detectable to the living but can interact with the living at will.

I work as a therapist with an agency that works with terminally ill patients and their families.

Triphid comments on Oct 9, 2018:

When I was nurse ( back in the 70's we'd come up against the very same thing and, thankfully, many of my fellow nurses were Atheists like myself. But we'd always have to 'bite our tongues' when confronted with the seemingly endless rows of Priests coming around and spewing forth their utter drivel that " God was calling their dying family member/friend home to him." The same thing began to happen in the year 2000 when I was at the bedside of my 15 year old Daughter 24/7 whilst she underwent Chemotherapy for Mature B Cell Lymohoma, that was until she loudly spoke up and told every single Priest/Chaplian, etc, to " Take your Death Cult Bullshit and shove it where the Sun never shines." I was always so proud of her, but at that instant my pride in her grew even greater.

God-like beliefs?

Triphid comments on Oct 8, 2018:

Ancient Alien race altering the course of our evolution - ridiculous given our present knowledge and understanding, BUT, consider the possibility that the original building blocks ( amino acids) of life on this planet may have actually arrived here from elsewhere in the Universe via a comet, meteor, etc, then it could be possible. Multiverse/s, - we only see what we can see ( and in truth that is NOT very much at all given our technological standards here and now) so who knows for certain what is out there and around the corner so to speak, Reality is a computer programme, a complete and utter bunch of horse-shit in my opinion. Some that give me a bloody good belly laugh are; The earth is only some 6,500+ years old because thats what the Bible Scholars have calculated, and the very best is, The Flat Earther ideology, the Earth is a flat disc, not an oblate ( bulging in the middle) spheroid.

Let me remind you.

Triphid comments on Oct 8, 2018:

How is it, so it seems to me, that we only have 1 woman commenting here and that is the origin posting?

Let me remind you.

Triphid comments on Oct 7, 2018:

What exactly is EQUALITY between the Genders? How can there be ' equality' when no one person is EXACTLY equal to the person they were anywhere from a few hours to a week or even longer before now? Yes, women SHOULD be payed equally to men, women should be the Career Equals of Men BUT the Gender differences between male and female simply mean that males and females ARE different and have differing roles to perform in the continuance of the species. If you are seeking to blame someone/something for the Gender Inequality then look no further than the religions, both past and present, for they determined, quite wrongly, " that the females should be subservient to the males, Xtianity expounds this ideology quite extensively and loudly unfortunately.

New theory I’m into; What does it mean to be living in the now?

Triphid comments on Oct 7, 2018:

Time, in my opinion, is merely a Human concept since humans will always seek to ' rationalise' things in their mind, ergo, they decide we must be able to rationalise the differentiations between darkness and lighter periods of our lives. Time, hours, minutes, seconds, etc, only exist because humans want/need them to, the Universe has NO time as we conceive it, it just goes along in its own way.

What would your pet name you?

Triphid comments on Oct 6, 2018:

Well, considering I often do things to tease/annoy my pet Peach-faced Parrot, I'd guess, if he could rationalize it out and talk he's call me all kinds things like " You arsehole, you've moved my things around again" But, hey, he's great company anyway even if he enjoys , so it seems, making as much noise as possible while I'm trying to watch television, etc, etc.

Do atheists observe Halloween?

Triphid comments on Oct 6, 2018:

Personally, Xtian Celebrations mean nothing at to me, I do make an effort to give my nephew Henry something for Easter and Xmas as I did for my daughter. But since both Easter and Halloween are both one of those celebrations plagiarized from far earlier and old cultural belief systems by Xtianity anyway, just as is Xmas btw, I see them as being just another ' show grabber' utilised by both religions ( to attempt to get in extra congregation members) and the Manufacturing Companies and Retail Stores to boost sales. Even the title of Pope in the Catholic Church was plagiarized from the Roman Empire where the Pontifex Maximus ( the great Bridge Builder,being the translated meaning) was the High Priest and Chief Augur of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus ( The Greatest and Best), the College of Cardinals is also derive from the Collegia of Rome, collegia were Organised Gangs of Thugs, Murderers, Thieves based in the various urban areas of Ancient Rome who preyed upon people, did the often unsavory biddings of the Senate/ Emperors, ran Protection/Extortion rackets, etc, etc. The Catholic Church, it would seem, based itself on a very poor white-washing attempt of the truth and facts about the city and peoples that it first swallowed up.

Atheist political party

Triphid comments on Oct 6, 2018:

A bloody excellent and wonderful idea, something EVERY Westernised Country truly should have.

Which would you choose?

Triphid comments on Oct 6, 2018:

The groceries of course.

Now here is something pornographic to behold.

Triphid comments on Oct 6, 2018:

Stone the bloody Crows, a herd of Penguins and hope to be penguins doing their 'mating' dance. LOL.

Where do you come down on taxation of the churches?

Triphid comments on Oct 4, 2018:

Churches TAX their congregations only they call it 'tithing' which in ALL reality IS only another term for taxation anyway just as is imposing a government Levy/Toll for example. So tax the Churches and tax them as a Profitmaking Organisation which, when you look deeply enough into them, they actually are.

A few members of this site need to take note of this [newsthump.com]

Triphid comments on Oct 4, 2018:

Shit a brick, IF the Death Penalty was instigated for that then Americans would extinct long before they can finish killing each other off with their guns. The American understanding of the ENGLISH language, Grammar, Pronunciation and Spelling in particular is WOEFUL to say the least.

The world would have been better off without religion.

Triphid comments on Oct 4, 2018:

Without the repressive influences of the Catholic Church, for example, I'd say a very big YES to all 4. Xtianity from the inception sought to destroy as much Ancient Knowledge as it possibly could and continued on that track for many centuries until the tide began to turn stronger and stronger in favour of research, understanding and knowledge, now it is running like a herd of scalded cats to TRY its hardest to NOT be left behind.

Are we all basically selfish apes?

