The "What Are You Doing This Moment" Thread

[Vimana]

I just had to debate the historical "evidence" of Jesus' existence with a Muslim. I pointed out that I can't trust contradicting books written decades after this guy "died" that had no other sources of evidence from outside sources at the time. He then thought pointing out that Jesus was in the Koran countered my point.

By the way, he's a cool dude, but he's kind of a fundie. We still chill and have fun. I really don't want to get into these debates, but for some reason lots of people around me seem to think "atheist" or "non-religious" means "I'm not religious because I don't know about your religion." It's the same kind of thing with my fundie uncles who either ignore that I'm an atheist, or pass it off as if it's just a phase.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

Fundies don't know shit about their religion.

 

[Vimana]

Seriously. A big reason I don't want to debate them is because of all the stuff I'd have to fill them in on.

 

[King Richard]

 

[Dak]

Homo sapiens: temporary virus that this planet will shake off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyc12-neTjM

I obviously disagree. A cancerous cell is one which has "gone rogue". So any healthy cell is technically potentially cancerous. That doesn't mean you are made up of cancer.

Either way, those changes can be accelerated and brought about by careless industrialization. Nuclear winter, anyone? BTW, I'm not against industrialization, but it must be done in a responsible manner, even if it means lower short-term returns on investment.

Well I don't disagree with the fact that humans are irresponsible with the planet (although those same things can be done by the earth on it's own. IE: The right volcano blowing will give the earth nuclear winter). But the focus on carbon emissions and government policy is not the answer.

Earth Day: John McConnell, or the 3 other individuals who also claim to have founded the "holiday" back in 1969 - 1970 were all secular leaders, therefore Earth Day is not religious. Is it slacktivism? That's a cynical way to put it, but not entirely inaccurate. The Omaha Atheists , who are part of the Coalition of Reason (http://unitedcor.org/omaha/page/home), were indeed there for self-promotion. I think it's necessary. Nebraska is a conservative red state, and "heathens" like me feel alienated. It makes non-believers feel good to know that there really are like minded people in their community.

While the overt earth worshipers specifically make it religious in the traditional sense, I admit to painting with a much broader stroke. I understand the other motive though, although I think you are more likely to run into, say, a bunch of Wiccans (or wannabes anyway), than atheists. I guess there would be some common ground though as religious minorities "in solidarity".

 

[Zephyrus]

Wow I was incredibly drunk posting that.

Also it's remarkable how I'll wake up with the worst hangover, then drink a cup of coffee, take a shower and BAM, I feel like a million bucks.

'Twill be a useful adaptation at MDF.

 

[Dak]

Also it's remarkable how I'll wake up with the worst hangover, then drink a cup of coffee, take a shower and BAM, I feel like a million bucks.

+1.

 

[-CC-]

Also it's remarkable how I'll wake up with the worst hangover, then drink a cup of coffee, take a shower and BAM, I feel like a million bucks.

Sounds like you haven't had a proper hangover. The last thing you are able to do is make yourself a cup of coffee and take a shower. Getting out of bed is probably the greatest mission of the day. This is when you have the only scientifically proven cure for hangovers: the hangover blunt.

 

[Master_Yoda77]

Wow I was incredibly drunk posting that.

Also it's remarkable how I'll wake up with the worst hangover, then drink a cup of coffee, take a shower and BAM, I feel like a million bucks.

'Twill be a useful adaptation at MDF.

I was pretty surprised Saturday morning. I was fucking wasted Friday night but stopped drinking for like 3 hours. I also had a slice of pizza before I went home, so I think that helped me. But I was amazed when I woke up at noon ready to crush some more brews.

 

[monoxide_child]

lots of people around me seem to think "atheist" or "non-religious" means "I'm not religious because I don't know about your religion." It's the same kind of thing with my fundie uncles who either ignore that I'm an atheist, or pass it off as if it's just a phase.

you've just described the bible belt
except here you have all the christians try to convert all the non-christian religious people as well, not just the athiest/non-religious

 

[Der Morgenstern]

Every fucking thread turns into a Dakyrn Derping Diabtribe thread these days.

 

[Dak]

Every fucking thread turns into a Dakyrn Derping Diabtribe thread these days.

 

[Der Morgenstern]

It wouldn't be so bad if you at least had a basic understanding of science.

 

[Dak]

It wouldn't be so bad if you at least had a basic understanding of science.

It wouldn't be so bad if you didn't understand how completely ambiguous and fraught with subjectivity the word "science" is.

 

[Der Morgenstern]

If that's what the average layman wants to believe so he can feel justified in making statements like the following:

I don't buy that, and even if it were true, judging by the long periods of much cooler temps on the earth, it's not a bad thing.

 

[viewerfromnihil]

Correct me if I'm wrong on this, but doesn't economics determine whether or not "science" can even happen? On the topic of pollution, I think that there are a number of things that could be done that would prove to be a better solution to stopping pollution than government coercion, such as privatization of national parks and bodies of water, such as rivers and lakes, along with a rethinking of future judicial decisions that would be more open to class action law suits pertaining to pollution.

Unwinding after a long day of work and procrastinating on a few of my papers that are due on Tuesday.

 

[Der Morgenstern]

One one-hand you advocate privatization of resources, but on the other-hand, you're calling for an easier avenue for class-action law suits?

 

[Dak]

If that's what the average layman wants to believe so he can feel justified in making statements like the following:

Yes, relatively speaking. Obviously since the majority of the earth's population lives on the coast, it would be bad. But these changes happen over hundreds/thousands of years, and there would be ample time for people to move away from the encroaching ocean (Although, this is highly unlikely, the earth is overdue for massive cooling judging from historical trends). But the global scale loss of agriculturally viable land from extreme global cooling would send the world population and civilization plunging. The recent "mini Ice Age" showed this.

There is science that doesn't agree with the politicized predictions and politicized scapegoats , and to claim that someone who disagrees "doesn't understand science" (whatever that means), or "doesn't believe in science", is at best a strawman. I would say that someone who can't follow a simple money trail doesn't understand life itself.

All that's really being sought politically as supposed "solutions" is just more government/corporate control, distancing of the political process, and higher barriers to entry/rent-seeking in both corporate and government arenas.

Edit: Btw, in the field of "climate science", thou art also a "layman", so you can deconstruct that ivory house of cards.

 

[viewerfromnihil]

One one-hand you advocate privatization of resources, but on the other-hand, you're calling for an easier avenue for class-action law suits?

Yes, what's your point?

 

[SentinelSlain]

I should have know better than to cheat a friend, the wasted chance that I'd been given. So I'm never going to dance again. Guilty feet have no rhythm.