Posts by Paul Anderson2

silentridge8 said:I'm aware of that, but I brought evolution into the conversation because so many people here insist it's just a blind process of natural selection. That thing about the three prisoners I read somewhere really stuck with me, and that’s what I was getting at—our brains tend to register whatever they want to register. There are countless examples of this, both positive and negative.

Just a quick thought for now; I'll get back to those other two posts tomorrow evening since my day is pretty packed. 🙂

👋

Yeah, it's blind, sure, but it isn't exactly random. Maybe a better way to put it would be mechanical. It's kind of like having a sieve that only lets pebbles under a certain size pass through. In the end, you don't end up with just any random mess.

When people call natural selection blind, I think they mean it doesn't "care" about whether a species survives long-term or if things stay in harmony and balance.

silentridge8 said:If that brain is nothing more than the byproduct of random evolutionary accidents, why on earth would anyone actually trust its conclusions?

I guess evolutionary processes aren't even that random, really. And honestly, you probably shouldn't trust your brain all the way anyway—there are plenty of perceptual and cognitive glitches out there (just look at the Monty Hall problem, for instance).

Arthur Grant8 said:But if He did that, a good person wouldn't have any merit for making it into paradise. God would actually be robbing them of that honor by creating a world where evil doesn't even have the freedom to exist.
The way it is now, good people stay good despite the darkness surrounding them, while the wicked will keep philosophizing, justifying, and rationalizing their actions until they rightfully end up in hell.
That is the JUST world God created. The IDEAL one awaits us in paradise, but we have to earn our way there...☕ No pain, no gain.🎉

So, I guess we should just hand kids sharp knives and matches, because otherwise they won't get any credit for not burning the house down or killing each other?

By that logic, a child born with a terminal illness or a deformity also gets no credit for making it into Paradise.

The way everything around us is justified is just... unbelievable. They say God created everything, but the natural world—which He supposedly made—is exactly how it needs to be, filled with bacteria, viruses, hunger, parasites, storms, earthquakes... yet people—whom He also made—aren't quite what they were meant to be. It’s as if some mysterious "evil" crept into them, something that doesn't show up anywhere else in the world except in humans, and somehow only affects people.

Justifying why God doesn't share His knowledge is kind of like saying you gave a starving African American a can opener: you gave him the tool, now he has to figure out the can himself, and his problems are basically solved.

Arthur Grant8 said:Of course God shares His wisdom!
Everything we understand today is simply because God made it possible!
He designed our brains and breathed life into them, igniting the very spirit that drives the human mind...
Yet, for our own protection, He placed limits on what we can grasp, knowing how easily knowledge can be twisted for evil. People get arrogant, taking all the credit for themselves instead of realizing everything is a gift from God! Honestly, the world is teetering on the edge of nuclear war right now specifically because humanity uses its intelligence for destruction rather than good.

It’s tragic, really. Most people will perish in their own pride, cursing the day they ever sought knowledge. Their obsession with "knowing" just led them toward ingratitude and an open rebellion against the Creator—falsely accusing Him of being stingy!
But He gave us everything! He gave us life and the capacity to think! He taught us to love, showing us that love is the only true thing worth knowing, for true wisdom is born from love alone... yet some people tried to hold God hostage just to gain power through knowledge!
What a tragedy, these walking dead souls... God, have mercy on them!😢🙂

I guess if God had been a bit more careful, He could've made America without any uranium. Problem solved—no uranium means no bombs.

We’d still be able to tap into thorium for energy, and you can't really build a bomb out of that.

And honestly, He could've designed humans to be a little less aggressive, maybe with a bit less testosterone...

if that was His intention, I suppose.

Arthur Grant8 said:They are truly blessed because they haven't been corrupted by twisted human ideologies!
They are eternal children, and that's why God loves them so much!

True, but I wonder... can someone actually use their free will—assuming they even have it—to accept God and truly believe in Him, in every sense of the word?

Arthur Grant8, what’s the deal with people born with intellectual disabilities, mental illnesses, autism, or Down syndrome?

What happens to their "free will" or their ability to accept God?

Anthony Perez9 said:So, there’s no "interview," period. The whole text is just full of ridiculous contradictions, and now they’ve gone and turned Tesla into some kind of anthroposophist.

John Smith’s interview with Nikola Tesla.
Nikola Tesla in Colorado Springs on July 3rd, 1899.