Triphid comments on Oct 4, 2018:

Apes, for the most part, are NOT selfish beings, YES they do have a Social Status/Pecking Order system BUT they are nowhere near as selfish as ever so many humans are and can be. Having said that, I'd also posit that in all my years of dealing people I have found that, in my opinion and WITHOUT bias, Atheists are far less selfish, socially caring and community aware people than those who have a religious tendency.

Do you believe that a cure for cancer exists, but it's not available to the public because medical ...

Triphid comments on Oct 4, 2018:

Whilst there are and have been innumerable 'shadey' goings on in Oil Companies, Manufacturing Companies, etc, etc, throughout the decades, for the most part, the Pharmaceutical Companies are a basically Ethical and Moral Lot striving to not only research and develop even more successful treatments for Cancers but striving to eradicate Cancers once and for all. I'll not say that there aren't the odd 'shonkey' small Pharma Companies, because there are, BUT the MAJOR ones have a long-standing Reputation which they have striven hard to develop and maintain over many, many years, a reputation that they would be loathe to see crumble.

Doubt vs gullibilty

Triphid comments on Oct 4, 2018:

" He who does not doubt little learns even less." - Author Unknown but from circa 1759, Western Europe. Sorry about that quote needing editing but I was disrupted whilst typing it in.

Whilst successive Australian governments make a shambles of our disability and pension schemes ...

Triphid comments on Oct 3, 2018:

Our present (mis) government seems to be hell-bent upon depriving the working classes, the poor, the disabled, the Pensioners and the Unemployed of anything and everything that even closely resembles what could be termed as a ' decent living standard' to curry favour with the " Big End of Town." But hey, what else can we expect from a LNP Government that idolizes the philosophies of their much Vaunted Mentor, Pig-Iron Bob Menzies who went on record by once stating, loud and clear, that "the average Working Class Australian SHOULD only be allowed the very, most BASIC necessities of life such as bread, beer, long working hours and as little an income as possible with absolutely NO hope of advance what-so-ever." The same, it seems, applies to America as well, the poor get poorer whilst the rich just get richer and those who are sick, injured and aged simply get swept aside. Upper crust Americans seems so ardent about NOT having a Universal Health Care System just as the LNP in Australia are about doing their utmost to dismantle ours, why is that Americans, do you WANT to continue your lives paying exorbitant Health Insurances just so those Insurance Companies can continue to expand their ever increasing Profit Margins give their Share-Holders and Executives greater and greater bonuses, etc, etc? Aren't we ALL the same, are we not ALL entitled as Human Beings to good and decent Health and Medical Treatments no matter our social or income statuses?

Pope Francis. Bad or Good?

Triphid comments on Oct 2, 2018:

In my most honest opinion, Pope ' Wanky Frankie' is nothing more than a puppet dancing to the whims and wills of the Puppeteers ( Cardinals, etc. just as have every Pope from last 100 years or so. If the Left-Legger Church ( Catholic) can ELECT a person as being the Direct Descendant of Saint Peter, then I can, and do, ELECT myself as being the DIRECT Descendant of Jupiter, Optimus, Maximus, Sol Invictus, Galileo, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Alfred Nobel and Albert Einstein just to name a few....LOL.

What's worse?

Triphid comments on Oct 2, 2018:

Why is there NOT a " All of the above" option as well. Every form of abuse is as bad as the next in my opinion.

Why are we here ?

Triphid comments on Oct 1, 2018:

Humans are here solely because of the evolutionary processes that occurred millions, if not billions, of years ago. We are NOT the paramount of the evolutionary process, we are, in my opinion, little more than another experiment of nature just as are birds, animals, fishes, etc, etc, and the forces of nature in company with our misdeeds will decide whether or not we will continue to evolve or simply go the way of the dinosaurs eventually.

Incest: Immoral or Moral?

Triphid comments on Oct 1, 2018:

Medically speaking I first ask; How actually safe is "safe sex" considering that almost EVERY form of contraception is, at the very best, only about 80-90% effective, except, of course, for total abstinence or surgical techniques such as; 1) a irreversible Vasectomy for males and a total hysterectomy for females, or, 2) castration of males. Genetically speaking, incest is a very hazardous activity in any human relationship between brother and sister, father and daughter, mother and son or first cousin to first cousin with a direct genetic link. That is why, in the wild , most mammals and many other species will drive out their young once they are old enough to survive on their own to limit the chances of the genetic pool becoming tainted by incestuous in-breeding thus causing deformities ranging from very minor ones right through to the most horrific. DNA strands, which every living thing are made from, are very delicate and very easily 'damaged' ergo Incest is NOT a religious Morality Issue but an Ethical and Genetic Issue for a living things and, on a personal point of opinion here, I think that with all the advancements in Invitro Fertilisation and random donations of sperm, etc, human kind is slow but inexorably heading down the road to a destination where in-breeding and the genetic disasters will become the norm unfortunately.

Does anyone truly "believe"?

Triphid comments on Sep 30, 2018:

A very GOOD question there. As a wise man, can't actually remember who it was atm, once said, " Religious belief/faith is akin to a Blind Person stumbling around in a darkened room seeking the light switch in the vain hope that he/she will be able to see." Or, as put forward by Karl Marx, " Religion is the Opiate of the Masses."

Children and Religion/Beliefs

Triphid comments on Sep 30, 2018:

I strongly believe in telling children the TRUTH from as soon as they begin asking questions, etc. This I did with my daughter, Lorrae, from around 3 years of age and, as I was told frequently by her School Teachers, she was the most mature minded student they had ever had the absolute pleasure to teach. Lorrae shared my Atheism and Atheist ideas, like me she had a reverence and respect for ALL life and people, a thirst for knowledge that knew no bounds and was a friend to everyone once she got to know them. However, like myself, she also met those of a religious ilk who sought only to shun or denigrate her BUT she took that in her stride and would often tell them, " I'm ever so sorry for you because you feel that you have to be like that."

