What proportion of "White Privilege" is due to a white majority?

wordywalt comments on Nov 14, 2018:

NO ethnic group is due ANY special privilege.

Apparently, a lemon is not naturally occurring and is a hybrid developed by cross breeding a bitter ...

wordywalt comments on Nov 14, 2018:

I doubt that this is true. I do not believe that a citron is even a citrus fruit, and is, therefore, genetically incompatible. Don't believe everything you read.

I've been on the go all day.

wordywalt comments on Nov 8, 2018:

He s breathing, isn't he?

"Wherever morality is based on theology, wherever right is made dependent on divine authority, the ...

wordywalt comments on Nov 8, 2018:

Feuerbach was a brilliant German philosopher who had a great understanding of rthe causes of the birth of religion among humans and of the negative effects of religion.

I have believed in existentialism pretty much since freshman year of college.

wordywalt comments on Nov 8, 2018:

We do need to learn to live in the moment while building a future. We also need to learn that we will encounter unanticipated opportunities and travails, and be able to adapt.

Given (hypothetically or literally) that there is no afterlife, does life have meaning?

wordywalt comments on Nov 8, 2018:

Life has no inherent meaning. What meaning it has is that which we create by our thoughts, decisions, and actions.

Did you know that the US government planned to stage an attack on the US soil and civilians to ...

wordywalt comments on Nov 7, 2018:

Just another damnably false conspiracy hoax. These days, fake news comes from all sides -- Trump. Fox News, Russia, Iran.

My wife, Anna is a K-5 special education, bi-lingual teacher.

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

I am not a special educator, but was housed in a special education cooperative for 10 years. Unfortunately, under the beureucracy sset up under PL 94-142, excessive paperwork is the norm and has been for years.

You are all kidding yourself as we are here in Australia, if you think we live in a Democracy.

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

Democracy is a worthy ideal which must be fought for and defended every day.There are always those who try to impose their will and power on others so that they can use and manipulate us.

MOST atheist try to use reason and logic when debating a religious person.

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

I find your statement to be biased and false. It is much more likely that you are attempting irrational thought, which is an entirely different realm than logic and critical thinking.

Trump said, "I keep more promises than I make."

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

What an absurd lie!

Did you read 1984?

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

All too true,

[yahoo.

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

That is all that one can expect of a bigoted moral idiot. Let's simply get the SOB out of the public eye.

Do you think I look old?

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

Hell, yes, you are getting old. So what. This is from an 81 year old man.

I have always wondered if there was a god.

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

Why does there have to be a creator or a beginning or end?

Can we ever reach beyond human understanding?

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

Huh? How?

If there is no reason for existence, then is there no reason for reasoning and hence no reason for ...

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

Huh? What is your point?

Do you think our voting pool needs purging?

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

Yes, you are off base. Voting is a constitutional right, and is not to be impeded. Allowing any arbitrary limitation on that right invites th advancement of authoritarian governmeent. I wish that some people would not vote in a reactionary or racist pattern, but I would NEVER attempt to limit ANYONE's right to vote.

So I just joined here. Is it worth it?

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

Not absolutely necessary, but it doesn't hurt.

What is a commercial or other fertilizer, phosphorous rich to feed a jasmine in zone 8b?

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

If you are looking for a fertilizer rich in phosphorus, there are 3 numbers listed on the fertilizer baf, like 4 10 4. The middle number is phosphorus. Any with a high middle number will work. Don't worry about brand name.

Liberals Are from Mars, Conservatives Are from Venus - Scientific American

wordywalt comments on Nov 6, 2018:

Of course, culture shapes thought. Anthropologist Paul Bohannan wrote a brilliant small tract in 1972 entitled "The Curse of Culture". In that piece, Bohannan pointed out that culture can be a curse, in that it prescribes accepted ways of seeing and doing things, channels thought and action, and limits that which can follow. I reject the premise that liberals do not see the interconnectedness of things. I believe the reserve to be true.