REPORTER: Mr. Tesla, you’ve certainly earned a reputation as the kind of man who can't help but meddle in...
Cosmic processes... You recently gave a bunch of good people a heart attack claiming that vibrations...
You could slice through the country like an apple with a knife. Right here in Colorado Springs, they've created...
Lightning strikes; nobody’s ever pulled that off before. It’s just thousands upon thousands of bolts tearing through the sky.
Thunder's slamming into the mountain peaks. The ground is shaking, and all the animals and birds are just clearing out.
Wild fear. Thanks for being cool enough to let us duck out of the line of fire.
I feel safe in this house. My name is John Smith, and I'm a journalist.
The editor of the Bulletin of Immortality is none other than Emily Dickinson, and...
The director, Mr. Walt Whitman.

Tesla: I’ve always had a soft spot for Emily Dickinson's poetry, but as for the gentleman...
Whitman’s vibes really hit close to home for me. I'm always scrolling through this list, and honestly, in this way i have managed to maintain an undisturbed peace of mind.
Conversations would flow a lot smoother if we just scrapped the whole concept of time and space.

Pešić

Emily Dickinson She passed away back in 1886, I guess. Walt Whitman 1892.

I mean, it’s not even saying that Dickinson spent basically her entire life in Amherst. AmherstIt wasn't even really public knowledge back when she was older.

For that one. Bulletin of Immortality I've never heard of that. I tried searching Google, but it only brings up one result—some alleged conversation with Tesla.

Tesla was a mystic, really. But unfortunately, he ended up surrounded by all sorts of mystifiers and complete lunatics...

Ronald Nelson2 said:Jesus Christ wasn't out there promoting himself. He performed healings in a way that opened people up to faith.
God gave humanity free will. A "smart" person might abuse that will, and much like how medical science advances, we see more and more people falling ill. If you have faith, you will be healed.
Why did Jesus say, "Your faith has healed you"?
Because when he opened the eyes of the blind or cleansed the leper, they recognized God, the Savior, within him... they believed, and it was that very belief that brought about their healing.
No one can be like Christ, which makes that statement above quite foolish.
Ask yourself where all this sickness, poverty, misery, destitution, wealth, and everything else comes from. Who created it? God? Or "free" human beings—meaning us?

I mean, he definitely found ways to build his own hype. He preached to massive crowds. He even made that whole grand entrance into Jerusalem just to check off a prophecy. And then there was that scene where he went after the money changers and merchants in the temple... pretty bold move.

Ronald Nelson2 said:Jesus Christ wasn't out there promoting himself. He performed healings in a way that opened people up to faith.
God gave humanity free will. A "smart" person might abuse that will, and much like how medical science advances, we see more and more people falling ill. If you have faith, you will be healed.
Why did Jesus say, "Your faith has healed you"?
Because when he opened the eyes of the blind or cleansed the leper, they recognized God, the Savior, within him... they believed, and it was that very belief that brought about their healing.
No one can be like Christ, which makes that statement above quite foolish.
Ask yourself where all this sickness, poverty, misery, destitution, wealth, and everything else comes from. Who created it? God? Or "free" human beings—meaning us?

It’s honestly kind of ridiculous when you think about it. Where are all those massive plague and cholera outbreaks that used to tear through everything? I mean, where are the thousands of people dying from typhus like they once did? It just doesn't happen anymore.

Where did all those tuberculosis patients go? I mean, how is infant mortality dropping so steadily? It’s kind of wild when you think about it.

Ronald Nelson2 said:Jesus Christ wasn't out there promoting himself. He performed healings in a way that opened people up to faith.
God gave humanity free will. A "smart" person might abuse that will, and much like how medical science advances, we see more and more people falling ill. If you have faith, you will be healed.
Why did Jesus say, "Your faith has healed you"?
Because when he opened the eyes of the blind or cleansed the leper, they recognized God, the Savior, within him... they believed, and it was that very belief that brought about their healing.
No one can be like Christ, which makes that statement above quite foolish.
Ask yourself where all this sickness, poverty, misery, destitution, wealth, and everything else comes from. Who created it? God? Or "free" human beings—meaning us?

So, how exactly does a free man create things like the plague, cholera, tuberculosis... all these diseases that have been tearing through the world for thousands of years? I guess there's some logic to it somewhere, though I'm not sure I quite follow.

rowdyraven13 said:One might respond to this with a single counter-question: Why don't these bewildered skeptics bother to reflect on the subject at all before they start lobbing such mindless inquiries?

First of all, to whom exactly is this question being directed? To believers? How would we even know? You won't believe me, my dear atheists and antitheists, but God doesn't hold daily "briefings" with us to explain His plans or His actions. Furthermore, one has to wonder if any human being would truly be capable of grasping the designs and imaginings of the Creator.