Do you think it is necessary to try to change people’s perspective about their beliefs or just get...

Triphid comments on Sep 30, 2018:

I don't go out to try to change the beliefs of anyone UNLESS they deem it to be their Inalienable right/duty to try to impose their beliefs upon me either privately or publicly.

Life sentence for rape? Opinion? No jokes please.

Triphid comments on Sep 29, 2018:

When you truly think about it, the ONLY person who gets to serve a Life sentence for Rape, and has to endure every tormenting second of and for it is the Victim,

Are we still a primitive species?

Triphid comments on Sep 28, 2018:

Yes we are still a primitive species and we shall remain so until we evolve and learn to; a) put aside all of our petty differences, understand that we ARE ALL members of just ONE species b) evolve beyond the need for superstitious beliefs. such as religions, etc, and that, c) the Universe existed long, long before humans ever came into being, the Sun does NOT rise and set at our Behest, c) the Universe WILL continue on long after humans are nothing more than atoms and molecules of the elements that once made us. We MUST evolve and learn to live as ONE peoples or we shall end up going the same way as the innumerable species that preceded us millions of years before we existed.

How did you become an Atheist/Agnostic.etc?

Triphid comments on Sep 28, 2018:

Well, since NO child is actually BORN religious, only to parents or a parent who MAY/ not be religious, the child is usual forcibly introduced to religion whilst it is still too young to realise it is happening. Yes, I'm sure there is at least someone who will disagree with my above comment, however, in the 164 child births I have personally assisted as a Mid-Wife, I have never once witness a new-born emerge from the mother wearing ANY religious insignia what-so-ever, crossing itself or offering up a prayer in any shape nor form. I was born into a family where my Father was an Atheist and my Mother came from a background deeply involved in some very ODD variation of the Seventh Day Adventist type belief system, i.e. no using electricity, etc, on Sundays, etc. She made great efforts to ensure that I was sent, every Sunday to 'receive' religious 'instruction' but my natural curiosity, fostered by my Dad, won out every time and without exception my asking questions, etc, got me EXPELLED from Sunday Schools and from School Scripture Classes. I still have almost EVERY signed letter of expulsion that I was ever given to take home for my parents to read, expelled from every church including the Catholics right through to the Methodists, Lutherans, etc, etc. Of course every expulsion got me a verbal tirade,and often physical punishment from my mother, but my father would simply say to me, " Keep it up my boy, you are learning to THINK for your self, ask questions and expect answers, that is the best way to really learn." That is something I passed on to my daughter and she continued it on relentlessly no matter what.

Life sentence for rape? Opinion? No jokes please.

Triphid comments on Sep 27, 2018:

A definite Yes here, BUT with the proviso THAT such a rape has been proven conclusively and BEYOND any shadow of a doubt. There have been innumerable cases of screaming 'Rape' when later proven to be false accusations and an innocent has been imprisoned falsely. With all of the advances in Forensic and Medical Sciences these days surely it cannot be all that difficult to prove or disprove that an actual Rape claim is based upon a FACT.

Are you an example for people around you?

Triphid comments on Sep 26, 2018:

I try my utmost to be a good example to those I meet or know, especially children in the hope they too will take on my aims and attempts.

Does a ring really matter?

Triphid comments on Sep 25, 2018:

The ideology of a ' Wedding/Engagement' ring is originally derived from the Ancient Hebrew system of identifying a slave and to whom that slave ( usually female slaves btw) belonged. Xtianity, then Islam, etc, took on that system with the sole intent of making it their own method of marking a bride/woman as being the PROPERTY of her husband ( read Master as per the Xtian ideology of the subservience of women to men). Ergo the 'wedding ring, etc,' is STILL nothing more than a symbol of the Enslavement of a Woman to a man adopted by Religions and perpetrated by Religions.

Ever dated a religious person

Triphid comments on Sep 25, 2018:

Yes, a Catholic, a Lutheran and a JW ( but that was not known to me until after we separated). I consider that I had 3 very lucky escapes, especially with the catholic but ONLY after she discovered that I was an Atheist who was studying Theology and Comparative Modern Religions for the purpose of knowing more about religions than the religious practitioners do and to be able to debate with them using a greater knowledge than they possess. I've been an Atheist since the first time I was EXPELLED from Sunday School aged 8 for asking questions that the Teacher deemed as being 'irrelevant,' unchristian and doubting the words of God. From the age 8 years until I was 13 and at High School I was expelled from EVERY Sunday School and School Scripture Class because I insisted upon asking the question that no-one either wanted to answer or couldn't answer. I'm still an Atheist, Proud to be and will always remain so.

How do you tell religious people that you're an atheist?

Triphid comments on Sep 25, 2018:

Try to be something that I found most religious people are not, HONEST, tell them straight out and openly that you are an Atheist and proud to be one. It may lose you a lot of 'friends' BUT over time you will come to realise that you didn't really need them after all as you gain even more stronger and truer friends from the world of Atheists.

It's my birthday! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 I scheduled 3 job interviews today.

Triphid comments on Sep 25, 2018:

Happy Birthday and may luck be with you now and forever.

From my experience there are large numbers of people that will not come out and call themselves an ...

Triphid comments on Sep 25, 2018:

I'd have to agree with you there since I have know quite a large number over my years. For centuries Atheists and Agnostics were persecuted, tortured and, more often that not, killed in the most horrifically imaginable ways and it's no wonder many still harbour fears that they too may suffer such should they reveal themselves publicly. I have also noticed that the 'religious practioners' have a trait for 'adjusting' their system of believing to suit themselves or the situation, etc, they find themselves in. For example,I have the dubious ' pleasure' of having one of those " New Age Evangelist" types as my next door neighbour, he is quite adeptly expert at adjusting his beliefs, etc, to suit his own needs and ends whilst insisting upon lecturing others as to precisely HOW they should believe and worship, etc, hypocrisy runs rife among the religious in my opinion. But Atheists/Agnostics should no longer dwell in fear of the Churches/Religious, they should stand tall, stand together and proud of who they are and show the religious world that Logic, Reasoning and Reality not only free one from superstition and superstitious fears but also open the mind to the beauties of the Universe, Life and Free-thinking as well.