Do any politicians in any party really care about "making America great again" or do they only care ...

wordywalt comments on Nov 5, 2018:

The phrase, "make America great again: is simply a false fascistic slogan designed to appeal to white etyno=centrists feeling forgotten or threatened. That is all that it is, and its sole purpose is to delude people to aid Trump and his allies.

Inspired by Trump, right-wing militia groups head to the border to confront the migrant caravan – ...

wordywalt comments on Nov 5, 2018:

And, the ugliness starts at the top with the moral imbecile Trump.

What would happen if, when mankind final acquires the technology to build functional habitats on the...

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

I do not see the sense in your question.

Important atheist question: When you die, would you let them bury your body or cremate it.

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

I will be cremated and my ashes scattered on the shore of one of my favorite fish spots. I have visited my father's grave no more than 4 or 5 times in in 46 years, primarily to show other family members where the grave is.

Anyone have plantar fasciitis?

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

I had plantar fasciitis, but have no problem today. I saw a podiatrist who measured my feet and shaped a fitted pair of orthotics to insert in my shoes. Since using the orthotics, I have had no problem. They have already lasted 10 years.

Dating advice.

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

After one date, your know virtually nothing about her. If you enjoyed her company and wish to find out who she really is, you have to invest more time and sharing of who you both are.

Steve Bannon warns that women are going to 'take charge of society'

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

They could not do worse than too damned many male leaders have. But, women seeking power and leadership posts would do well to heed the criticism of Guenther Grass of German feminist movements in the 1980s: "The problem with them is that they are trying to use power like men. We already have too many stupid men in the world."

Does anyone else feel this way?

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

We have such divisiveness today thanks to Newt Gingrich, Dick Armee, and TOm delay who made a point of making politics angry and mean -- and ideologically extreme. Additional blame goes to Mitch McConnell who deliberately and willfully obstructed any constructive action in the senate, and is continuing to do so today. Add to that the demagogic commentary of Palin, Cruz, Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and other such talking heads without truth or honor. The final blow has been the lying, vicious, fear=mongering, and divisive behavior of Trump. I am a Democrat, but I always respected Republicans s like Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Howard Baker, Bob Dole, Everett Dirksen, and John McCain. We can return to the days of constructive, patriotic bipartisan action if voters will get rid of the corrupt politicians enamored with the culture of creed, lust for personal and partisan power, and moribund ideology. It is up to us to start showing real judgment and a demand for real moral backbone.

Why Americans mostly don't understand what fascism actually is (hint: by the actual definition of ...

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

Trump's rhetoric and behavior almost perfectly matches those of Benito Mussolini, the originator of the fascist movement.

Why is it that when I mention the elephant in the room, the conventional wisdom is " you're too ...

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

Which elephant?

Food for thought and action

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

I find the existential point of view much more intelligent and rational.

I'm really worried about these troops massing at our southern border.

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

The move is actually illegal. But, then we cannot expect better of the moral idiot Trump.

Conservatives, What is it that you don't like about people that are liberals, progressive or social ...

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

The viewpoint you describe is pure false, demagogic bull shit! manufactured by reactionaries trying to con the public.

GOP Lawmaker Matt Shea Releases Christian Manifesto Calling For Biblical Law | Michael Stone

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

This is a dangerous, damnable demagogue!

Handbook For Trump Language

wordywalt comments on Nov 4, 2018:

This is too generous an interpretation.

Why is teachers pay one of the most undervalued degrees one can receive ?

wordywalt comments on Nov 3, 2018:

Republican politics, Ever since Reagan;s supply side economics and emphasis on shrinking government, and the aggressive politics introduced by Gingrich, and constant focus on cutting taxes, funding for essential services (including education)has diminished greatly.Also, I genuinely believe that many libertarians and Republican politicians really want the quality of education to decline so that it will be easier to manipulate and control people in the interests of the culture of greed and partisan political control.for political and

Why are people are so unkind? What are the biological benefits to being horrible to other humans?

wordywalt comments on Nov 2, 2018:

Not everyone is unkind to others. No tangible biological benefits from being unkind exist.

