Comments by Peacebeuponme

Comment #137745 by Peacebeuponme on March 3, 2008 at 12:32 pm

Dr Benway

The theists have no evidence. Zilch, nada, none.

You're joking right? You mean Artful_Dodger, Hello and that one who begins with K haven't come up with decent responses to questions asked of them? Not even over 3,000 posts?

I'm still amazed every time a faith head comes on her. I just don't understand how they can think like that.

1452. Fleabytes

Comment #137498 by Peacebeuponme on March 3, 2008 at 2:09 am

A while back on this thread there was a bit of backslapping and someone noted that this site has resulted in their reckless spend on Amazon with the amount of books that get recommended.

I'd love to see a 'recommended books' section. I've lost count of the books I seen talked about, wanted to read, but not noted down!

1453. US Treaty with Tripoli

Comment #137487 by Peacebeuponme on March 3, 2008 at 1:38 am

mikejswalker

man, i figured there was history. But that shit must be deep. Cunt is very strong. It saddens me that it gets to this.

Certain people have a selective recall of the chronology of insults. Most debates here can get to be strident without getting silly, as they have on this thread. One name seems to crop up time and time again on threads like this which have disentegrated into mudslinging.

1454. Fleabytes

Comment #135848 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 9:47 am

hello

Good plan, but make sure you choose a live church who believe in the power of God

Yeah. There's too many of these unbelieving congregations about these days.

1455. Fleabytes

Comment #135842 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 9:41 am

Hello - stop blinding us with science, please.

1456. Fleabytes

Comment #135835 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 9:39 am

hello

No, not at all. I believe in God because I have seen the difference He has made in people's lives.

People like Sarah Payne, James Bulger, Natascha Kampusch?

1457. Fleabytes

Comment #135824 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 9:33 am

hello

How predictable are you? What do you friends say about you?

I'm actually stunned. I think you may have just posted something even more moronic than any of wooters mouth-faeces. Are you really suggesting that predictions based on gravitational theory are only as reliable as predictions of Irate_Atheist's character based on personal testimony?

1458. Fleabytes

Comment #135806 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 9:24 am

Just because you can't see something, doesn't mean it's not there.

Well then I'm off to church on Sunday.

Sorry guys and girls, we pushed and pushed and we finally got it.

As Joe Pesci said in "My Cousin Vinny":

"That's it honey, the fucking case-cracker: me in the shower!"

1459. Fleabytes

Comment #135799 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 9:18 am

al-rawandi

hello,

Sorry knee jerk.

Are you saying he's not just a jerk, he's a knee jerk?

1460. Fleabytes

Comment #135782 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 9:10 am

I bet they weren't christians before they went into prison!

No True Scotscunt.

Possibly a world record as Hello has only posted about 5 times.

1461. Fleabytes

Comment #135773 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 9:05 am

Hello

Can you prove that gravity exists

Try jumping off a tall building. You may have the "Eureka!" moment just before you make the street cleaners day.

Instead just read some Popper and find out why your point is unscientific.

1462. Fleabytes

Comment #135766 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 9:01 am

My background is philosophy, sociology and theology.

and your foreground is not answering the fucking question.

1463. Fleabytes

Comment #135759 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 8:58 am

like wrestling blancmange.

or boxing a fart.

1464. Fleabytes

Comment #135736 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 8:39 am

Ah yes, good point. And now I come to think of it, I'd need to buy myself a new frock too.

Best be quick so that your avatar is ready in 50 posts time.

1465. Fleabytes

Comment #135731 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 8:37 am

Dr Benway

You are back to your bitch-slapping best!

1466. Fleabytes

Comment #135727 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 8:34 am

I have other things to do. My life does not revolve around posting on this site.

check out my post #135595.

1467. Fleabytes

Comment #135706 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 8:18 am

And slightly stunned. If I say any more I shall start crying and thanking my mom ....

Surely you would also say "this is not just for me. This is for every nameless faceless woman of atheism."?

1468. Fleabytes

Comment #135697 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 8:07 am

Artful_Dodger

Don't you understand what a metaphor is?

I wonder if you do.

To add to what Steve says, its not just that we cannot tell which bits of the bible are metaphorical and which aren't. We cannot know what the intended metaphors are for those passages that are metaphorical.

Speculating and then using them as guidance for living seems positively ludicrous.

We speculate about metaphors in literary texts and there is interesting discussion to be had. We don't assign truth value (of any sort) to any of it.

1469. Fleabytes

Comment #135678 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 7:46 am

Paula - how do you feel about nearing the "2,000 club?"