Last night I was out with The Phoenix Atheists Meetup group at a local restaurant.

Triphid comments on Sep 23, 2018:

Er, forgive me if I'm wrong BUT even Chimps, Great Apes and the humble Australian Kangaroos, etc, ALL have Thumb and Fingerprints just as do innumerable other animals, BUT, there are very few actual bible verses, in fact none to the best of my knowledge, that actually STATE that the Imaginary " Sky Daddy" endowed only humans with fingerprints AND since the states that WE all derived from ONE single Male ( Adam) and a Female, CLONED btw from the tissues of this original Male, then therefore and most logically WE would ALL have EXACTLY the same fingerprint pattern, DNA and numerous other MATCHING traits, would we not? Surely sir, someone could have given that piece of garbage a far better use than making a paper airplane of it, perhaps using it to blow their nose before returning it to its point of origin could have been a little more apt and appropriate? Besides that, Assumption WITHOUT Empirically PROVEN EVIDENCE is still mere Assumption anyway you wish to view it. Nice try though but I prefer to get the Jesus Jockeys into a debate and watch they sweat and squirm as I turn the heat up on them BUT I am, after all a Life Long Atheist with A Doctorate in Theology and Comparative Modern Religions, something that true send shivers down their spine when I tell them that.

Do you think there should be a high school course to teach common sense laws to teenagers?

Triphid comments on Sep 23, 2018:

A very commendable idea there, However the first thing that would need to be instigated is to teach such things to the Teachers first, things such as Respect, Honour, Decency, Community Spirit and Awareness, etc, etc, the simple things that I was taught back in my days at school ( late 50s through to the early 70s btw) and by my parents, mainly my father since my mother was NOT actually a patch on the arse of what a mother should be. It seems apparent that kids these days are of the Me, Me, Me Generation obsessed with the " Monkey See, Monkey Do" ideology and some portion of the blame for this ideology also lays squarely upon the shoulder of their parents as well.

Any of youse Victorians?

Triphid comments on Sep 23, 2018:

AFL, Rugby, Cricket, Tennis, etc, etc, are so bloody tediously dull and boring that they make the idea of watching paint dry even more exciting. AFLW is somewhat more interesting to watch since those girls/ladies REALLY get into it, make a good and decent game of it all as do the Women in the Women's Rugby, No namby- pamby, spoilt little, over-paid Show Ponies among the Women like we see in the Men's Comps, the ladies are true and decent Sportspeople through and through. As for the Collywobbles, Port Powerless, the Crows and the rest of the tiresome bunch there is, in my opinion, very little worth saying about them all.

What is the point of the ALP?

Triphid comments on Sep 23, 2018:

In my personal opinion, BOTH major parties are a complete and utter WASTE of time, space, oxygen and nutrients. The ALP (aka Absolutely Lost Party) are so far adrift from reality under Bill " Shortonballs" Shorten that they are way beyond the Land of the Fairies, they lost the "plot" totally ever since Gough Whitlam was stabbed in the back by the cronies of Malcom ( Razor) Fraser, nothing unusual there since the greatest talent of any of the LNP ( Lying Narcissist Party) members/acolytes MUST possess is the ability to insert the knife into back of anyone except their wealthy supporters with consummate ease and NO compunctions what-so-ever. We need to tear down the 2 Party, Westminster System replacing it with a 100% Democratic system of Elections and Government, draft a completely NEW Constitution that has been ratified by ALL Australian Citizens, not just the Australian Government of the day and the British Interests, become a True Democratic Republic where, in particular, the vote of an Elector CAN NOT be "traded" away at the whim of ANY Political Party BUT stands ONLY for the person/party for which it was cast in the first place. We need also to ensure by irrefutable Laws that ANY Government/Party is COMPLETELY free and beyond ANY and ALL influences of Religion/s, the Rich End of Town, etc, etc, and ANSWERABLE ONLY to the People. After all, Democracy MEANS the Government OF the People, BY the People and FOR the People NOT as it is these days being the Government of the Many, By the Select Few and For the BENEFIT of the very select, Elite Few as we see so often and regularly these days.

8 US States Launch Criminal Investigations Into Catholic Church [vox.com]

Triphid comments on Sep 21, 2018:

You bloody little Ripper ( Aussie speak for Excellent news). Australia has been having it's own " Inquisition" into the Catholic Church for over a year now and Catholic Kiddie Fiddling Priests everywhere are sweating buckets. We haven't just stopped at the " Left Leggers" either, every Institution, religious or not is under scrutiny these days and about bloody time. Keep up the good work Yanks, make those mongrel bastards sweat, tremble and jail them for Life without Parole if they have been guilty, also aim high and go for the Pope as well since he is surely hiding all knowledge of it and has condoned it as well.

Does Trump have the lowest IQ of all American Presidents to date?

Triphid comments on Sep 21, 2018:

Well, as an Aussie and an Outsider, I'd have to say that Trump is NOT the sharpest Knife in the drawer BUT he comes across as the Prime Example of the MOST Petulant little School-boy Bully I've ever had the utter misfortune to know. The closest I can think as being being another Trump would have to be Australia's ex- P.M. Tony Abbott and John ( Flak-Jacket) Howard who was Liberal/National Party P.M. prior to Abbott.

A word from Socrates worth thinking about.