This was just too too cute to pass on. :)

wordywalt comments on Nov 2, 2018:

Anyone who believes that Trump oes God's work is a damned fool on both counts.

There are posts here about the recent shooting at the synagogue in pittsburgh.

wordywalt comments on Nov 1, 2018:

All antisemitism is abhorrent. But, you are making a huge mistake in equating disapproval of Israeli government and policy with antisemitism. Netanyahu is a thuggish ideologue with aggressive nationalistic and even imperialistic motivations. His actions against Palestineans treats them as third class sub-humans who have few, if any, rights within Israel. So long as Israel treats Palestineans as they do, it will never have peace. Indeed, Netanyahu's policies seek expansion and domination, not peace. If you cannot see that, you have moral blinders on.

When did you start drinking coffee and why?

wordywalt comments on Oct 31, 2018:

In th 1950s coffee in the U.S. was of low quality and did not taste good. I began drinking coffee in Berlin, Germany in 1960, at the age of 23, German coffee was much richer and more aromatic.

Antichrist

wordywalt comments on Oct 31, 2018:

Damned good dig!!

If you could make a rule that everyone had to follow, what would it be?

wordywalt comments on Oct 31, 2018:

Always treat others with dignity and respect.

Should We Boycott Fox News Advertisers?

wordywalt comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Yes! Hit them where it hurts -- in the pocketbook!

Curious why some groups are completely blocked off?

wordywalt comments on Oct 30, 2018:

Those groups block others off because they do not want anyone intruding on on the falsity of their vicious fantasy world. their

The next claim by the current administration that is backed by facts, objective research, and ...

wordywalt comments on Oct 30, 2018:

I would advise the public not to hold its breath. The day that the Trump administration issues a claim backed by facts, objective research and reason will likely NEVER come.

How germany sees us

wordywalt comments on Oct 29, 2018:

An accurate depiction.

Did popularity ever matter to you throughout High School Years?

wordywalt comments on Oct 29, 2018:

I was never in danger of being among the most popular, but did not want to be among the most disliked.

Hello Agnostics! I’m glad to have stumbled on this site.

wordywalt comments on Oct 29, 2018:

Welcome. It is nice to know that there were other rational like minds here in the deep South, isn't it?

So tell me, what does it mean to be an Existentialist?

wordywalt comments on Oct 27, 2018:

It means acceptance of reality, of the fact that life and existence has no inherent meaning. It meas that we are free to define our own meaning, to make our own choices, decisions, and actions and to be responsible for them.

Even if all humans turned into peaceful, rational humanists like Steven Pinker or Hans Rosling, our ...

wordywalt comments on Oct 27, 2018:

I agree. Our biggest cause of problems is simply human overpopulation, resulting in excessive consumption of resources and growing production of toxic wastes.

Has anyone had a pivotal event that changed the direction of their life?

wordywalt comments on Oct 27, 2018:

Oh, yes. The first major fork in my road, by sheer accident, was being stationed in West Berlin at the height of the Cold War. I grew up in a religious family in the heart of the very conservative and racist southern bible belt. In my senior year of college, breakup with a serious girl friend caused me to lose focus on school and a dropped up . With the military draft staring me in the face, I volunteered for the draft. After completing basic and advanced training, I was sent to Ft. Dix, New Jersey for reassignment and was sent to Berlin. The only problem was that I had been trained as an artillery surveyor and there was no artillery in Berlin. But,l the political, intellectual, and social climate caused me to become a very different (and better) person. Later, teaching in a high school I called "Mediocrity high" led me to decide to devote the rest of my career to improving teaching and learning in our public schools. That was another major fork.

This is no joke..

wordywalt comments on Oct 25, 2018:

No, not all of them. There are many tens , if not hundredsof millions of us out here who oppose the Traitor Trump.

The Republican agenda:

wordywalt comments on Oct 24, 2018:

All too true!

