Are you naturally inclined to put things in compartments and label items as such? Yes, yes you are.
Are you naturally inclined to take a star shaped peg and try to fit it into a round hole and then a square hole, never conceiving a star shaped hole, only trying to cram the star shaped peg into the round hole then the square hole then the round hole then the square hole.

George - 25 October 2012 08:06 AM

A clue: If you think religion is to be blamed for 9/11, you are probably a new atheist. If you simply don’t believe in God, you are an atheist.

When you say religion is to be blamed, do you mean that religion was the only factor pertaining to 9/11? Or do you mean to say, “do you think that the people who flew the planes into the towers were motivated by their faith because they knew, upon impact, they would be transported to paradise?”

I need to know just what you mean before I cast my vote. Otherwise, what you’re asking and then giving clues about is simply far too vague.

GeneralHeresy - 20 November 2012 09:28 AM

Or do you mean to say, “do you think that the people who flew the planes into the towers were motivated by their faith because they knew, upon impact, they would be transported to paradise?”

Sure, you can go with this one.

George - 25 October 2012 08:06 AM

A clue: If you think religion is to be blamed for 9/11, you are probably a new atheist. If you simply don’t believe in God, you are an atheist.

You might have explained why you were asking…..

9-11 is kind of a distraction.  I think it’s because America thinks it can “Westernize” or “Democratize” these nations.  They wouldn’t know Democracy if it bit them in ass and I don’t think they want any part of it. 

For the most part where I’m coming from now is I just don’t buy into the Personal God that answers prayers of sports teams and desperate gamblers or even war-time presidents.  I’m not even with the Deists as a fall back. 

I will make an admission though that I vaguely entertain Pantheistic ideas.  Not to say I have a concrete belief in in Pantheism, but it’s something included in the books and ideas I explore where terms like God and Nature are interchangeable. 

Richard Dawkins says that Pantheism is “Sexed Up” Atheism and maybe he has a point to.  But at the moment I’m reading Alan Watts stuff just to see what I think about it.

I don’t know who can be blamed for it, but I’m getting really annoyed because, at least in Southern Califiornia, every damned radio station I normally listen to is constantly playing Xmas music.  I don’t know if it’s a conspiracy or I’m becoming more crotchety and less forgiving, but I’ll be overjoyed when we reach the 26th.  I don’t know whether this makes me a new or old atheist, and I don’t care. Geez, even the Santa Barbara station I have in the background just started a rendition of “what child is this?”.  Gahhh. 

Occam

Occam:

It’s called marketing. 

I am taking refuge with my headphones playing Rob Zombie

garythehuman - 24 December 2012 03:14 PM

Occam:

It’s called marketing. 

A three minute commercial is bad enough, but I can put up with it.  Four weeks of continuous (note that I didn’t say “continual”) religious commercials is driving me buggy.  And you’re right, V__, I should have broken out the earphones and CDs.

Occam

Look for ‘Bob Rivers and Twisted Christmas’, it can be a morale-saver if you’re being dogged to death.

I will make everyone listen to Merry Christmas by Wesley Willis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRW2poUfJ34

There, see if that helps!