Triphid comments on Sep 21, 2018:

Ah yes, and sadly so true especially in my encounters with the Jesus Jockeys, God- Botherers, etc, that I have debated with. I have found, with tedious regularity, that as soon as the debate/discussion begins to go against them the Jesus Jockeys turn to aspersion, slander, insults, tirades, threats of damnation and innumerable other artifices. To which my usual response is a quiet, calm and sedate, " That is so very kind and Christian of you, Thank you ever so much." Btw, as a Doctor of Theology and Comparative Modern Religions and a Life Long Atheist, I have debate, both publicly and privately with innumerable Church Leaders from, what I like to term as, " Backyard Evangelists to Bishops and every one, without exception, resorts to almost the same actions when the going gets tough.

Is the human embryo sacred or something special ?

Triphid comments on Sep 21, 2018:

Any Embryo is simply just that, it is collection of cells with an as yet indeterminate purpose awaiting the effect/s of hormones to " kick-start" the processes that will determine what it will, hopefully, eventually become. To ask if something is " sacred, " in my opinion, implies that it should be considered as a " Loan" or " Gift" from some Supremely Higher Entity BUT it is not and never has been, there are only the Forces of the Natural Universe and the effects they can have or not have that determine what will be and what will NOT be, nothing more, nothing less. A womans body is HER own property, what happens within that body as in pregnancy, etc, is HERS and HERS alone to determine and NO-ONE elses what-so-ever just as is the body of a man as well. Unfortunately, the only thing we have NO control over body-wise are diseases, injury and death, BUT in the case of OUR own death WE should have the choice to chose how, when and why we die and it NOT be determined by some Arcane, Arcaic Superstitions and belief system imposed upon us.

Winter is Over! Long live the spring. Yayyyyyyyyyyyy

Triphid comments on Sep 20, 2018:

Should that meme also read, " Tourist will be arriving again soon, bring on the Snacks," LOL.

Our new PM "gets" Trump [theguardian.

Triphid comments on Sep 20, 2018:

Hey, David1955, out here in the part of Australia everyone in Politics has conveniently forgotten ( Far Western N.S.W. btw) we've taken to calling him " Scumo" instead of Slo-Mo/Sco-mo, kind of think it suits him better. Maybe Scum-mo will take on Tronald Dumps idea and also built a wall around ( a complete bird aviary type) around that big Galah cage they call Parliament House, it might just keep the rampant Galah problem under control and let the intelligent people get on with running the country once again.

Hello Australia -- I hope you don't mind a Canadian interloper.

Triphid comments on Sep 20, 2018:

No ' Dave Murrays' there mate, got nothing against Canadians in the least. Enjoy being here mate.

So we have a new Prime Minister.

Triphid comments on Sep 20, 2018:

Australia used be a 'Lucky Country' now we are sorely tested by having the likes of Scumo ( Scomo), Whiney Pynie, Scabbott, Julie Bitchslop, Wandering Dick Joyce and the entire LNP bought and paid for by the likes of Gina, the Immeasurable Bulk, Reinhart and the big end of town little rich-boy Leeches. When will it all come to an end and the people actually wake themselves from the complacency?

The crazies are taking over.

Triphid comments on Sep 20, 2018:

What a pity we don't have squirrels here in Australia, they'd never starve and would collecting ' nuts' 24/7, 365 days per year. LOL

I'm sorry, but I really need to vent: My grandma is sick, hospitalized and just over 90.

Triphid comments on Sep 20, 2018:

It's probably of little help/comfort to you but Death is just a part of Life. I was at my daughters bedside 24/7 from January 2000 until January, 7th 2001 whilst she went through Chemotherapy for Mature b -cell Lymphoma. When Lorrae was diagnosed we both agreed upon a phrase that would be said should things turn out that she ( a 16 year old and my only child btw) would want me to say to her at the right time. That phrase was, " Go with the wind, run with the Wild Horses my Princess, you are free." Even though they were, without a doubt, the hardest words I have ever had to speak, just remembering them still brings me great comfort as does the memory of that sweet little smile she gave me upon hearing. Remember NOT the suffering, the bad times, instead cherish the good times, the laughs, the fun, the smiles and everything good and fulfilling, keep them close to your heart they will comfort you endlessly. Try to stay strong even in the hardest of times and NEVER shun away from those who earnestly want to help or comfort you my friend.

gotta love those christian values

Triphid comments on Sep 20, 2018:

In my opinion, there are the 'values' of religion and then there are the values of the TRUE and Decent Human Beings, they are as far separated from each other as are dark and light. The Secular Humans, in my experiences, are those who hold to the values and truths of treating ALL Humans and other creatures as due respect deserving beings whereas, also in my own long experiences, the Religious are, for the major part, somewhat bereft of the values we Secular People adhere to and the Religious only see those of their ilk worthy of consideration.

I don't wanna brag or anything.

Triphid comments on Sep 20, 2018:

Lucky you, on the Coast, nice warmish weather to boot, wanna swap? Summer's arriving a bit early out here, still no rain, dry as a Dead Nuns Fanny and nothing but day after day after day of 40+ Celsius heat to look forward to.

Hello from Geelong in Vic, to Jenmcjen, I love shepherds, aussies germans, whatevers.

Triphid comments on Sep 20, 2018:

G'day Jandi, nice to meet you.

Hey did you guys see this?

Triphid comments on Sep 20, 2018:

Just watched the whole clip from go to whoa, bloody ripper of an artwork, great to see they both had the ' family jewels' enough to a) put something eye-catching ( other than the usual shit-dipping scrawl that the younger generation Drongos spray everywhere these days) on a surface otherwise as bland and boring as a politicians' promise/speech, and b) someone with the nous to ensure the artwork is preserved as long as possible, well until some brain-dead Bean Counter in Local Government decides to stick his/her nose into it and stuffs up yet another thing of beauty, replacing it with either advertising signage or just a dead-pan coat of paint. As for the 'accents,' they differ from area to area, state to state in Australia, some slightly, some quite noticeably, but that's Australia, keep it up my fellow Aussies, please don't go all Yankee, keep our unique identity alive and kicking.

Hillsong church conference It was free untill 2006(not sure what year).

