Sunday School

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

Federal workers can now proselytize to their coworkers.

Atheists say Indonesia denies right to live religion-free.

A “modest” number of child deaths, according to the new CDC.

World of Woo: ‘Wellness’ grifters’ pseudoscience imperils public health.

Environment: The bad Science and bad Policy at the heart of the Climate Movement.

Conspiracy theorists don’t realize they’re on the fringe.

The Trump administration continues to dismantle the National Science Foundation. But soon nobody will remember because the new Ministry of Truth is already active. Well, maybe the Humanists will remember…….and those who can remain Skeptics.

Condemned to Freedom: An atheist strolls through Eden.

5 big unanswered questions about the origin of life and what were the chances of abiogenesis?

England’s new free speech law comes into force – what it means for universities and the sharp decline in young Americans’ support for free speech.

Long Reads:

Ask Ethan: Why do scientists avoid the possibility of God?

A.I. is also helping the Ministry of Truth with its Chop Shops of A.I. Slop.

Ghislaine Maxwell, hiding in plain sight.

Gradual change is F***ing Awesome—and liberalism knows it.

How Nations now navigate the threat of Nuclear War.

Who was Tatiana Andia ?

Sunday Book Club: Murder the Truth by David Enrich.

Some photographs taken last week.

While you are waiting for the kettle to boil……

Coffee Break Videos:  Every argument for Atheism. AI2027: Is this how AI might destroy humanity? Lucy, the most famous fossil in the world.  New York Times Columnist Jamelle Bouie | Freethought Matters. Don Quixote makes peace with the windmills.

 

 

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

Have a great week!

“They say God works in mysterious ways. That’s theological code for ‘don’t ask.'”

– me.

[TheEncogitationer]

Reg,

Federal workers can now proselytize to their coworkers.

I wonder if the Trumpistas will figure out that this means the Deep State is now in the religion business?

And how much consent is involved if the proselytizer is an armed Federal agent or an environmental bureaucrat who can classify your back yard mud puddle as a “wet land” and keep you from building additions on it.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by TheEncogitationer. Reason: Addendum

[Strega]

Thanks, Reg 🙂

[TheEncogitationer]

Fellow Unbelievers,

A.I. is also helping the Ministry of Truth with its Chop Shops of A.I. Slop.

Well, what more can you expect when The Ministry of Truth is bankrolling the studies about Misinformation/Disinformation/Malinformation? MDM *Growl!* 🦁
These Ivy Leaguers aren’t so smart.

These two stories below from The Daily Mail show just how unreliable present AI is and how unreliable The Daily Mail is as a source for science:

‘True face of Jesus’ is brought back to life, thanks to modern breakthrough
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14585261/jesus-face-revealed-shroud-turin-resurrection-markings.html

If AI is so smart and has access to all the information that we humans have, why didn’t the AI put a disclaimer with it’s rendering of Jesus saying that the Shroud of Turin was a 13th Century creation not a 1st Century burial shroud and that the Jesus told of in The Holy Bible is nonexistent???

The Shroud of Turin was not laid on Jesus’ Body, scientists reveal
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14962049/Shroud-Turin-not-laid-Jesus.html

“One of these thing is not like the others…”. If The Daily Mail is to be believed as a credible source of science, why didn’t it present this second story as a disclaimer to the AI story above? And why didn’t AI from the first story know about the “Agamemnon Mask Effect???”

Once again, AI has miles to go before we can sleep with ease about it.

The only redeeming features about The Daily Mail stories are the Comments sections. Those are greater sources of insight and entertainment than the actual stories.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by TheEncogitationer. Reason: Crucial Punctuation

[PopeBeanie]

TheEncogitationer wrote:

Once again, AI has miles to go before we can sleep with ease about it.

And those miles will be on fundamentally different kinds of roads. Currently, I liken AI to Reddit, in that there is some really great, useful stuff there, written by humans. I think if AI now as amplifier to whatever’s available on the internet, just like Reddit, and maybe we can learn from Reddit how they can keep managing to be “useful”, for better and for worse.

Hint: The rules of each subreddit, and the moderators who enforce them, are one of the most fundamental building blocks to promoting good vs bad info/data. Just my opinion.

I think the world’s people can be divided into certain categories, more or less, and the social networks they choose to participate in can define them, to a large extent… as will the AI dialogs they rely on the most.

