White House Streams Church Service Claiming ‘Demonic Spirit’ Causes Homosexuality | Michael ...

Grecio comments on Jan 23, 2020:

Trump apparently does not agree with separation of church and state. Pence is an idiot.

anglophone replies on Jan 25, 2020:

@PedalingOn Goodbye.

White House Streams Church Service Claiming ‘Demonic Spirit’ Causes Homosexuality | Michael ...

Grecio comments on Jan 23, 2020:

Trump apparently does not agree with separation of church and state. Pence is an idiot.

anglophone replies on Jan 25, 2020:

@PedalingOn To answer your question: it was the people that voted for him. Is that explicit enough for you?

Watch This Christian Lady Swear Up a Storm While Preaching at Walmart Customers | Hemant Mehta | ...

Lauren comments on Jan 24, 2020:

Wow. So that's something I hope to never see in person. How scary. I hope she gets the help she needs because there's more than religion wrong with her.

anglophone replies on Jan 24, 2020:

Your words "there's more than religion wrong with her" are so true. Like you, I hope she gets the help she so clearly needs.

divorce law

LucyLoohoo comments on Jan 24, 2020:

Reminds e of another law firm..."Dewey, Cheatham & Howe"

anglophone replies on Jan 24, 2020:

Also "Doolittle and Dalley", real estate agents in Kidderminster, England: https://www.doolittle-dalley.co.uk/branches

The hospital clerk asked my religion before a medical procedure.

anglophone comments on Jan 8, 2020:

Anybody who includes "atheist" as a religion is displaying a serious failure of cognition.

anglophone replies on Jan 24, 2020:

@AnneWimsey I was asked this face-to-face when I went in for a triple artery bypass graft. The receptionist was visible taken aback when I said "atheist".

White House Streams Church Service Claiming ‘Demonic Spirit’ Causes Homosexuality | Michael ...

Grecio comments on Jan 23, 2020:

Trump apparently does not agree with separation of church and state. Pence is an idiot.

anglophone replies on Jan 23, 2020:

And remember who it was that put Pence into Congress.

Zindagi Tamasha: Pakistan film suspended after religious uproar - BBC News

DavidLaDeau comments on Jan 22, 2020:

The Christians also try to ban anything that reflects properly on their religion. They often succeed.

anglophone replies on Jan 22, 2020:

Agreed.

I need to get something off my chest.

Cutiebeauty comments on Jan 22, 2020:

I don't understand what you mean....

anglophone replies on Jan 22, 2020:

Thank you for reading my rant. Sorry it was incomprehensible. I will try to post something more readable in the next few days.

What is the most annoying/hardest to answer argument for a diety?

dayII comments on Jan 22, 2020:

The argument from personal experience is a big one! Whenever I hear someone talking about how much a god has done for them, I always feel like replying, "You know, I had that same experience with the tooth fairy!" I really haven't found any religious claims that are difficult to counter. The ...

anglophone replies on Jan 22, 2020:

Part of me feels sorry for those who suffer such mental insufficiency.

As a former journalist, a few (hopefully) helpful hints to fellow posters: 1.

ToolGuy comments on Jan 12, 2020:

I will read a long post if it is in paragraphs rather than a wall of words to coin a phrase from @LiterateHiker.

anglophone replies on Jan 12, 2020:

Like you, I find a wall of words to be rather off-putting: I always have issues with that style of writing, and I often have issues with the author's seeming inability to organise his or her ideas.

Cosmic magnifying glasses show faster expanding universe - EPFL

bingst comments on Jan 10, 2020:

It doesn't say how they took into account the orbits of the quasars about those supermassive blackholes. Surely they did? I would imagine orbital velocities in proximity to a supermassive blackhole would have to be extraordinarily high.

anglophone replies on Jan 12, 2020:

@yvilletom I have the impression that you have the impression that I do not know what I am talking about. Would that be a fair comment?

Cosmic magnifying glasses show faster expanding universe - EPFL

bingst comments on Jan 10, 2020:

It doesn't say how they took into account the orbits of the quasars about those supermassive blackholes. Surely they did? I would imagine orbital velocities in proximity to a supermassive blackhole would have to be extraordinarily high.

anglophone replies on Jan 11, 2020:

@yvilletom Newtonian mechanics was debunked by observations of Mercury's orbit around the Sun, which is hardly a massive body in cosmological terms. Redshift and the change in pitch from a source of sound that is moving are mediated by two entirely different mechanisms. Evidence of the existence of black holes comes from the Large Interferometer Gravitional-Wave Observatory.