Triphid comments on Sep 19, 2018:

Surely there has be a Hill somewhere on a far distant planet in a Galaxy a billion Light Years away that we EXPORT these rabid Dip-Shit Dags to >

Oh bloody hell.

Triphid comments on Sep 19, 2018:

Sorry to post this BUT haven't you Mexicans ( Victorians) got any thing more useful to do than whine about some " Railway Station ?" Shit a brick mate, we've got a bloody MASSIVE drought affecting 60% of the Countryside side, here, towns, farms and Grazing Properties running out of water, Graziers running out feed for their stock ( the stock that supplies food, etc, to people like you and everyone else and YOU are worried a some poxy Railway Station.

Hello everybody.

Triphid comments on Sep 19, 2018:

G'day there mate, welcome aboard.

PM Steps Up Religious Crusade [theaimn.

Triphid comments on Sep 19, 2018:

Give a Bible-Basher an inch and he/she will take away ever single one of your rights, force you to become just another " Sheeple ", afraid to even consider thinking for yourself on the odd and highly improbable chance that their imaginary " Sky Daddy" and his equally Mythological Son (??????) are somehow watching you 24/7. Freedom of Religion has equated for centuries as being nothing more than the Freedom of the Religious to oppress everyone at any and ALL costs. Fight it at every turn, chant " We shall not go quietly under their Thumbs, We shall not vanish meekly into the Darkness of Superstition and Bigotry, WE SHALL remain Free and live in Logic, Reasoning and Truth."

I am agnostic and I am dating a mormon. Is this a recipe for disaster?

Triphid comments on Sep 19, 2018:

You have my sincerest sympathies there, sadly here in Australia most of us see Mormons, aka Morons, as being akin to those ever present ( during the warmer months) Blowflies, i.e. they hang around uninvited are bloody near impossible to get rid of. Of the innumerable " Crazinesses created by America ( I could list volumes of them btw) it would be a Toss Up which would top the list between Trump and the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. Please try your hardest to resist the temptation to become yet another Manic Mormon.

Well fk me sideways! Words of wisdom from the bible!

Triphid comments on Sep 19, 2018:

I love your reasoning there, but the Ancient Chinese curse goes, " May his life be long and filled with joy and happiness," I think it befits my own personal opinions of Scumo much better. Or as my father used to say, " May all his chickens turn into Emus and kick his dunny down."

Attention heathens.

Triphid comments on May 10, 2018:

Was once a Nurse, then a Truck Driver followed by a driving a Taxi then worked on the State Rail Authority of N.S.W. for 12 years before being the Sole Parent to my 9 year old Daughter. Now am on the Disability Pension for severe, recurring Chronic Depression and Osteo-Arthritis in most of my joints.

I honestly cannot think what to say about this...

Triphid comments on May 10, 2018:

That picture kind of reminds me of last Easter when I was walking through a local Park with my 4 year old Nephew, Henry. We saw some Xtian group erecting crosses draped in black cloth throughout the park and Henry commented to one Xtian erecting a cross, "Why haven't your Scarecrows got any heads?" Methinks the Atheism is very strong in young Henry even at such a young age.

Face to face

Triphid comments on May 6, 2018:

Yes, my departed 16 year old Daughter who passed away from Cancer in January 2001, I often think of how nice it would be to see her happy, smiling, beautiful face, hear her cheeky laugh as she greets me with her usual " G'day there Old Fella."

When religious people demand that I respect their beliefs because it is their god given right to be ...

Triphid comments on May 6, 2018:

As I was taught from early childhood, Respect is something that needs to be EARNED, it is NOT a Given thing, ergo I have never once seen nor found ANY reason WHY any religion has ever earned nor deserved any respect what-so-ever.

If you don't believe in "God" in the traditional sense (the one taught in the Christian bible but ...

Triphid comments on May 6, 2018:

A simple, one word answer to your query from me, NO. However, having said that, I do have an inkling that far older and more advanced Extra-Terrestrial Species have visited this tiny rock upon which we have evolved from time to time both in the past and, on occasions, in the present time as well.

"Everything you know about the Bible is wrong" [abarim-publications.com]

Triphid comments on May 2, 2018:

Care to expand upon that extremely vague comment perchance, bbyr009? I hold a Doctorate Degree in Theology and Comparative Modern Religions btw.

Do you think this list is in correct order

Triphid comments on May 2, 2018:

Personally speaking here I'd say Bill Wyman was extremely biased. The Beatles would have to come in at #1, equal with Roy Orbison and an Honourary posthumus #1 for the Big Bopper, Bud Holly and Richie Valens, followed the Shadows, the Beachboys, Queen, etc, etc, leaving the likes of Dylan, Bon Jovi, etc, way way down in their place with that presumptuous twat, Elvis Presley and the like.

Religious logic

Triphid comments on May 2, 2018:

Sorry to tell you this, BUT, April Fools Day WAS on April the First one month has passed since then. Nice try at a joke though by the way.

Conservative radio host claims ‘All racists must be atheists’

Triphid comments on Apr 30, 2018:

If the said conservative Radio Host were to have even bothered to actually read and study the history of human kind since the onset of religions such as Christianity, for example, then he/she would have learned and that found that : a) bar none what-so-ever, religions, on the whole, have been the most Racist, Divisive, self-serving groups of ALL time and, in many cases, still are, b) the ever so vaunted, Christian Bible itself preaches Racism and Ethnic Division, etc, ever so clearly WHEN actually read in FULL Context, c) the 3 main Abrahamic Based Religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, via their 'holy' texts zealously indulged in the enslavement of those whom they deemed as being 'less' human than their texts purported them to be, etc, d) there are passages/verses in the Christian Bible, for example and including the New Testament in particular, actually describing and condoning the treatment of not ONLY slaves but those of a different Race/Ethnicity as well. Atheists, and I am one myself and haver been such since early childhood, on the majority are people, to best of my knowledge and understanding, ARE, for the most part, the most tolerant, non-racist/divisive people of all since we are guided by both our consciences and inherent, personal and social moralities rather than those imposed upon us by so-called 'Holy' Texts and the purveyors of said texts. Yes, Atheists can be often quite vocal when faced with the tirades, etc, exuding from the 'Religious' and rightly so since we, the Atheists, do become quite annoyed when those said 'Believers' try to IMPOSE their beliefs upon us with the ever so apparent, regularity that is their 'stock in trade." And why shouldn't we? We are only human after all, are we not?

