Kara Connor

Here is a question I like to ask theists in a “morality debate”. It usually goes along these lines:

Why is your god “always watching” you.

Pray tell Reg but whatever do you mean?

Can you please answer a straightforward question with an answer for once.

Our God is always with us so He sees all the deeds we do.

But why does He have to watch…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
“Name one moral action performed by a believer that could not have been done by a nonbeliever.”

I think that’s not the point.  It’s not either/or.  It’s good that both exist.

@Simon – But when they do moral and ethical behavior well, they do it as well as or better than anyone else.

The Hitchens Challenge;

“Name one moral action performed by a believer that could not have been done by a nonbeliever.”

_Robert_ wrote:
Simon, isn’t the main point of Christianity to evade responsibility for immoral behavior? No matter what you do, just believe and you will be OK. That’s why Jesus lives mostly in prisons. It’s why evangelical preachers do the shittiest things…and then often issue a statement and then just get on with the grifting.

It’s not news th…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
Your point about Christians and the stereotype of atheists lacking a moral compass is a bugbear of mine.

Our motivation to be moral is the same as that of Christians: i.e., 1) conscience – the motive to follow moral and ethical principles; 2) consequences of our actions for ourselves and others.

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
• When someone doesn’t conform to the group’s moral norms (in this case, religious belief), our brains flag them as risky.

• That “risk” is translated into perceived harm.

• Result? Atheists are not just “wrong,” they’re “dangerous.”

That makes sense.  I’d never thought of it that way.  On that basis, there’s a ver…[Read more]

@Simon – In many cultures, morality is subconsciously equated with the prevention of harm. When someone is perceived as “immoral,” they’re often assumed to be capable of causing harm, either emotionally, physically, or spiritually. In moral psychology harm/care is one of the foundational pillars of moral judgment. Moral Foundations Theory covers…[Read more]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
Yes, theists think I am hard-hearted at times.

From the second paper:

Christians’ negative impressions drew primarily from the Authority foundation, and both groups drew heavily from the Care foundation in both their positive and negative depictions.

In human moral psychology, immorality is perceived as physically h…[Read more]

Simon, I would be opinionated and confrontational. My opinions are “strong” but they are loosely held. I am open to changing them if and when I am persuaded to do so. For me there is no such thing as negative feedback. I am not looking for a pat on the back for holding them. I have no allegiance to them and will discard them whenever I am…[Read more]

Thanks, Reg 🙂

How to fix the American healthcare system.

Sunday School is dismal, is it not?

Sometimes I think I should change the focus away from Evangelicals and Bad Science but we can only tackle what we know about. I think there is a global denialism of the reality of Climate Change. It is not some future event but it is happening everywhere already. It could be that the general swing towards right…[Read more]

Have  a great week everyone!

Also on QI…..If aspiring writers need a new pen they could buy one from Pen Island at http://www.penisland.com or if you need a therapist then you can find one listed on http://www.therapist.com

Ha! @Unseen

On QI once, Stephen Fry brought up the subject of ‘tmesis’ – a peculiar word that describes the insertion of a word into an existing word for descriptive emphasis.

Stephen Fry:- like abso-bloody-lutely, or un-fucking-believable.

Jo Brand:- or Scunthorpe

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:
Assuming religious people are more moral than atheists without evidence is a conjunction fallacy driven by representativeness, not actual probability. Further reading here.

The “further reading” article is interesting.  Apparently, religious people don’t trust atheists because they think we’re rebellious and…[Read more]

….traditional Jewish bagel, lox, onion, and cream cheese…..

Lox arrived today so I will get some fresh bagels on the way home…..You might consider trying it with Masala Chai?

I will make them for my walk tomorrow. It might not sound the most appealing but when you sit down after a few hours walking (hiking) and taste it, it will be the…[Read more]

that lox looks outstandingly outstanding...

Yes, absolutely. It is the “real deal“. To the point of making you miss it any time you have lox from any other source. With lemon, freshly milled black pepper….and maybe a few drops of Tabasco (yes, the one at the back of the shelf). I have a friend who gets it shipped to his house in Alameda, CA on…[Read more]

A lot of lox for sale…..and maybe some tariff free whiskey’s on sale in the USA? Go on, make the horses pay for it 🙂

It is kind of amazing that there is not more resentment of Brits as it relates to the Irish. The shit during the famine was so damn cold.

I don’t recall ever hearing an Irish person bearing any ill will toward “the Brits” over the famine. There have been incidents involving “soccer hooliganism” but no reason is ever needed by the perpetrators to…[Read more]