What is the one Truth or Method of finding the truth that you hold sacred above all others?

anglophone comments on Jan 9, 2020:

Part of my own truth is that there is no such thing as "the truth". Another part of my own truth is that the word "sacred" refers to religion. Yet another part of my own truth recognises that I have values. And yet another part of my own truth is that I have used a methodology (specifically, the ...

anglophone replies on Jan 11, 2020:

@Mcflewster Thank you for clarifying that. :)

Do atheists overreach?

anglophone comments on Jan 10, 2020:

Sorry, but anybody who answers "no" to the question "Can you be good without God?" is suffering a catastrophic failure of cognition. This immediately voids the rest of his book. I stopped reading your post when I reached that point in it. My reaction is much the same as that of @Indirect76: TLDR.

anglophone replies on Jan 11, 2020:

@Matias I took your words "In chapters 1 and 2, the author asks whether atheists are rationally justified when they claim to be able to be "good without God", and whether "naturalism warrants belief in Universal benevolence and human rights. His answers are No and No." at face value, hence my opening sentence.

Cosmic magnifying glasses show faster expanding universe - EPFL

yvilletom comments on Jan 10, 2020:

How large are these metaphorical cosmic magnifying glasses?

anglophone replies on Jan 11, 2020:

@bingst Yes.

Cosmic magnifying glasses show faster expanding universe - EPFL

bingst comments on Jan 10, 2020:

It doesn't say how they took into account the orbits of the quasars about those supermassive blackholes. Surely they did? I would imagine orbital velocities in proximity to a supermassive blackhole would have to be extraordinarily high.

anglophone replies on Jan 11, 2020:

I would guess that orbital velocities would only affect the observed redshift, and would have little to do with the different paths of light (which is probably what is important here) past the intervening galaxy, though there may be a second-order difference there. I would need to get my head around the relevant bit of cosmology before I could any sort of confidence in all this, though.

Does anyone else have a homophobic family member?

anglophone comments on Jan 11, 2020:

Anybody who opposes the LGBTQ community is merely flaunting their own deficiencies of personality. More specifically, they feel threatened by the behaviour of other people with whom they have no involvement.

anglophone replies on Jan 11, 2020:

@TimeOutForMe Thank you for sharing all that. :)

Trump says he deserves Nobel Peace Prize not Abiy Ahmed - BBC News

PondartIncbendog comments on Jan 10, 2020:

Trump deserves a missile up his ass.

anglophone replies on Jan 10, 2020:

What have you got against missiles? ;)

Do atheists overreach?

BradleyBell comments on Jan 10, 2020:

Damn that's a lot to read bro. Lol I think atheists do a little... I mean. Its really hard to prove that something doesn't exist. I think we are all agnostics, even those with faith.

anglophone replies on Jan 10, 2020:

For what it is worth, it is trivial to show that the God of the Bible cannot exist. The same goes for the God of the Torah. What many Bible thumpers fail to realise is that the burden of proof **always** rests with the person making the existence claim.

What is the one Truth or Method of finding the truth that you hold sacred above all others?

anglophone comments on Jan 9, 2020:

Part of my own truth is that there is no such thing as "the truth". Another part of my own truth is that the word "sacred" refers to religion. Yet another part of my own truth recognises that I have values. And yet another part of my own truth is that I have used a methodology (specifically, the ...

anglophone replies on Jan 10, 2020:

@Mcflewster By "truth" in the way that you use it, do you mean "a model that somebody finds more useful than another model"? The classic example of two such models is the Theory of General Relativity and Sir Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion.

What is the one Truth or Method of finding the truth that you hold sacred above all others?

DavidLaDeau comments on Jan 8, 2020:

I would add that "truth" is subjective; it is not fact. To answer your question i define "truth" as fact. What is the one method for finding fact that I hold above all others? Science, that being the scientific method of determining fact. There is no more "true" methodology of determining ...

anglophone replies on Jan 10, 2020:

@maturin1919 It seems to me that you have failed to comprehend @DavidLaDeau's point. You further seem to be neglecting the point that different people have different truths.