Admitting when you’re wrong..

Triphid comments on Apr 5, 2018:

I'm only ever wrong when a woman tells me that i am wrong, that must be 100% correct every time since woman are NEVER wrongt.....LOL.

If you could go back in time to a time before your birth when and where would you go?

Triphid comments on Apr 5, 2018:

As far back as needed to STOP religions of any kind from being invented thus it would release Human Kind from them and allow humanity to develop and evolve as it should have done in the first place.

Solve this Riddle

Triphid comments on Apr 5, 2018:

The Church of Scientology perhaps? It sounds almost perfectly like that Insane Group to me.

Just wanted to say hi to everyone I've just joined I am on the Gold Coast

Triphid comments on Apr 5, 2018:

G'day to you and welcome from me down here in the part of N.S.W. that politicians and governments have always forgotten exists ( Far Western New South Wales where the Darling River ONCE ran with water instead of dried mud and dust).

Why do Jewish women only date circumcised men?

Triphid comments on Apr 3, 2018:

Q. Why do Jewish women always have sex with their eyes closed tightly? A. "God forbid they should see a man enjoying himself."

Welcome to the new group specifically for aussies! to gather & share, to natter & blaspheme.

Triphid comments on Apr 3, 2018:

Blaspheme, Jeez Louise where do I start? Oh, I could try with; Jeebus Crust on stale bread, Jesus and the Nine Inch Nails,

Yay! we start getting the numbers - welcome to the newies (L)

Triphid comments on Apr 3, 2018:

I've just joined so my hearty thanks for allowing the honour.

Just watching a quasi documentary on the ABC about the fictiional character of Jesus and having a ...

Triphid comments on Apr 3, 2018:

There are ever so many attempts to validate the Jesus Mythology in Documentary Formats etc, etc, but none ever come anywhere remotely close to providing an iota of actual and empirical evidence just as do the other documentaries, etc, regarding anything biblical as per Christianity, Judaism, Islam etc, etc. As a life-long Atheist and one who proudly holds a Doctorate in Theology and Comparative modern Religions I watch them simply for the 'entertainment' value and the knowing laughs that I can get from them.

Do you want a funeral, or a celebration of your life?

Triphid comments on Mar 30, 2018:

A Celebration of my Life followed by a Cremation. No mourning, NO Religious Twaddle, etc.

Do you agree or disagree?

Triphid comments on Mar 30, 2018:

As a Councellor to Children and Youths I have seen and helped far more people than I care to count after they have bee EXPOSED to religions, especially Christianity. Without exception they come to me in a complete confused, dishevelled ( mentally/psychologically) state so often under the impression that, as the Priests/Ministers, etc, and the Bible tells them,they are Worthless, Sinful, Detestable by God creatures even though they are ardent Church Goers as are their families. Ever so many of them actually live in utter fear and dread of punishment from God that will strike them down at any moment and some are children as young as 8 or 10 years of age and some of the older youths have continuous and serious thoughts of Suicide in the hope of simply escaping those fears and dreads. So asks yourselves, please, What kind of Next Human Generations is it that Religions are creating? Are Religions just repeating and refining the Terrors, Fears and Dreads they imposed upon the peoples from the times of the Dark Ages and up until the last 100 or so years?

What's more important?

Triphid comments on Mar 28, 2018:

'Casual'friends/acquaintances are akin to fallen leaves in that they are easily blown around by the prevailing breezes, True and Close, Trusted Friends are like pure Diamonds, rich, rare, hard to find and should be cherished.

Does anyone have irreconcilable differences with members of their family?

Triphid comments on Mar 28, 2018:

I have not spoken to nor even had contact of any sort with my remaining family since 2005. My parents are both dead and gone and my 3 sisters, 1 younger, 2 older, are arrogant self-righteous pains in the arse at the best of times. 2 of them are Catholics by choice and marriage ( both now divorced btw), the other is grasping, money-grubbing, heavy drinking ( almost to the point of being an Alcoholic), self-indulgent control freak. I do NOT miss them in any way shape nor form considering that as a child I was the one my 'mother' would punish severely with what ever came to hand for their misdeamors, etc.

Is chivalry dead?

Triphid comments on Mar 26, 2018:

Well, it's a case of Yes and No in my opinion. As a person brought up by my father to treat women/girls with due the respect, decency and equality they deserve to be afforded I continue to do exactly that. BUT, I have received innumerable insults and even threats from the so-called 'modern' feminists for acts such as opening doors for them, giving up my seat for them on buses, etc. I have also received countless smiles of appreciation, words of thanks and comments such as "It is so nice to know and see that there are STILL true Gentlemen in this crazy world today." Personally, I feel that IF Feminists TRULY want absolute EQUALITY then they should resist their need for SEPERATE Facilities ( Toilets, etc, ), expect to be employed to do the harsh, labourious tasks that men do WITHOUT exemptions, etc, and ALL other trappings of femininity completely and utterly. Were women/girls so badly off when they were shown courtesties by men? Was it TRULY insulting for them when men were expected to stand up when a woman entered any room? Was it really an INSULT for a man to defend/protect the honour and decency of a woman or to have a man stand aside and open a door for a woman? Chivalric behaviour such as simply opening a door for a woman is NOT an insult/slur, IT IS an act of showing reverence and decency towards the female gender without whom NONE of us would have ever been here to begin with.