1470. Fleabytes

Comment #135671 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 7:41 am

Artful_Dodger

What about theists constantly being called f***wits, faith-heads, babies suckling at the tit of ignorance ...? and being told to f*** off, bugger off and the like?

You may wish to revist some of the discussions when you first started posting. I think you will find most were gracious towards you to begin with. However, this starts to slide when repeated requests for evidence go unanswered and difficult questions go untackled. I'm afraid some of these outbursts are borne of frustration.

(btw - its not something you can use to generalise about atheists with. You will find far worse things said by theists to atheists over on theist blogs. That is, when the atheist can post in the first place.)

1471. Fleabytes

Comment #135667 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 7:36 am

al-rawandi

SOME FUCKING EVIDENCE PLEASE!

I am finding myself having to use the word 'fucking' more and more on these threads.

Artful_Dodger, Kairos, anyone. For the love of christ please pitch up with some or stop being so silly.

1472. Fleabytes

Comment #135661 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 7:33 am

but I will settle for a draw.

In the same way Huddersfield Town would have settled for a draw when they played Chelsea in the Cup at Stamford Bridge.

1473. Fleabytes

Comment #135629 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 6:50 am

But it may not be true in a literal historical sense. Whether it is true in this sense or not, it is also true in a sense that is much more important than the literal historicity of all the details.

Jesus Fucking Christ!

I'm calling Christine by Stephen King true as well then. An evil, murderous car is also a very powerful image. It may represent man's struggle for control over the world and the dangers of power.

1474. Fleabytes

Comment #135608 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 6:17 am

mlearnedfriend

I think it would be farier to say that Christians believe that people are beautiful, but flawed.

Why do they believe that?

1475. Fleabytes

Comment #135606 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 6:15 am

Steve

I apologise if I was harsh.

Fuck that. Artful_Dodger knows what he is doing and has been around here long enough to understand the position you and others put forward. He is being grossly underhand with these accusatory posts generallising about atheist contributors.

1476. Fleabytes

Comment #135603 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 6:11 am

Artful_Dodger

You have shown that you are incapable of engaging with arguments that you disagree with

Steve got here before me on this, but I'm saying it anyway.

Its more that we are incapable of finding any real arguments to engage with. Theists just don't have anything in their locker I'm afraid. I and many others have asked time and time again for evidence (just a little) that support theistic claims, with no response. All we get is attempts to disprove some scientific propositions pseudo-scienticially, which says nothing about the claim being discussed.

1477. Fleabytes

Comment #135596 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 6:03 am

Artful_Dodger

Thirdly, if Robertson's letter is read objectively one cannot fail to be impressed

This is something you cannot know.

1478. Fleabytes

Comment #135595 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 6:00 am

Artful_Dodger

I was not intending to post again on this site,

Why are you telling us that? I find it strangle how theists have to high-mindedly tell us that they are leaving, or that the don't have time to spare, as though this site is not sophisticated enough.

If you don't want to post, fine. Fuck off and leave it to people who do. Don't write shit like:

In the first place these two letters are out of place on a thread dealing with Robertson's response to Richard Dawkins

since others can post how they please.

If you want to debate, that's great too, but it would be good to bring some support for your arguments and respond properly when questioned, occasionally.

1479. The Salamander's Tale

Comment #135594 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 5:52 am

Dr Nev

My apologises if I came across a bit uptight.

No need, you did not.

I just wanted to add to what you were saying.

1480. The Salamander's Tale

Comment #135525 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 4:10 am

Epeeist

For fucks sake wooter

Sums it all up.

Stand by for some more cut and paste about the human nervous system, the kingfishers catching prowess, red blood cells, any other aspect of the world we live headed up with the phrse "How can ET explain.."

He will never change.

1481. The Salamander's Tale

Comment #135522 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 4:04 am

don't have a problem with drug testing on animals. Not all of us vegetarians are activists, tree hugging greenies... I and many others would never dream of putting animals and trees above human causes!

I'm a meat eater, but have respect for vegetarians who are consistent with their views (i.e wrt to fish etc!). They are making a moral choice and all power to them. Similarly I wouldn't have anything against guys like you who just plain don't like meat - though I have to say I can't imagine how you can not like a nice rare steak or peice of Welsh Lamb!

Steve made the key point above about animal testing. I think we have enough different types of make-up and shampoo in the world now, so don't see why that type of research has to continue. But when it comes to drugs, I just have to say that if its between human life and animals, I've just got to pitch in with my team.

