rhonjon

[rhonjon]

jakelafort wrote:

rhonjon, you’ve copied text without adding your own!

 

Oops! Didn’t realize that.

 

I was replying to Unseen’s post about racism. I said:

 

We no longer use the word “racist.” In out enlightened, politically correct parlance, we now say “socially obsolete.”

 

In response to the subsequent posts, I must say the polemic between those who champion free speech and those who take offense at pejorative language goes on.           A few decades ago, certain Indian tribes took offense at football team names—the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Red Skins. Yet, the movie White Men Can’t Jump would never have been produced if white producer hadn’t green lighted it. It’s like the comedian Paul Mooney said “White men don’t have to jump. They own the team. But when you don’t own anything—when you have no power—I guess the best you can do is worry about what people call you.

 

As for me, you know the saying, it’s not what you call me, but what I answer to.

[rhonjon]

Unseen wrote:

jakelafort wrote:

Call a spade a spade. I have a foggy memory of that phrase being a public issue some time ago. I think many are unaware of any bigotry associated.

Is bigotry a mere colloquial vocabulary choice or an intended use? Words and expressionse that once had racist meanings: “peanut gallery,” “paddy wagon,” “mumbo jumbo,” and “off the reservation.” Should we stop using such terminology even if we use it without a racist intent? Of course, we could also discuss what the word “racist” means. Are words like “towel head,” “Kike,” “greaser,” racist words or simply insults? I’m an old guy. When I was a kid there were three races: white, black, and brown/red. Europeans, Africans, and Native Americans. Later on, we added the oceanics and the closely-related (as I understand it) Australian “aborigines” (a term which is kind of insulting on its own, implying they are proto-humans in some way). We used to deprecate the French by calling them “frogs” and the British “limeys.” Should we start calling frogs “chubby salamanders”? and limes “green lemons”? What is a “race” anymore? Hss the term become so broadly-used as to no longer have much meanin All humor aside, is racism based on intent or mere usage? And do I have to give up using “mumbo jumbo,” one of my favorite expressions for nonsense?

 

[rhonjon]

jakelafort wrote:

Call a spade a spade. I have a foggy memory of that phrase being a public issue some time ago. I think many are unaware of any bigotry associated. The racist term i have heard on and off since childhood is gypped. You must know that one if you are an American. “That son of a bitch gyped me!” Just like spade a spade oft times the speaker knows not the racist origins although it is hard to imagine not ever realizing the connection between gypped an Gypsy. When i was practicing law i had a client who admonished me not to let em “Jew ya down.” I won’t attach any significance to hurtful words or phrases unless i am sure the speaker knows of what they speak and speaks with intention to be hurtful. And in that spirit i close.

 

No, I wasn’t aware of a racial connotation for calling a spade a spade.  I do know that gypsy refers to Egypt and has the same mean intention as the “N word.”

 

I even found an etymological connection between “husband” and “husbandry.” It goes back to when a man’s wife was his property, to be cared for and protected, but still property. Yet we still use the word “HUSBAND.” It’s hard to speak the truth with a language that was designed to support lies.

 

[rhonjon]

Simon Paynton wrote:

Spirituality could be described as an umbrella term. Also, many of its constituent concepts are vague and fuzzy too. That doesn’t mean they don’t refer to anything.

 

What’s important—what will help us to start communicating and answering the original question—is not what the word “spiritual” means universally in all its ubiquitous manifestations. All we need to know is what the poster meant when he asked the question. Did he mean delving deep into our minds and emotions in order to achieve some kind of self-improvement? And by “spirit” did he mean a being outside the natural world? If so, then let’s answer the fucking question as he meant it.

[rhonjon]

Simon Paynton wrote:

jakelafort wrote:

What do you mean by “spiritual”, in this case?”

See what i mean? Worthless word. If we can’t understand the speaker without asking their definition then we have come upon a word that ought to be obsolete and archaic.

I think “self-improvement” or “self-purification” are spiritual concepts that comes into play in this case.

 

If we had said “self-improvement or self-purification” we wouldn’t be on page 8 still arguing over the word “spirituality.” And let’s not argue over whether we should get rid of the word. Let’s just call a spade a spade and be done with it. So, rhon, what is a spade? Get outta here.

 

[rhonjon]

TheEncogitationer wrote:

Rhonjon,

If I were describing a character in Greek mythology or popular fiction, I wouldn’t leave a disclaimer letting people know that character doesn’t really exist. Maybe I should do that when I describe god. I just figure that at an atheist website, it goes without saying.

This is true, though as you can see from Forum activity, we sometimes have some unique visitors. 😁

 

Indeed, we do. I’m relatively new here, but I did start out in the introduction forum. Is there a forum or group here where we tell our story about deconversion and/or our experience in the church. I’ve a wacky story to tell.

