Jonathan H. B. Lobl

Are we making a distinction between being "wrong" and "mistaken?" In any event -- who is the judge of right and wrong? How do we even define these terms in the abstract? Who gets to decide what a "right" to do anything is? In the abstract. speaking of "rights" is not useful.

"The Word" is not in a book. "The Word" can not be heard with the ear or seen with the eye. "The Word" is not damaged by weather. IMO

The Honorary Doctor of Divinity is amusing. Don't put it on your resume.

I think this is more complicated than it needs to be. I am "respectful" of difference.

To my understanding; much of what we now know as Christianity was created by Paul -- not the historic Jesus -- if there even was a historic Jesus.

To my understanding, Christ has the same meaning as Buddha. Just as anyone can become a Buddha -- anyone can become a Christ.

It is subjective on my part. I have a more intense emotional revulsion to the far right. I have no love at all for the far left, which are also very evil. IMO

Trying to discuss whether the far right is worse than the far left -- of if the Communists are worse than the Fascists -- is a losing proposition. It is like arguing that devils are better than demons. A pox on them both.

Self harm takes so many forms: Poor diet, bad career choices, shoes that don't fit well and hurt the feet; coats that don't provide enough warmth; the wrong kind of plastic storgage devices for food..... How much protection can society really force on the individual? Every choice we make has consequences and we make a lot of choices. The world can not protect us from our selves.

Nazi Germany is the ultimate example of statism. You can't get more "right" than that.

Militant Atheism, or militant anything else is not opposite the right wing. It is a variation of the right wing. In the same way that the Christers and the Islamists are variations on the theme. Since the key word here is militant -- I'm thinking "Apathetic" would be the opposite. Such as the "Universal Church Triumphant of the Apathetic Agnostic."

It is hard to know how real some real groups are. Temple of the Jedi Order; templeofthejediorder.org The Jedi Church: jedichurch.org

I agree. The question is -- if the middle is being replaced by the extreams -- What is the other extream which is opposite the right wing?

What is the opposite of right wing religion? I don't think that it's Atheism.

Isn't that what God is doing? Having all experiences?

In time to come, it might well be possible to upload a mind into a computer. That does not mean interacting with the real world. You could have any kind of world you want. It would seem real. In fact, once a mind is digitized, it could be endlessly duplicated. We could populate our own virtual worlds.

The definition of Jewish Atheism: There is no God and we are his people.

Well, day by day -- one foot in front of the other. It's not deep wisdom. It's all there is. At least, all I have. It would be nice if things made sense. They don't; but it would be nice. I noticed one day that my cat was happy. What had he done with his life? What mark had he made in the world? He was happy. Maybe this is enough.

Even a sense of futility and hopelessness is something. I don't think it is possible to go back with "nothing."

Who said that life has to make "sense?" It doesn't. It just is. IMO. "42"

"The time has come for us to set aside our principles -- and do what's right."

Don't knock it. Your cats think that feeding the cats is important.

That is not what I said. I think it is possible to enjoy the scent of flowers; without having been sprayed by a skunk.

"God is like a miror. The miror never changes, but everybody who looks into it will see something different." I don't know the source.

I think that it is possible to be happy; or at least content -- without knowing misery.