Anyone who claims to know what god wants you to do is clearly lying.

Word comments on Jan 10, 2020:

How do you say it is impossible to prove I exist? How do you prove I have not eaten a taco? What ever you think is God, non-existent flying spaghetti monster sky God, may truely be impossible to prove the existence thereof. Just because you cannot prove Willy Wanka God or Harry Potter God ...

anglophone replies on Jan 10, 2020:

(Thinks: Where did I put that vat of pasta sauce? I could do with eating a Word or two right now.)

The question of the so-called "fine-tuning" of the universe and its basic constants is one of the ...

Triphid comments on Nov 5, 2019:

IF, and that IS a VERY BIG IF btw, this Universe is so 'fine-tuned' by this god entity then why, A) is there at least 1 planet is this Solar System that rotates on its axis completely OPPOSITE to all the others, B) Why does our lunar body, the Moon, NOT rotate on its axis when even asteroids, etc,...

anglophone replies on Jan 9, 2020:

@palex I have done some more research into this. I thank you for correcting my misunderstanding. ((Hugs))

The question of the so-called "fine-tuning" of the universe and its basic constants is one of the ...

Triphid comments on Nov 5, 2019:

IF, and that IS a VERY BIG IF btw, this Universe is so 'fine-tuned' by this god entity then why, A) is there at least 1 planet is this Solar System that rotates on its axis completely OPPOSITE to all the others, B) Why does our lunar body, the Moon, NOT rotate on its axis when even asteroids, etc,...

anglophone replies on Jan 9, 2020:

@palex Please cite your sources. TIA.

What is the one Truth or Method of finding the truth that you hold sacred above all others?

DavidLaDeau comments on Jan 8, 2020:

I would add that "truth" is subjective; it is not fact. To answer your question i define "truth" as fact. What is the one method for finding fact that I hold above all others? Science, that being the scientific method of determining fact. There is no more "true" methodology of determining ...

anglophone replies on Jan 9, 2020:

@maturin1919 I have given you a clear and concise answer to your question "Care to go into what, exactly, the distinction you make is?" by challenging your assumption in the form the question "If truth is inherently factual, then why do believers claim that it is the truth that God exists?". HINT: Truth is **NOT** inherently factual.

What is the one Truth or Method of finding the truth that you hold sacred above all others?

anglophone comments on Jan 9, 2020:

Part of my own truth is that there is no such thing as "the truth". Another part of my own truth is that the word "sacred" refers to religion. Yet another part of my own truth recognises that I have values. And yet another part of my own truth is that I have used a methodology (specifically, the ...

anglophone replies on Jan 9, 2020:

@Mcflewster You must first define "the truth" before I can answer your question. I come from the viewpoint that different people have different, and often incompatible, truths. An example of this is any confirmed atheist and any Bible literalist.

The question of the so-called "fine-tuning" of the universe and its basic constants is one of the ...

Triphid comments on Nov 5, 2019:

IF, and that IS a VERY BIG IF btw, this Universe is so 'fine-tuned' by this god entity then why, A) is there at least 1 planet is this Solar System that rotates on its axis completely OPPOSITE to all the others, B) Why does our lunar body, the Moon, NOT rotate on its axis when even asteroids, etc,...

anglophone replies on Jan 9, 2020:

@palex The video is misleading when it states "The Moon rotates on its axis", as it is rotating about a point that lies outside itself.

What is the one Truth or Method of finding the truth that you hold sacred above all others?

DavidLaDeau comments on Jan 8, 2020:

I would add that "truth" is subjective; it is not fact. To answer your question i define "truth" as fact. What is the one method for finding fact that I hold above all others? Science, that being the scientific method of determining fact. There is no more "true" methodology of determining ...

anglophone replies on Jan 9, 2020:

@maturin1919 If truth is inherently factual, then why do believers claim that it is the truth that God exists?

The question of the so-called "fine-tuning" of the universe and its basic constants is one of the ...