[rhonjon]

TheEncogitationer wrote:

Rhonjon, He would have to first exist, but, yes, the God portrayed in The Holy Bible would definitely count as one.

 

 

If I were  describing a character in Greek mythology or popular fiction, I wouldn’t leave a disclaimer letting people know that character doesn’t really exist.  Maybe I should do that when I describe god. I just figure that at an atheist website, it goes without saying.

[rhonjon]

Unseen wrote:

I was told that in Heaven the “saved” praise God constantly. Sounds like fun(?). No thanks. I’ll take extinction over that.

 

Sounds like some cosmic ego maniac who throws a hissy fit whenever anyone else gets any attention. When I used to go to church, a man whom everybody said was a prophet came and said al this emphasis on praise is more about what’s good for the Christian music industry than what God needs. Now when the clergy tell you it’s all shit, believe that if nothing else.

[rhonjon]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

Carl Sagan said: “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” If the stars did not explode and send the debris of atoms around the Universe we would not be here. We can credit our creation to the death of stars and the molecules and amino acids they produce. I have a tattoo of a protein chain of amino acids, extending from an exploding star on my right arm. If you decode this protein chain it reads “I am star stuff”. Our recycled molecules and atoms are as close to immortality as we will ever get.

 

Oh wow! The universe isn’t run by a god but by a HOLLYWOOD con man. “I’m going to make you a star, baby!”

[rhonjon]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

I have always liked Carl Sagan. I also like the Jim Morrison slant on it (more than the John Lennon idea!) They are waiting to take us into the severed garden Do you know how pale and wanton thrillful Comes death on a strange hour? Unannounced, unplanned for Like a scaring over-friendly guest you’ve brought to bed Death makes angels of us all And gives us wings Where we had shoulders Smooth as raven’s claws No more money, no more fancy dress This other kingdom seems by far the best Until its other jaw reveals incest And loose obedience to a vegetable law I will not go Prefer a Feast of Friends To the Giant Family

 

Loose obedience to a vegetable law? I’ll have to sleep on that one.

 

Yes, Christians love to point out that death comes like a thief in the night. We are supposed to scorn this life in favor of the glories of heaven. Give up the bird in hand in favor of two birds in the bush that’s around the corner. What makes it so ill is  the bible actually says only Jesus is immortal. He dwells in the light that no man had ever seen nor can see. (1 Timothy 6:14-16)

 

Live until you die

Laugh until you cry

When your number’s up

Fill your cup

That day, no man can spy

 

[rhonjon]

Reg the Fronkey Farmer wrote:

Hi! According to the Elohim the universe is infinite in time and space with no beginning,middle or end just existing in the ever present eternal now moment. That is not scientifically correct.

 

I had to think about that. My conclusion is that while it’s true space is infinite(if humans could live long enough and travel fast enough to reach the edge of outerspace, we wouldn’t rest until we found a way to breach the barrier and discover a new frontier on the other side of the end of nothing), the visible universe as we know it did began with the big bang, and it may end when the galaxies are so far apart that they become parts of other universes, just as when a sun goes nova the elemental particles that made up that sun travel outward to form other suns.

[rhonjon]

Have you read “Billions and Billions” by Carl Sagan? This was his last book before he died of a sudden, yet lingering illness. Near the end of the book is where he is diagnosed with this illness and with his trademark eloquence, he shares his thoughts. I can’t tell you what he said without spoiling the ending. But if you’re a Saganphile, like me, you’ll love what he had to say and how he said it.

[rhonjon]

RichRaelian wrote:

Hi! According to the Elohim the universe is infinite in time and space with no beginning,middle or end just existing in the ever present eternal now moment.

RichRaelian wrote:

Hi! According to the Elohim the universe is infinite in time and space with no beginning,middle or end just existing in the ever present eternal now moment.

 

I may be totally wrong (correct me with chapter and verse and I will not be offended) but I don’t know where the bible says that. Unless you are of some other religious persuasion which worships the Elohim. To my knowledge, that is a Hebrew designation for God. Did you get that doctrine from the Talmud?  Some form of Kabbalism?

[rhonjon]

RichRaelian wrote:

Hi! I want to go to the eternal life planet.

 

That would be Neptune. It’s so cold there your body would go into deep freeze and you’d never die.

[rhonjon]

_Robert_ wrote:

I realized that heaven is a carrot tied to a stick, oddly enough I felt a sense of relief. Keeping score on my sins and up to date on confessions and prayers is a real chore. There was the fear of that fire pit as well. That shit weighs heavy on a 7-year-old. And well, heaven simply makes no sense. Without sorrow there is no joy. Without dark there is no light.

 

Could anything be more shameful than scaring a seven year old child with visions of hell. At least the boogieman and Santa Clause couldn’t hurt me as long as I stayed under the covers.  It’s odd that many children who grow up being told about Santa Claus don’t stop to think that maybe their parents lied to them about God, too.

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