onyangomakagutu

Simon Paynton wrote:

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, which is the more moral choice? The one a person makes because they are afraid an authoritarian god is watching…[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]

Simon Paynton wrote:

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 o…

[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]

Just another right wing christian who uses religion as an identity and gets taken down hard. Exhibit A: JP, the anti-woke savior of young American boys. You wanna talk about identity politics? This is the bulk of it, right here. Prayer sessions in the white house that has become a church. The hypocrisy is up to their…[Read more]

I heard Trump laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown bone spur and then was talking-up his military-style birthday parade.  Us tax-payers are gonna gift that diaper-wearing, shit-stain of a draft dodger a dictator’s parade. Thanks to all the right-wingers for being so generous with the deficit!

@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]

Speaking of Poe, he is a total one-off, no other poet coming close to being even vaguely like him. For me, much as I love The Raven and Annabel Lee, my favorite poem by Poe is “Alone” (his quotes, and the only time he framed a poem’s title in them). It’s unlike his other poems in terms of being so deeply reflective.

“Alone”

From childhood’s h…[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]

Jake,

Enco, how did that never occur to me? Go, go, go read Poe.

Didn’t occur to you? Surely you jest! (And no, I’m not calling you Shirley.😁)

Loved his short stories as a kid. And a few of his poems like the one with Anabelle Lee if memory serves and it is better than the drive-through.

I read them in Elementary School and also…[Read more]

Enco, how did that never occur to me? Go, go, go read Poe.

Loved his short stories as a kid. And a few of his poems like the one with Anabelle Lee if memory serves and it is better than the drive-through.

Jake,

I meant to use the name Poe, the author of “The Raven.”. I was imagining the words coming from a cynical, frazzled English Major student working in the drive-thru trying to hurry things along.

I would, however, use the term “Po” if I spoke Tagalog,

@Enco

I don’t know what it’s like to be you and vice versa. Sometimes, I don’t even know what it’s like to be me.

At the same time, I do wonder what it feels like to be this or that animal. I know my cat about as well as I know any person and sometimes I think we understand each other, sometimes we obviously don’t.

Unseen,

But recall the discussion of Thomas Nagel’s “What Is It Like Being A Bat?” In his What Does It All Mean?. You can’t just observe or infer what is like to be a bat. You have to be a bat being a bat to know for sure. But since you can’t communicate as a bat what it’s like being a bat to a human, the question is unanswerable. Ditto with…[Read more]

Just dawned on me, Enco, your comment using poe. You mean to say i assume po, the tagalog word to show respect to an elder or friend? Yea well not too many Filipinos in service work in my area. A few at Costco and that is about all i have observed.

What’s it like being an octopus, having a brain like you and me but also another brain in each of its eight arms?

And what about squirrels, who are incredibly resourceful and capable of acrobatics that make cats and monkeys stare in abject wonder.

And what about prairie dogs, the only animals science…[Read more]