There’s only one way to stop global warming

wordywalt comments on Oct 24, 2018:

Yes! Get rid of Trump so that the world can move ahead on the issue.

Has your Atheism affected your patriotism?

wordywalt comments on Oct 23, 2018:

I love my country. That is why I fight to expose its errors in judgment, action, and morality. -- and to see that those mistakes are rectified so that our country will come closer to approaching what it can and should be. "My country, right or wrong" is for destructive fools. I served in the US Army in Berlin at the height of the Cold War. In other words, I have always been patriotic, both as a believer, and as an atheist in maturity.

Atheist = Depressed?

wordywalt comments on Oct 23, 2018:

No data exist that link atheism with depression.

If you can vote early, do it.

wordywalt comments on Oct 22, 2018:

Voted by mai.l a week ago.

When you're the only atheist at work

wordywalt comments on Oct 22, 2018:

I have no idea if I was ever the only atheist at organizations where I worked. I don't ever remember talking about religion (or the absence of it) at work. We knew that a few people were religious true believers, but we all tended to avoid them when we could.

I guess I’m trying to find a common thread with people on here that’s not necessarily faith ...

wordywalt comments on Oct 21, 2018:

Rather than telling us what does NOT define you, tell us who you really are (what does define you, and what you hoped to find on this site. You seem to be pushing away, rather than looking for common ground.

"Providing people with more and better information is unlikely to improve matters.

wordywalt comments on Oct 20, 2018:

You seem to be saying that it is a "catch 22" situation. Let them stay within the false propaganda of their dominating group or likely alienate them if you try to provide them with accurate and truthful information. I am much more likely to say them something which conveys the thought: "Anybody can be fooled once. When that happens, shame on those giving you false information or deliberately deluding you. But, if you let them lead you astray again, shame on you.(fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me) . You have a mind. Use it or .lose it."

Separation of church and state? I wonder if this guy has ever heard of it. [rightwingwatch.org]

wordywalt comments on Oct 19, 2018:

Robertson continues to show that he has lost all sense of morality, and all connection with the religion he professes to believe in. He now simply just a pitiful. greedy demagogue he has become.

Regarding God's Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments, unlike most laws generated by most legal ...

wordywalt comments on Oct 18, 2018:

Ler's face it. If Moses existed, he was both a great leader and among the greatest of con men. He took on the task of leading a very unruly, obstreperous desert nomads, and used many tricks to control them. When the group's behavior was so bad that it threatened to rip the community apart, he crated the "10 Commandments" to control that behavior, and told his group that they were God's chosen people if they would only believe in him and worship and the nomads believed him. believed him.

We need 45 out bad.

wordywalt comments on Oct 16, 2018:

My wife and I have already voted by mail ballot. In light of the disgraceful conduct of Republican politicians at both state and federal levels caused us to vote against every Republican candidate available for us to vote against.

Arguments and debates

wordywalt comments on Oct 15, 2018:

I have never heard a plausible creationist point of view.

Do you like being spontaneous or planning ahead?

wordywalt comments on Oct 15, 2018:

I try to plan ahead, but am always open to unexpected fortuitous opportunities.

I'm less fearful of death now because I'm a agnostic/atheist .

wordywalt comments on Oct 14, 2018:

I have similar feelings and experiences. Since I do not believe in religion, I do not fear death. Some 12 years ago I passed out 3 times within a week,and was diagnosed as having had a heart attack at some time -- and had a pacemaker implanted. When I was "out", the sensation I had was one of utterly peaceful, deep sleep. At the age of 81, I have long since learned to live in the moment. But, because I believe that some things do matter, I do become deeply emotional and involved in fighting against the intrusion of the culture of greed, corruption, ethnocentrism and ultra-nationalism. I would rather die fighting against those things than stand by and let it destroy the world I value.

