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Search found 26 matches

by lukanator
May 13th, 2009, 7:19 am
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: The land of the free
Replies: 11
Views: 2217

Re: The land of the free

Stupidity in numbers will win a few battles but it will always lose the war. Some people are born, live and die as evolutionary speed bumps.
by lukanator
May 10th, 2009, 5:42 am
Forum: Culture Club
Topic: Films
Replies: 231
Views: 48136

Re: Films

I watched "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and really enjoyed it. I thought it was a story about life and the human experience, with the "aging in reverse" thing simply being a setting rather than the story. I found its examination of life's journey very enriching and poignant. Brad Pitt also p...
by lukanator
May 10th, 2009, 5:33 am
Forum: Religion
Topic: Ready to go postal
Replies: 5
Views: 1052

Re: Ready to go postal

Lewist, thanks very much for the reply. Our young friend was initially diagnosed with GBM grade IV, which implied almost unequivocally that she'd soon leave this world. As luck would have it, the diagnosis was wrong and confirmed as something more treatable. That tumor was resected and she underwent...
by lukanator
May 9th, 2009, 7:55 am
Forum: Religion
Topic: Ready to go postal
Replies: 5
Views: 1052

Ready to go postal

I was discussing a young friend's battle with brain cancer with my in-laws and a friend of theirs. They took this conversation as an opportunity to talk to me about Satan, an ostensibly all-powerful deity capable of inflicting brain cancer who nonetheless harbors petty human vices such as hatred, en...
by lukanator
October 28th, 2008, 10:55 am
Forum: Social Club
Topic: The new insomniacs' thread
Replies: 245
Views: 118982

Re: The new insomniacs' thread

I woke up at 1:30 am, after nodding off around 8:30pm. It just worked out that way. I wish it were different, but it's a weird life I live right now...somewhat a-structural.
by lukanator
October 28th, 2008, 10:54 am
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: Should freethinkers ridicule religion?
Replies: 16
Views: 4767

Re: Should freethinkers ridicule religion?

If religion is treated like the War on Drugs, that will only make kids want more of it. It's like live action role play, it stimulates the same part of the brain I think. Ridicule is a treat to be enjoyed in the company of the like-minded, and it serves no useful purpose when shared with the subject...
by lukanator
October 28th, 2008, 10:50 am
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: Why debate?
Replies: 27
Views: 8177

Re: Why debate?

Something I read on another website has made me question the purpose of debating with believers about God. I won't say what it was yet. I want to find out the opinions of people here about whether you really think it's worthwhile spending the time and energy debating with religious believers who ge...
by lukanator
October 28th, 2008, 10:41 am
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: Atheist Prayers
Replies: 30
Views: 8931

Re: Atheist Prayers

Lifelinking wrote:I have a quirky sense of humour. No offence intended Lukanator.



L
None taken.
by lukanator
October 27th, 2008, 10:36 am
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: Atheist Prayers
Replies: 30
Views: 8931

Re: Atheist Prayers

They can be a great people; they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. They who say that we should love our fellow-citizens but not foreigners, destroy the universal brotherhood of mankind, with which benevolence and justice would perish forever. No problem of human destiny is beyon...
by lukanator
October 23rd, 2008, 10:40 pm
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: Atheist Prayers
Replies: 30
Views: 8931

Re: Atheist Prayers

Lifelinking wrote:They can be a great people; they wish to be.

Superman returns.....

Live long, and prosper.

to Vulcan!

:laughter:
(golf clap)
by lukanator
October 21st, 2008, 11:17 am
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: Atheist Prayers
Replies: 30
Views: 8931

Re: Atheist Prayers

They can be a great people; they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. They who say that we should love our fellow-citizens but not foreigners, destroy the universal brotherhood of mankind, with which benevolence and justice would perish forever. No problem of human destiny is beyon...
by lukanator
September 24th, 2008, 6:42 am
Forum: Humanist Vegetarian Group
Topic: Why are some thoughtful people vegetarian and others not?
Replies: 80
Views: 14420

Re: Why are some thoughtful people vegetarian and others not?

I'm not a vegetarian...yet. I haven't figured out how to enjoy food without partaking of meat. Plus I married into a Greek family. Vegetarianism is less common there than in the U.S. by a mile. Avoiding meat when in Athens will be tricky!
by lukanator
August 28th, 2008, 5:39 pm
Forum: Religion
Topic: Religion as Self-Medication
Replies: 4
Views: 1771

Re: Religion as Self-Medication

I actually felt "happier" when I submitted to the notion of a benevolent deity, which is what made me draw the comparison to recreational drug use and chemical dependency. However, I felt I was being intellectually dishonest and that's a bad habit, regardless of whether it makes you happy or not.
by lukanator
August 28th, 2008, 5:37 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous Discussions...
Topic: Venting about traditional weddings
Replies: 16
Views: 4208

Re: Venting about traditional weddings

P.S. I wanted to add that before my girlfriend and I got married, we had been together 10 years. Time truly flies when you're having fun. It simply never occurred to me that our relationship wasn't already exclusive and permanent and committed. We saw many, many marriages come and go during the peri...
by lukanator
August 28th, 2008, 5:33 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous Discussions...
Topic: Venting about traditional weddings
Replies: 16
Views: 4208

Re: Venting about traditional weddings

My Catholic soon-to-be-daughter-in-law (marrying atheist son, who really ought to be banished to outer darkness) wants to know what I'm wearing to their wedding. Unbelievable! Those are exactly the kind of "my values should be your values" assumptions that irk me about weddings. "So where did you g...
by lukanator
August 27th, 2008, 12:57 pm
Forum: Religion
Topic: Religion as Self-Medication
Replies: 4
Views: 1771

Religion as Self-Medication

Apologies if there's a topic on this already. I realized recently that there's no real difference between self-medicating through religion and self-medicating with alcohol or cigarettes or weed or cocaine or anything else. Reality bites sometimes, and people try to escape the pain somehow. Religious...
by lukanator
August 27th, 2008, 12:52 pm
Forum: Religion
Topic: Christian personality type
Replies: 14
Views: 2667

Re: Christian personality type

I have just spent the evening with two Christians with that specific personality type of being very pleasant, but also very bland. The kind who are so blandly nice that even though it appears genuine you can't believe that anyone can be like that. It seems to a be a specific Christian personality t...
by lukanator
August 27th, 2008, 12:49 pm
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: Are you a humanist or what?
Replies: 456
Views: 229124

Re: Are you a humanist or what?

The best way to piss off people (a mean-spirited passive little game I enjoy) who embrace labels is to not even play the game. When you defy categorization - proactively - it really irritates people who want to see the world in black and white. Ah yes, you're one of those anti-labellists. Dan Hi fi...
by lukanator
August 27th, 2008, 12:47 pm
Forum: Humanism, secularism, freethought...
Topic: A post concerning both religion and secularism
Replies: 14
Views: 3199

Re: A post concerning both religion and secularism

Something that has long bothered me in my on-line conversations (even some time ago when there was a Forum for the Humanist Association of Toronto) is the amount of time that is spent fighting about whether there is a god or not, about whether, if there is, anybody can figure out what it wants or n...
by lukanator
August 27th, 2008, 12:42 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous Discussions...
Topic: Venting about traditional weddings
Replies: 16
Views: 4208

Re: Venting about traditional weddings

Historically weddings have had traditions or meaning that seem to vary from culture to culture. I know my wife and I footed the bill for our wedding reception, despite the fact that "tradition" says the bride's parents pay for it (whose tradition?) Our emphasis was on having a party, something fun a...