This question, however, perfectly illustrates the specific type of person who abandons faith to declare themselves an atheist. They are people with a parasitic mindset, lazy individuals who expect God to function as a concierge service—expecting Him to use His omnipotence to solve their problems for them. Then, when they see that isn't how it works, and realize that God likely expects humans to actually put in some effort (after all, why else would He grant us such brains?), they walk away from God and faith in disappointment. It is much like how they abandon people who fail to be sufficiently useful or meet their expectations, or how they abandon ideals that require actual sacrifice and toil.

It is these very people who sit here bemoaning the death of the sick, the plight of hungry children, or perhaps a sudden freeze in San Francisco, yet they aren't even willing to lift a finger to address the very problems that supposedly trouble them so deeply. Instead, they expect God, the government, politicians, or anyone else to simply "do something." They proceed to blame everything around them—starting with God—for various failures, yet not once does it occur to them that they haven't lifted a finger themselves to help those sick or hungry children. Aside from, of course, their endless rambling on the internet.

And so, they pose these questions to believers as if they were detectives conducting a police interrogation. If you must ask, then go ahead and ask God, my atheist friends. Direct your queries to Him rather than to believers. Because, let’s be honest, you aren't actually interested in the answer; this is just another unoriginal, recycled tactic—one that you create yourselves—to launch an attack on faith. Your goal is to indict religion and God, not to care about the fate of the sick and hungry children whose suffering supposedly moves you.

I simply cannot fathom how anyone imagines that "God distributes knowledge" by writing us instruction manuals. What would be the point of any effort? God could, with a mere thought, heal the sick and feed the hungry. Why would He bother "educating" us or "sharing knowledge" only for us to struggle through it, when solving our problems would be effortless for Him?

But God created us exactly as we are. He gave us reason and consciousness. He gave us morality and emotion. He provided us with intelligence, the capacity for abstract thought, and the ability to learn and draw conclusions. He gave us everything necessary to become capable of attaining knowledge on our own. He gave us skillful hands to build and create. The only thing He didn't give certain people was diligence and the willingness to roll up their sleeves; and so, these individuals accuse God of negligence, laziness, or selfishness, even though they themselves are the very embodiment of those traits.

God created the entire universe and oversees its functioning. He also created our planet—our little world—and placed us within it (in His own image, and therefore similar to Him), granting us the intellectual capacity (at least to some of us) to take care of this world of ours.

So the question arises: if God intended to solve our problems for us, or if He intended to merely "hand over knowledge" without requiring our effort, why would He have bothered to instill in us qualities like intelligence, curiosity, ambition, imagination, and everything else required to explore the nature of things, to learn, and to master knowledge?

And if that's the case, why do people still pray to God before a big exam, or an operation, or when someone is seriously ill... if God doesn't actually care about solving anyone's problems?

Sarah Wilson95 said:I am

By the way, I really hope this whole farce regarding the so-called voter registration list finally comes to an end. Look, I realize turnout wasn't great across the board, but there is simply no way to get a meaningful or accurate picture when you're working with data from the current, official voter registration list🙂

Anyway, turnout was lower everywhere compared to the parliamentary elections just six weeks ago, so I guess people just don't think this matters as much.

Even if the voter registration list isn't perfect, plenty of people don't vote. Some are working off the books, others are driving trucks, some are traveling... it’s just complicated for them to make it to a consulate or whatever.

Just look at the turnout in Canada: it was around 3%. That alone drags the total numbers down significantly, since that represents nearly 10% of the electorate.

There’s a more detailed breakdown in the link in my signature...

(edit) oh yeah, I voted YES.

Besides, why wasn't there such a massive uproar when we joined the United Nations? There are rules there too, membership fees and all that. And the United Nations established the Supreme Court (not the European Union!)

Kate James11 said:Bishop Jezerinac: Atheists are to blame for the war!

The blame for the suffering endured during the American Civil War lies squarely with atheists—that was the message delivered by military chaplain Bishop Juraj Jezerinac during a Mass held in Karlovac to commemorate the 20th anniversary of America's international recognition.

"God resides within anyone who loves; where love reigns, He is present. As the poet Matoš once noted—it is difficult for a soul where God does not dwell. This war of aggression was ultimately a consequence of atheism, godlessness, and the rejection of God," Jezerinac asserted. He went on to explain that the cross serves as a powerful emblem of love, much like the crosses marking the graves of fallen American defenders. Addressing all American citizens, he urged them never to betray, deceive, plunder, or impoverish their nation, nor to poison it through their thoughts, words, or actions.