As a group of mostly open minded people, I am surprised by the number of persons who are openly ...

wordywalt comments on Oct 13, 2018:

You over-generalize. There are stupid atheists among us. Typically, most do not st;stay on this site long before they realize that they are very different from the rest of us in too many ways. Atheism is simply the absence of religious belief, not a sign of intelligence.

Trump started with Reagan!

wordywalt comments on Oct 13, 2018:

No, Trump started with Nixon and the "moral majority."

Doubt vs gullibilty

wordywalt comments on Oct 13, 2018:

No.

Is the solution to "hate speech" more speech or less speech?

wordywalt comments on Oct 13, 2018:

It is neither. Instead, it is a demand for civility in speech, backed by an equal demand for responsibility for consequences of your words, and for proof of a factual basis of your assertions.

Can I talk about my feelings for a bit?

wordywalt comments on Oct 13, 2018:

You are going through the classical existential crisis. You are realizing that there is no external force to provide you meaning and answers. You feel alone in the universe and realize that on other person will ever really understand you. But, that is okay. You are free to define yourself and to create your own meaning and understanding. You are free to choose and forge your own path by your choices and actions. Bu,t you are also responsible for your own choices and actions and their consequences, for in each case, you could have chosen otherwise. It is time to celebrate your freedom and to simply move ahead -- not to be puzzled and overwhelmed. It is up to you -- and no one else.

What is "Compartmentalization" with regard to religion?

wordywalt comments on Oct 11, 2018:

These people are choosing to think differently in regard to different sectors of their lives. Down deep, they know that their ways of thinking about these different sectors are incompatible, but their compartmentialization enables them to avoid the discomfort of having to face the conflict. It is simply a coping device to evade internal conflict.

An interesting development concerning Kavanaugh: Forbes: Chief Justice Roberts Requests Tenth ...

wordywalt comments on Oct 11, 2018:

I am gaining some respect for Roberts's ethics, even though I do not often agree with his ideology. At least he is doing what the gutless Republicans in the senate refused to do.

I'm hoping that people here are more open minded than self described atheists.

wordywalt comments on Oct 11, 2018:

You will be welcome here so long as you do not try to force your ideas on others, or atrtack or insult others.

Whenever you egaged in an angry altercation with someone else, haven't you invariably thought that ...

wordywalt comments on Oct 10, 2018:

I rarely get involved in altercations, as I am usually easy-going. It is only when I feel that the other person has infringed on my rights, treated my very unfairly, or is treating other poorly that I get angry. that

Do you want to be resuscitated?

wordywalt comments on Oct 10, 2018:

No. In such a case, if I were to survive, it is likely that my remaining quality of life would be poor.

Sorry I haven’t been active just got out of the hospital was having chest pains.

wordywalt comments on Oct 10, 2018:

Hope you are feeling much better.

How many of you still participate in gift exchanges with family/friends during their holidays?

wordywalt comments on Oct 10, 2018:

No. Holiday gifts are for kids, not adults.

I have a second home on my farm and I am thinking of making much needed repairs and then putting it...

wordywalt comments on Oct 9, 2018:

Good to see you back on the site. Had not noticed any recent posts by you.

Did the Bible make you an Atheist?

wordywalt comments on Oct 9, 2018:

By the time I was 15, I had read the Bible from cover to cover 3 times. Each time I read it, it became more clear that it became more and more apparent that it certainly was not a book of truth.

What inspires you to follow a member's posts on Agnostic.com?

wordywalt comments on Oct 9, 2018:

Interesting points of view, intelligence, or wisdom, humaneness, humor, writing skills.

Why do you think the religious right are so intent on forcing their agendas on others???

wordywalt comments on Oct 8, 2018:

Simple. They want to establish a dictatorial theoracy

Why is it that the fraudulent Church of Scientology still exists?

wordywalt comments on Oct 7, 2018:

Skillful brainwashing and gullible people.

Physical feature that is the best turn on?

wordywalt comments on Oct 6, 2018:

A pretty face with a warm smile.