Triphid comments on Nov 5, 2019:

IF, and that IS a VERY BIG IF btw, this Universe is so 'fine-tuned' by this god entity then why, A) is there at least 1 planet is this Solar System that rotates on its axis completely OPPOSITE to all the others, B) Why does our lunar body, the Moon, NOT rotate on its axis when even asteroids, etc,...

anglophone replies on Jan 9, 2020:

@palex You are mistaken as to fact. I refer you to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbit_of_the_Moon coupled with the fact that the Moon always has the same face towards the Earth.

What is the one Truth or Method of finding the truth that you hold sacred above all others?

DavidLaDeau comments on Jan 8, 2020:

I would add that "truth" is subjective; it is not fact. To answer your question i define "truth" as fact. What is the one method for finding fact that I hold above all others? Science, that being the scientific method of determining fact. There is no more "true" methodology of determining ...

anglophone replies on Jan 9, 2020:

@maturin1919 I see a huge distinction between facts and truths. Ping @DavidLaDeau

A close friend of mine goes back and forth between extreme antithiesm and Pascal's Wager.

hankster comments on Jan 6, 2020:

your friend just has that classic conflict between fear of hell and the hatred of the fear of hell. its sad. I wouldn't be surprised if as a Youngster the fear of hell wasn't driven into him pretty deeply.

anglophone replies on Jan 9, 2020:

@hankster Agreed, it is (or at least "was" in my case).

I don't have much knowledge in Astronomy or Physics and would like to ask these questions to ones ...

Ramon59 comments on Jan 8, 2020:

The only answer we most uncertainly know us that Time and Space (the continuum) most probably has a beginning in this universe: the Big Bang, besides that we can’t answer. According to the expansion hypothesis there is no end, the universe will expand until there is no more energy (a cold ...

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

I'll drink to that!

I don't have much knowledge in Astronomy or Physics and would like to ask these questions to ones ...

KevinMR comments on Jan 8, 2020:

My best advice is to seek these answers on you tube where actual scientists, physicists, astronomers and cosmologists can explain much better than I. But I've had the same questions for as long as I can remember and still have a hard time wrapping my head around it all.

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

In simple terms, and as far as I understand it, time is an observable feature of space-time. The concept of time "before the Big Bang" may be nonsensical. What is known is that the Newtonian view of the universe does not match the observed data, so the Newtonian idea of time and space (essentially a Euclidean space of four dimensions) with time "going backwards forever" is implausible. I hope this helps.

A close friend of mine goes back and forth between extreme antithiesm and Pascal's Wager.

hankster comments on Jan 6, 2020:

your friend just has that classic conflict between fear of hell and the hatred of the fear of hell. its sad. I wouldn't be surprised if as a Youngster the fear of hell wasn't driven into him pretty deeply.

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

It took me 20 years to rid my mind of such poison.

The more time I spend on this site, the more I realize that atheists know WAYYYYY more about ...

Fernapple comments on Jan 4, 2020:

It is often said that the best way to make an atheist, is to tell someone to read the bible.

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

Shades of Isaac Asimov.

The question of the so-called "fine-tuning" of the universe and its basic constants is one of the ...

Druvius comments on Nov 5, 2019:

The fine tuning argument is based on the premise that there's something special about us, so it's essentially circular reasoning. If the constants of the Universe were different, the Universe would be different than this one. So what?

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

@Matias How does that justify the position that the universe was fine-tuned?

The question of the so-called "fine-tuning" of the universe and its basic constants is one of the ...

Triphid comments on Nov 5, 2019:

IF, and that IS a VERY BIG IF btw, this Universe is so 'fine-tuned' by this god entity then why, A) is there at least 1 planet is this Solar System that rotates on its axis completely OPPOSITE to all the others, B) Why does our lunar body, the Moon, NOT rotate on its axis when even asteroids, etc,...

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

@palex Correction: the moon's axis of rotation happens to be close to the earth, nowhere near itself.

The question of the so-called "fine-tuning" of the universe and its basic constants is one of the ...

JackPedigo comments on Nov 7, 2019:

Anything to make something complicated, simple. If it's difficult to understand it must be magic. Simple is as simple thinks.

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

"Simple is as simple thinks" - I **like** that!

I am often told that god is unknowable.