What should I do when I get threaten with going to Hell?

Triphid comments on Mar 20, 2018:

One my most well used responses is that I simply say to them, "Okay, no Worries, I'll see you there then."

I can't stand the hypocrisy.

Triphid comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Vale Stephen Hawking, the Human Race has lost a Genius, you will be remembered by multitudes. As to the original posting/comment, most sadly there are Faithfools everywhere my friend just as, in my opinion, there are flies around manure and both are equally as difficult bearing with. However, the flies DO NOT seem so intent upon murdering each other and innocent peoples as do the Faithfoools and, though it is quite legal to kill flies we Atheists must contue to strive in the hope of one day bringing the Faithfools out of the Dark, Arcane world of Religion and into the light of Reason.

For "converts" to Atheism, what caused you to question your previous beliefs?

Triphid comments on Mar 13, 2018:

Being the only son of an Atheist Father and a rampant Religious 'Mother' I was forced to attend both Sunday School and Religious Scripture lessons at Primary School. I can proudly state that I was EXPELLED from every one of them in succession simply because I dared to ask questions that they could not/ would not answer. My father taught me to think for myself, not accept what I am told unless I examine it completeley for myself first and then make an educated decision after that.

Ever been 'double crossed' by a friend?

Triphid comments on Mar 13, 2018:

Too many times to bother counting, that is why I have a very small and select group of Friends these days.

Easter

Triphid comments on Mar 13, 2018:

Isn't it quite ironic that Easter, 2018 actually occurs on April Fools Day? Odds on that the 'Faithfools'everywhere haven't realised this one as yet.

Easter

Triphid comments on Mar 13, 2018:

Easter = a religious plagiarism of even older and more ancient rites and rituals. IF, and that is a VERY Massive IF, there even was a Crucifixion then WHY is it that there is absolutely NO specific date upon which it occurred and thus celebrated every year?

Were You Raised In A Single Parent Home Or 2 Parent Home

Triphid comments on Mar 13, 2018:

A 2 parent home but it may as well have been a Single Parent one since my 'mother' was an absolute bitch in every respect bar none and my Father was the kind of person who gave me guidance, taught me my principles, etc, in life and showed that just because she was a total bitch that not everyone else is and as such I should NEVER use heras my role model, etc, etc.

How do men feel about females asking them out, or females making the first move?

Triphid comments on Mar 10, 2018:

Why shouldn't women make the first, after all we are trying to live in a world of Equal rights for everyonearen't we? Plus, considering that with all of this crazy Political Correctness running to extremes any bloke these days making the 'first move' stands a big chance of copping either a hefty smack in the mouth or a bloody big law suit at best.

When I first realized I was an atheist and began talking about it on Facebook, Many religious ...

Triphid comments on Mar 9, 2018:

Each comment made by an Atheist to to a Believer ( Theist) is another seed of doubt sown, I have found. However there are those Believers that are scared of losing their 'crutch' in life and having to face Reality that will fire back with ever ounce of irrationality in their meagre little arsenal and as their last resort is to 'block,' unfriend you, etc, etc. But my philosophy on that is quite simple, I.e. With friends like that you DO NOT need enemies.

BenefIts of books

Triphid comments on Mar 9, 2018:

Nothing beats nor even comes close to the good old printed book, well books that contain FACTS or a truly decent subject/story/plot or a that is. There is 1 book known almost world-wide that falls cosmically short of ANY of those things and more and that is the bible.

We Are Stardust—Literally

Triphid comments on Mar 2, 2018:

We ARE the children of the Universe, we are made from the materials that originated billions of years back in time.

Cosmic Dawn: Astronomers Detect Signal From Early Stars | Time

Triphid comments on Mar 2, 2018:

Not a bad effort for Australia, a country laughed at by the Americans, in my opinion. How many decades have you Yanks been searching for and suddenly the Aussies beat you to the punch?

So Putin wants to blow up Florida

Triphid comments on Mar 2, 2018:

Well, in my opinion where is the problem since Americans seem bent upon wiping each other out with all of these Mass Shootings anyway then why not simply let someone else do the whole job for you, get it over and done with in one fell swoop?

When are you most likely to lose your patience with someone?

Triphid comments on Mar 2, 2018:

About the only time I really 'lose' my patience to any extent would have to be with my Evangelist neighbour and his interminable attempts at preaching to me, telling me that without God/Jesus my life is meaningless, etc, and all the other religious drivel he spouts seemingly endlessly. Other than that I'm a fairly cool, calm and easy-going person.

"In a better place"?

Triphid comments on Feb 28, 2018:

As my 16 year old Daughter ( often quite wise for her age I think) said to me during her last few days of life, "Dad, grieve for who I was, love me for being who I was, enjoy the memory of me and the times we shared BUT don't mourn my passing instead celebrate that I was once alive and enjoyed being alive. As the Klingons in Star Trek say, 'the body is just something the real person needs to travel around in, once it is no longer useful, like any vehicle we discard it, ' mine has become too damage to be repaired and that is just how things go." As for the "In a better place" comment, in my opinion, the only "better place" is the place where you are right now and what YOU have made of it, it IS all up to you.

Have any of you agnostics faced death and how did you deal with it?

Triphid comments on Feb 28, 2018:

As Nurse for many years I saw people die, I sat with them as they died, I did the usual 'laying out' of the body prior to it going to the Morgue. I saw death as being Not an enemy or something to fear but a release from suffering and pain, etc. As a Parent I spent the last 12 months of my 16 year old daughters life by her side 24/7 as she underwent Chemotherapy for Lymphatic Cancer, together we met and got to know other children and teenagers going through much similar cancers and treatments and Yes even knew some who also passed away. Yes I grieved with those parents and I grieved long, hard and deeply when my daughter passed away and I still do mourn her, think about her and remember both the hard times and the fun times we had together. But I still see death as a 'friend' of sorts and not an enemy.