1482. The Salamander's Tale

Comment #135500 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 3:39 am

Steve

Vegetables don't seem to have nervous systems. They don't seem to experience pain, or fear. The more we look at animals, the more it appears that they do experience these feelings.

Is the pain experienced by animals the experienced in the same way as for humans? My thinking is that the most distressing thing about the pain can be the distress/angst that goes along with it. The feeling of "why is this hurting me?" or "I'm being caused pain: pain is bad" that leads to genuine upset. Is is the same for animals, or is it more a functional process alerting the brian to the danger and causing action? If so, would they feel pain in the same way?

1483. The Salamander's Tale

Comment #135494 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 3:31 am

2. "While today's digital hardware is extremely impressive, it is clear that the human retina's real-time performance goes unchallenged. Actually, to simulate 10 milliseconds (one1hundredth of a second) of the complete processing of even single nerve cell from the retina would require the solution of about 500 simultaneous nonlinear differential equations 100 times and would take at least several minutes of processing time on a Cray supercomputer. Keeping in mind that there are 10 million or more such cells interacting with each other in complex ways, it would take a minimum of 100 years of Cray time to simulate what takes place in your eye many times every second."

Evolution and the complexity of life sure are amazing.

1484. Fleabytes

Comment #135473 by Peacebeuponme on February 29, 2008 at 2:36 am

I've missed out on all the fun here.

Pain in the arse job.

* Resolves to drink and dance a lot this evening *

1485. Fleabytes

Comment #134944 by Peacebeuponme on February 28, 2008 at 11:15 am

Wicked witch of the west? "I'll get you my pretty!"

No, you're all trolls! Trolls I tell ya!

1486. Fleabytes

Comment #134748 by Peacebeuponme on February 28, 2008 at 7:05 am

Clearthinker

did you you think I was referring to some philosopher/scientist etc?!

I did. I'm pretty comfortable with my former ignorance in that area. I'd heard of Auschwitz and Belsen, but not Dachau. But I've learnt something. I don't see any shame in that - you should try admitting what you don't know sometime.

Why for you is it just a matter of feeling and not objective fact?

Because its not an objective fact, its patently subjective. It was a good thing according to the Nazis. Absolute morality is a logical absurdity, and quite a babyish notion that you theists really should give up.

So? Can only professors debate?

No at all. Its just that I usually call them "Professor" rather than "Dr".

So now he only debates with the sophisticated! (and I assume sophisticated means agrees with him?).

As you well know he has debated many people who disagree with him.

In effect you are stating that because I am from a working class background

That's just a pathetic misrepresentation.

both of us are delighted to have the other on our side.

I'm sure McGrath is "delighted" in the same way Richard is "delighted" to have the RRS on his "side".

1487. Fleabytes

Comment #134579 by Peacebeuponme on February 28, 2008 at 2:35 am

Paula Kirby

Hell is meant to be the place where God is absent, n'est-ce pas? And Jesus is meant to be 100% God as well as 100% human, n'est-ce pas? So how can God ever be where God is absent? Wouldn't hell by Christianity's own definition cease to be hell the moment Jesus put in an appearance there?

Such questions keep theologians fed and watered.

1488. Fleabytes

Comment #134568 by Peacebeuponme on February 28, 2008 at 2:08 am

Isn't that technically known as a "tweeter?"

Err, no.

Actually Woofer and Tweeter could be good words to describe D'Souza and McGrath.

1489. Fleabytes

Comment #134566 by Peacebeuponme on February 28, 2008 at 2:06 am

For those who don't know, Einstein based General Relativity on Reimann's work, using ideas like the metric tensor, that describes how space is curved

Whenever Epeeist posts, my Google gets called in to action.

1490. Fleabytes

Comment #134563 by Peacebeuponme on February 28, 2008 at 1:59 am

Hi David,
i'll give a whole 4 pound note (i mean it) if you make a genuine attempt to answer epeeists question.

I'm sure he can come up with something. Whether you can call it "genuine" is another matter. Its likely to be better described as "bluster".

1491. Fleabytes

Comment #134557 by Peacebeuponme on February 28, 2008 at 1:49 am

If English was good enough for Jesus, it is good enough for me

I'd love to think that Ma Ferguson said that, but not sure it was the case.

1492. Fleabytes

Comment #134374 by Peacebeuponme on February 27, 2008 at 4:43 pm

I apologize for the sidetracking.