• Gullible, wishful thinkers vs Skeptics
• The socially naive and clueless (or young), vs those who can learn who/which orgs are the most informed by reality (i.e. the most self-aware and experienced)
•  Symbiotes and mentors vs Grifters (e.g. politicians, theocrats, and robber barons)

That was just off the top of my head, it’s not like a permanent evaluation. I’m still just as ignorant about any quick-fix solutions as most people.

Here’s something I might listen to when I’m in the “wtf is human, anyway” conundrum and need a lift:

[Simon Paynton]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

Conspiracy theorists don’t realize they’re on the fringe.

That’s a very interesting finding.  Conspiracy theorists, as a whole, have an over-inflated sense of their own cognitive abilities, leading them not to question the fact that they might be wrong.  That’s one reason why they cling onto bullshit beliefs, that otherwise would only fool a child.

I think I have an over-inflated sense of my own abilities, but I don’t mind being knocked down and proved wrong.

[Unseen]

As bad as the starvation in Gaza is, more people are dying trying to get food than are starving. To make matters worse, as reported by an American soldier in a viddy I put up a few days ago, he’s witnessed IDF soldiers shoot into crowds of civilians committing the crime of trying to get food.

https://youtu.be/ZBReq4PBaKQ?si=7EIKUpyy-aPzmr2l

• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by Unseen.

[Reg the Fronkey Farmer]

I think I have an over-inflated sense of my own abilities, but I don’t mind being knocked down and proved wrong.

I think most people think that their interpretation of reality is the correct one. As I said before, I don’t maintain any “core beliefs” about reality.  I have various understandings about how the Universe operates and of my place in it. I look forward to being challenged and to be found wrong, or erring to some extend, in what I hold to be correct. Adjust my understanding based on new info does not prove me wrong, it only improves my interpretation of how the world works. I get a clearer picture.

[jakelafort]

Hamas hostage looking like he is being cared for by Germans back in the day. The recreation of that day is something the lefty’s are working on. Those hostages are eating what we eat. And then ya see a great big fat arm on the Gazan. Does not matter how idiotic the Hamas propaganda because the international media will continue to be Hamas’ propaganda mouthpiece.

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-863038

[Simon Paynton]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

Adjust my understanding based on new info does not prove me wrong, it only improves my interpretation of how the world works. I get a clearer picture.

Yes, being shown to be in error makes me ask questions, which is always a good thing.

[jakelafort]

No core beliefs about reality except nothing we would recognize as such exists. That is my gut talking.

Amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. The dull and the dense are acros the fence. A few of us stand alone.

[Strega]

Thank you Jake that was just what I needed.

[jakelafort]

You’re welcome Strega.

keep thinking how it is nearly impossible to avoid the trap of positing free will and in doing so condemning the others. I am keenly aware of it and in the moment i FEEL that way.

This morning i was listening to a Sam Harris podcast about covid and the lessons we can learn and steps we ought to take. It was a Harvard biologist who was Sam’s guest and i don’t doubt his credentials but i kept hearing him doing exactly that. Sam kind of nailed the political climate and the repercussions. Some were scared to death of the vaccine and others scared to death of covid and urgently wanted to be vaccinated. Beliefs formed. Behavior followed. Those who see it like we do are okay. Those who are in other camp are not. These mofos CHOSE to be that way. Their intransigence is really quite something… And on and on.

Seeing our lives in that manner also has serious repercussions. Instead of positing the true influences we credit CHOICES! That i may avoid a rant and get back to handicapping i take my leave and reserve the right to revisit.

[But Ler]

jakelafort wrote:

Seeing our lives in that manner also has serious repercussions. Instead of positing the true influences we credit CHOICES! That i may avoid a rant and get back to handicapping i take my leave and reserve the right to revisit.

Strega, Jake, I appreciate that, too. I’ve accepted a belief in free will, even when I know it’s not real.

I’m just an alien orbiting earth, taking notes on humanity. While Pope Beanie is my lord and savior.

[Fuller disclosure, I am PB using butler as a username soze I can see how genpop rights at AZ behave.]

• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by But Ler. Reason: can i easily prepend a quote to this post?
• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by But Ler. Reason: i just moved But Ler's last sentence in the first paragraph to be the first sentence in his/her second paragraph

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