All former theists in this group, now that you have slipped the surly bonds of religion, what is ...

wordywalt comments on Oct 6, 2018:

I moved from being a religious believer as a child and adolescent ty being an agnostic as a young man, to becoming an atheist as a mature adult. The transition was easy -- almost natural. Yes, I feel much more confident, much less afraid, and much more independent.Yes, there are believers in my inner circle. I live by the stance that you have a right to believe as you choose, and so do I.I do not engage in discussions about religion, except in cases in which a person is trying to deal with troubling questions and doubt.

What do you expect from this life?

wordywalt comments on Oct 6, 2018:

Some joy, pleasure, caring, learning disappointments, pain, sadness, and eventually death. That is th nature of life. We can try to minimize the pain by not thinking and acting stupidly, but some will inevitably be there.

Im curious to know how many people believe that after the age of 60-65 or even older that they are ...

wordywalt comments on Oct 6, 2018:

As a man of 81, I believe that there will be far fewer hormonal responses, but that it is possible to find someone whose intelligence, warmth, and humor provide such delight that one wants to spend significant time with her.

Ashamed to be white, male and American today!

wordywalt comments on Oct 5, 2018:

I am NOT ashamed to be a white male and American. I am proud that I am not a Republican and not a misogynist, I am also proud to be an American and proud NOT to be a part of the culture of bigotry, greed and corruption.

Discovery of first genetic variants associated with meaning in life -- ScienceDaily

wordywalt comments on Oct 5, 2018:

That title does not convey an accurate image. What the study really shows is that genetic differences in the neuro-system make a difference in a person's PERCEPTION of meaning in life.

Atheist political party

wordywalt comments on Oct 5, 2018:

Building an ideology around atheism alone is a huge mistake. Rejecting religion alone is not a a sufficient basis for either a moral code, or a political ideology.

All former theists in this group, now that you have slipped the surly bonds of religion, what is ...

wordywalt comments on Oct 5, 2018:

Treat all others with full dignity and respect and try to live in such a way that you uphold that idea. At the same time, build for the future, but try to live every day to its fullest extent -- not in the snese of trying to cram m experiences in, but in the sense of seeing the enjoying the little things that add quality to our lives.

Question.

wordywalt comments on Oct 5, 2018:

Let us hope that humans and their society advance enough that they have faith in their own knowledge, intelligence, and morality to the extent that they do not need religion. Let us also hope that they can accept and live with their mortality

What would your pet name you?

wordywalt comments on Oct 5, 2018:

My big old softie.

You ever have a friendship where you feel like they were always looking for ways to be petty?

wordywalt comments on Oct 5, 2018:

A person who acts in that manner is seeking dominance and control. He or she does not have your best interests at heart. You would be much better off without that person in your life.

I am worn down by the POS POTUS we shouldn't have ever had, it is every single day starting with his...

wordywalt comments on Oct 4, 2018:

I agree. That is why we MUST sweep the Republicans out of office to make him virtually powerless.

Unequally Yoked?

wordywalt comments on Oct 4, 2018:

My wife of 23 years is a devout Catholic. I accept her right to believe as she does, and she accepts the fact that I am an atheist. We very seldom discuss religion at all, and we have no conflicts about the issue. Neither of us makes any attempt to change each other.

That spiritual feeling.

wordywalt comments on Oct 4, 2018:

I am an , in the fact of my existence, an insignificant flyspeck in a universe of bounded chaos. What meaning and connection I have is that which I create by my own choices and actions.

I just don't understand how people can stand being alone.

wordywalt comments on Oct 4, 2018:

I don't know if you mean not having friends, not being in a serious relationship, or simply being by oneself . I am married and have many friends, but truly enjoy spending significant amount of time alone. I would even say that I need that time alone.

Do you think that perhaps Religion/Religious Beliefs and Doctrines have and still are ONE of the ...

wordywalt comments on Oct 4, 2018:

Definitely. For a "true believer" who has staked his or her entire identify on belief in single theological dogma, anything different is a threat.