AdrianDiadato4 comments on Dec 19, 2019:

When they say unknowable they probably mean unfalsifiable

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

I have yet to to encounter any theist who has even the remotest understanding of the concept of falsifiability. Karl Popper's "The Logic of Scientific Discovery" seems to be beyond their intellectual capacity. :(

When someone says "There is no god" they're idiots! At that point it's up to then to prove that ...

Paddypereira comments on Jan 6, 2020:

There's no proof of the existence of God but also there's no proof of the non-existence. I would go more for the second one but there's no guarantee it's the truth.

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

The proof of the non existence of both the Jewish God and the Christian God lies in the first books of their respective Holy Texts.

When someone says "There is no god" they're idiots! At that point it's up to then to prove that ...

Imatheistically comments on Jan 6, 2020:

Breaking news, "genius"-the burden of proof is ALWAYS on the person ASSERTING THE EXISTENCE of a "deity" thing, NOT on someone asserting that there is NOT ONE! NOBODY has to "prove a negation". It's the way LOGIC works! We atheists win by default due to the FACT that not one theist on this planet ...

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

As an aside, it is trivial to show that neither the God of the Torah nor the God of the Bible can exist.

One thing that puzzles me about believers in any religion is the conviction that it’s their God ...

rogueflyer comments on Nov 26, 2019:

The FSM is the only real god. Anybody who believes in any other God or Gods is wrong.

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

Ramen!

A path to whittling away religious power.

Triphid comments on Nov 29, 2019:

Children should NOT be introduced to Religious Indoctrination/Ideoligies at all UNTIL they have attained the ages where they can reason capably for themselves.

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

In my jaundiced opinion, there are some, perhaps many, people who never become capable of reasoning.

A path to whittling away religious power.

SKH78 comments on Nov 30, 2019:

I had harsh religion shoved down my throat. As a little kid, I spent hundreds of nights crying, terrified that god would kill me during my sleep and I would wake up in hell. Pastors told me and the other kids in confirmation class that all people who did not practice Christianity would burn in ...

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

I am glad that you recovered.

A path to whittling away religious power.

richiegtt comments on Dec 4, 2019:

I went thru this as a child in abusive catholic school

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

Ouch!

As an Australian Prime Minister once said many years ago "life isn't meant to be easy".

Mofo1953 comments on Jan 5, 2020:

Did Australians rake the leaves as Trump suggested from Californians?

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

@Jolanta That picture of him holding a lump of coal in Parliament shows him to be a carbamor (or if you prefer Greek, try anthrakaphile).

The hospital clerk asked my religion before a medical procedure.

Jolanta comments on Dec 31, 2019:

He was just doing his job and could not care less what your religion was or not. It's just a formality.

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

I was asked two years ago by a hospital receptionist for my religion. She recoiled in horror when I said "atheist".

The hospital clerk asked my religion before a medical procedure.

blumandolin comments on Dec 31, 2019:

Why not ! its a belief system like any other. And who cares if its put into a box. An atheist wouldn't care an agnostic would say I better hedge my bets cause I'm not sure . 🙂

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

Atheism is not a belief. It is a philosophical position arising from the observation that nobody has demonstrated the existence of any god in the last 5,000 years.

The hospital clerk asked my religion before a medical procedure.

AirFreshener comments on Dec 31, 2019:

Since a religion is defined as "the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods", Atheism doesn't fall under that umbrella. However, it's probably just simpler from a clerical standpoint.

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

Your point is well made.

The hospital clerk asked my religion before a medical procedure.

PNWGlinda comments on Jan 2, 2020:

Yes, they take this information in case you are in need of a chaplain. If you mark Atheist they won't be dowsing you in holy water or worse should your health decline. Ex hospital nurse ;) KA

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

LOL! I had a triple coronary artery bypass graft two years ago. If a clergyman had been at my bedside in the hours after I came out of theatre I would not have been responsible for my words!

Should creationism be taught in schools?

Word comments on Jan 7, 2020:

Create means combining 2 things to make sonething new. Creation is how 2 hydrogen atoms theoretically fuse to make a helium. There for "creationism " can not he completely ignored. The biblical creation is a lot allegory, stories making a point and with hidden meaning. Biblical text is not ...

anglophone replies on Jan 8, 2020:

I find the claims of the Bible to absurd. The assertion that the universe was created is a logic fail of the first order.