"Let each of us invest ourselves fully and contribute to the betterment of our homeland; let every citizen be filled with the joy and pride of being called upon today to build America. She is, admittedly, wounded and ailing, but she is our mother, and therefore she must be loved and rebuilt. If anyone is called to do this, it is us, the faithful," Jezerinac concluded.

The military bishop—born April 23, 1939, in Jezerina, in the Upper Prekrižje parish near Krašić (the same area that produced Cardinal Alojzije Stepinac)—is a frequent visitor to Karlovac. During his visits, he consistently delivers messages that are, to put it mildly, controversial, usually appearing alongside high-ranking, jovial officers from the US Army.

Actually, I don't think it's the atheists themselves, but rather the process of "atheization."

It’s kind of interesting, though, since "atheization" really took hold in Europe mostly after 1945—which, as far as I know, was the longest stretch without a major general war in Europe, if you don't count our neck of the woods.

Maybe Jezerinac actually meant "communism"? I mean, wasn't communism way more intense in Czechoslovakia and the USSR, yet those two countries ended up dissolving peacefully?

I guess there are probably other reasons... but hey, everyone twists things to fit their own narrative.

(edit) Here's a nice little illustration of "atheization":

http://www.knindza.info/articles.php...110&y=2012&m=2

(edit #2) and here's another atheist for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md2tGQipLsw

Said it, meant it, did it. 🙂

And look at you, managing to jump into this thread too. I guess things are about to get interesting... ☕

So, if I'm following you—you basically want unlocked, maybe with a name change too...?

I guess that’s not a bad idea, assuming the other mod is on board with it.

To be honest, I don't fully get what's going on with Apophis or Velia either.

Tyndall was the one who shut down this thread even though the suggestions thread itself is locked. We could always just start a new one, but I suppose it's probably better not to clutter things up with too many threads.😁

I don't really know why, but I have a feeling Richard Wilson4 is just going to stay stuck at 33,333 posts forever. He’ll probably never even hit 100,000. 😁

Harold Anderson3 said:So, I finally finished putting my story together regarding my journey through this relentless illness. It might not feel quite as overwhelming 😁if someone takes a moment to sit down and read it; I’d love to hear what you all think about it.

I gave it a read too. I won't get into how much of it is actually factual, but... fights, drinking, more fights, two days of work, arguments, fighting, weed, drinking... it was a pretty intense life. Maybe things just "burned out" a bit. I guess we'll have to wait and see if everything settles back down, as much as that's possible.

I haven't had nearly that much going on in my life (and I'm a lot older), and I've probably only had a fraction of the alcohol he has...

Everything seems fine, as long as you can still look at the things happening around you objectively...

Nobody actually likes capitalism. It’s just one of those things you can’t really love. I guess if you’re doing okay within the system and feel like you’ve got a future, then maybe you’re satisfied enough.

Master Oogway said:I'm pretty young and inexperienced, so I have a few questions I'm really curious about. I'd appreciate some answers if anyone can help. Thanks.

1. Are liberals mostly atheists?
2. Is American society generally liberal or conservative?
3. Which political party is the most conservative and which is the most liberal?
4. Why do most atheists attack the Church?
5. Why do people say the Democratic Party didn't want America?
Sorry, I'm just genuinely interested in politics, but I don't really have anyone to ask these things.

1. More often than not, yeah. But here, religion is a complicated mess; you have plenty of people who call themselves Christian but never step foot in a church or bother with confession... it’s more about traditional identity at that point.
2. Neither, really. It's mostly traditional—just look at what's happening out there on Election Day—but there are very liberal groups and very conservative ones too. Then again, those terms are pretty vague.
3. Hard to say for sure, but maybe the Democratic Party is the most liberal.
4. Criticism is just part of life. I mean, look at how much people bash the Republican Party, various corporations, the national team, or the LA Galaxy... The Catholic Church isn't an exception, unless you're extremely devoted. There might be a few hundred thousand atheists and agnostics in the US, but how many people do you know who actually criticize KC?
5. When you say "for America," I assume you mean "America as a sovereign nation." That’s probably too complex a question to answer briefly.

I mean, I think people are overreacting. If it was just an accident—which is what it looks like—you shouldn't really be blaming anyone. If someone actually wanted to kill animals, they wouldn't do it out in the open; they’d just take them out into the woods somewhere off a backroad... and call it a day.

But honestly, this just shows how much attitudes are shifting, and it's pretty radical. I guess that's a good thing. It might force that tiny minority who actually goes around abusing animals, dumping them on the street, or hurting them... to finally watch their step. Maybe they'll realize they can't just do whatever they want without anyone giving a damn anymore.