There's no theists to play with so why not? I'm actually glad to learn about your musical tastes. Its great to hear about about the characters here, and metal still has the power to make people say "Oh, you're not a fucking metaller are you", so its good to juxtapose this with your excellent philosophical posts.

Think I'm going to turn in anyway. Work tomorrow and all that.

1493. Fleabytes

Comment #134370 by Peacebeuponme on February 27, 2008 at 4:38 pm

MPhil - all I can say is that I hear the energy, but its just not thrash. I'm probably a bit too mainstream (relatively). For me, the pinnacle of metal is something like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUWxV1bczak

1494. Fleabytes

Comment #134366 by Peacebeuponme on February 27, 2008 at 4:29 pm

Or if you're into polymetric subdivisions, I suggest Meshuggah:

You can always rely on the Swedes for that kind of action. I'm afraid there is only a certain amount of death grunt I can handle. I did like Misery Loves Co. though.

1495. Fleabytes

Comment #134361 by Peacebeuponme on February 27, 2008 at 4:21 pm

MPhil

Next time any Christian mentions hell, just say:

"So, hell is like a celestial Auschwitz, only infinitely worse... That means God is infinitely worse than Hitler. Wow, and you actually worship someone like that? Scary!"

And correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't every single Jew that ever existed condemned to hell according to christianity?

Hitler seems to be God's padawan by all accounts.

1496. Fleabytes

Comment #134355 by Peacebeuponme on February 27, 2008 at 4:13 pm

Diacanu

Hell, I'm headbanging to that one like a metal tune

Yes, but which one?

Jesus Saves by Slayer;
Leper Messiah by Metallica; or perhaps
Old by Machine Head?

1497. Fleabytes

Comment #134352 by Peacebeuponme on February 27, 2008 at 4:09 pm

ianmkz

Well they're being malevolent on good authority.

Good points. But what I am saying is that, irrespective of the rewards DR may get for being higher up in the chistrian food-chain, by not trying to save our souls that he truly feels will go to hell, he is behaving maximally evil* towards us. In fact, given what you say above, its even worse than I thought. He is doing so, not just because he doesn't care about our forever-scorched flesh, he actually wants it to happen so that he can get extra reward.

*vocab alert - damn where is my thesaurus?!

1498. Fleabytes

Comment #134342 by Peacebeuponme on February 27, 2008 at 4:02 pm

BillySands

Would it surprise you to know that this has been pointed out to him before and he said that we were fundies who did not want to believe in god?

The only surprises I get on this site are from atheists. These have been many and wonderful.

MPhil (point also made by Brian English)

But losing consciousness from too much pain is a neurochemical process... only our ghostly-spirity-eternal souls are going to be punished... the idea of which is even more ridiculous.

I couldn't really work out how to express myself properly, but I think the absurdity of the idea is deeper than the fairly standard 'materialist' come back I gave earlier. An entity actually experiencing constant distressing pain forever. When theists talk about these things they very much have a materialist worldview in mind and human response to certain stimuli (hence all the fire, boiling water etc). I'd be really interested to have a theist come on here and explain how pain is conferred on our soul, how we will 'cope' with it (for we can do no other) forever, and why this 'coping' is not actually therefore negating the pain.

1499. Feb 12th: Happy Darwin Day!

Comment #134331 by Peacebeuponme on February 27, 2008 at 3:46 pm

AAnd I thank you for yet another wonderful piece of information I wasn't previously aware of!
And I have to return the compliment you made somewhere else - your posts are a major reason why I love RD.net. Truly inspiring.

After spending so much of my time trying to convince my friends that we needed to do something about religion, it was truly wonderful to see Dawkins, Dennet, Harris and Hitchens bring out their books. The cherry on the top for me was typing "Richard Dawkins" into google and finding this site. Never has a site so lived up to its banner - and this even though anybody can come on, log in and say what the fuck they want.

From the wiki article

leading some scientists to prefer a "slushball" to a "snowball".

I'd rather take a slushpuppy myself.

1500. Fleabytes

Comment #134322 by Peacebeuponme on February 27, 2008 at 3:31 pm

MPhil

I must say, sometimes I'd prefer that approach to endless attempts to "save my soul" which are boring at best, obtrusive and insulting at worst.

I agree that the concerned christians are way more fucking annoying, but they are at least more genuine. And I give them some credit for having a go at helping since they really believe we are going to burn in everlasting fire.

Just while we are on the hell topic, do you ever wonder if the fire and brimstone people ever sit back and consider the absurdity of the proposition? Its just not even logically sound. Just in terms of feeling constant extreme pain forever: most people black out when something really bad occurs.