Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[tikay]

Can I Post a photo of an electric bus?

After the all the effort I put into teaching you, I'm guessing the answer is yes.

I picked it up in seconds.

[tikay]

An electrically powered London Bus.

[RED-DOG]

Can I Post a photo of an electric bus?

After the all the effort I put into teaching you, I'm guessing the answer is yes.

Should only allow if its got skidmarks behind it imo 

Clever and topical.

Everyone is on good form today

[RED-DOG]

An electrically powered London Bus.

being both a nit and an environmentalist, I'm very interested in electric vehicles.

Do you have any more info?

Did God make it?

[AndrewT]

But, and maybe this is just the paucity of my understanding, I can't quite grasp the idea that all this - this world, this galaxy, this universe, all those Laws of Physics, all happened, totally, by chance.

That is basically religion in a nutshell.

People want to be able to think that they can control or influence things, that life is somehow fair, that good people will triumph at the expense of bad people, that just one frigging time their QQ will hold against AK.

So external powers were invented that could bring good weather for farming, make new businesses succeed, bring lottery wins for that nice lady down the street who works in the nursing home etc. Someone who could right the seeming unfairness in life.

People find it very very difficult to accept that shit just happens, that there is no 'big answer' because there is no 'big question' - we are here because shit happened (4 billion years ago some chemicals happened to get mixed up in such a way that meant they did new and interesting things). Shit continues to happen today (and not just in the underpants of some men).

[Rod Paradise]

The Dawkins/Minchins etc are the other side of the coin to me though. I agree with their views on creationism, BUT they are so religious in their aggressive attacks that they piss me off. I'd accept being wrong for the joy of a deity lightning bolting them and a big voice saying 'BAD CALL'.

Religion has, for all the crimes done in its name, been a solace and help to a lot of people & if it helps someone get through their day well fair enough.

Only when people want to use their beliefs to dictate to or persecute others do I think they should be shot down.

The current argument about Gay Weddings is a prime example. Personally I think they should be allowed, why should only straight men suffer, but the argument of those who believe that marriage is a sacrament with 'God' is that a homosexual marriage would demean Christian marriage. Makes their belief and their God a bit ghey IMHO. If the instituation of marriage is such a sacred thing then the actions of others will have no effect on it at all, and for those lucky enough to be in a  good marriage I'm sure the fact that someone else calls their own different relationship a marriage matters not a jot.

Anyway - dismount soapbox, don waterproofs & get out walking the dog - where I'll probably see more things (a kestrel in flight, a stoat running for example) that'll make me think there's a higher being than any church or sermon I've ever encountered.

[Rod Paradise]

But, and maybe this is just the paucity of my understanding, I can't quite grasp the idea that all this - this world, this galaxy, this universe, all those Laws of Physics, all happened, totally, by chance.

That is basically religion in a nutshell.

People want to be able to think that they can control or influence things, that life is somehow fair, that good people will triumph at the expense of bad people, that just one frigging time their QQ will hold against AK.

So external powers were invented that could bring good weather for farming, make new businesses succeed, bring lottery wins for that nice lady down the street who works in the nursing home etc. Someone who could right the seeming unfairness in life.

People find it very very difficult to accept that shit just happens, that there is no 'big answer' because there is no 'big question' - we are here because shit happened (4 billion years ago some chemicals happened to get mixed up in such a way that meant they did new and interesting things). Shit continues to happen today (and not just in the underpants of some men).

 

To be fair to David, I'm in the same boat as him as far as comprehending it all, I just accept it's beyond me and refuse to listen to anyone who'll try to tell me who to have sex with, how to behave, or what to eat/drink.

[kinboshi]

But, and maybe this is just the paucity of my understanding, I can't quite grasp the idea that all this - this world, this galaxy, this universe, all those Laws of Physics, all happened, totally, by chance.

That is basically religion in a nutshell.

People want to be able to think that they can control or influence things, that life is somehow fair, that good people will triumph at the expense of bad people, that just one frigging time their QQ will hold against AK.

So external powers were invented that could bring good weather for farming, make new businesses succeed, bring lottery wins for that nice lady down the street who works in the nursing home etc. Someone who could right the seeming unfairness in life.

People find it very very difficult to accept that shit just happens, that there is no 'big answer' because there is no 'big question' - we are here because shit happened (4 billion years ago some chemicals happened to get mixed up in such a way that meant they did new and interesting things). Shit continues to happen today (and not just in the underpants of some men).

 

To be fair to David, I'm in the same boat as him as far as comprehending it all, I just accept it's beyond me and refuse to listen to anyone who'll try to tell me who to have sex with, how to behave, or what to eat/drink.

Not even Purity Bear?

[nirvana]

The Dawkins/Minchins etc are the other side of the coin to me though. BUT they are so religious in their aggressive attacks that they piss me off. I'd accept being wrong for the joy of a deity lightning bolting them and a big voice saying 'BAD CALL'.

Religion has, for all the crimes done in its name, been a solace and help to a lot of people & if it helps someone get through their day well fair enough.

Only when people want to use their beliefs to dictate to or persecute others do I think they should be shot down.

I could write exactly this, very well put old boy.

That Kinboshi, his the same.

[Rod Paradise]

The Dawkins/Minchins etc are the other side of the coin to me though. BUT they are so religious in their aggressive attacks that they piss me off. I'd accept being wrong for the joy of a deity lightning bolting them and a big voice saying 'BAD CALL'.

Religion has, for all the crimes done in its name, been a solace and help to a lot of people & if it helps someone get through their day well fair enough.

Only when people want to use their beliefs to dictate to or persecute others do I think they should be shot down.

I could write exactly this, very well put old boy.

That Kinboshi, his the same.

The wee edit changed some of what I meant but the main point - evangelical people piss me off -  is still there
.

[nirvana]

The Dawkins/Minchins etc are the other side of the coin to me though. BUT they are so religious in their aggressive attacks that they piss me off. I'd accept being wrong for the joy of a deity lightning bolting them and a big voice saying 'BAD CALL'.

Religion has, for all the crimes done in its name, been a solace and help to a lot of people & if it helps someone get through their day well fair enough.

Only when people want to use their beliefs to dictate to or persecute others do I think they should be shot down.

I could write exactly this, very well put old boy.

That Kinboshi, his the same.

The wee edit changed some of what I meant but the main point - evangelical people piss me off -  is still there
.

Sorry about that, your view has integrity and I shouldn't have messed with the words. I personalised it a bit as I haven't yet figured out what I believe or don't, but find any form of evangelising risible too

[kinboshi]

The Dawkins/Minchins etc are the other side of the coin to me though. BUT they are so religious in their aggressive attacks that they piss me off. I'd accept being wrong for the joy of a deity lightning bolting them and a big voice saying 'BAD CALL'.

Religion has, for all the crimes done in its name, been a solace and help to a lot of people & if it helps someone get through their day well fair enough.

Only when people want to use their beliefs to dictate to or persecute others do I think they should be shot down.

I could write exactly this, very well put old boy.

That Kinboshi, his the same.

Really?  I say believe in what you want, just don't impose laws or rules on me because of those beliefs and don't force others to behave in a way that makes them conform to your beliefs.

Whilst religion imposes on people, I'll reserve the right to attack it.

[david3103]

The Dawkins/Minchins etc are the other side of the coin to me though. I agree with their views on creationism, BUT they are so religious in their aggressive attacks that they piss me off. I'd accept being wrong for the joy of a deity lightning bolting them and a big voice saying 'BAD CALL'.

Religion has, for all the crimes done in its name, been a solace and help to a lot of people & if it helps someone get through their day well fair enough.

Only when people want to use their beliefs to dictate to or persecute others do I think they should be shot down.

The current argument about Gay Weddings is a prime example. Personally I think they should be allowed, why should only straight men suffer, but the argument of those who believe that marriage is a sacrament with 'God' is that a homosexual marriage would demean Christian marriage. Makes their belief and their God a bit ghey IMHO. If the instituation of marriage is such a sacred thing then the actions of others will have no effect on it at all, and for those lucky enough to be in a  good marriage I'm sure the fact that someone else calls their own different relationship a marriage matters not a jot.

Anyway - dismount soapbox, don waterproofs & get out walking the dog - where I'll probably see more things (a kestrel in flight, a stoat running for example) that'll make me think there's a higher being than any church or sermon I've ever encountered.

 

Cracking stuff - that first paragraph really hit the spot especially.

[kinboshi]

Can someone detail why Dawkins and Minchin (and me apparently) are 'religious' with our views?

Isn't religion, and being religious, "reverence towards god(s)", where the central dictum is faith? 

[david3103]

Can someone detail why Dawkins and Minchin (and me apparently) are 'religious' with our views?

Isn't religion, and being religious, "reverence towards god(s)", where the central dictum is faith?  

I'd say it's a shorthand for the level of outward expression of their beliefs. Would you prefer obsessive or fanatical ?  



PS - I found this an interesting read, although I confess I'm a climate change skeptic so the headline didn't mean much to me

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2011/09/17/13998/atheists_are_as_big_a_threat_as_climate_change_deniers