Brother Kaman

I do not understand why one must engage with another on the forum that they find irritating, rude or otherwise upsetting. whether or not the other can or cannot be blocked. Is it a need to be seen by others on the forum as being right or more thoughtful or is it a need to get the last word? When someone on the forum takes a conversation further than I wish to go, be it stupidity or rudeness or anything else that may upset me, I quit responding to that conversation. We all have the power to disengage or not respond in the first place. No buttons necessary.

Now I have mixed emotions about that.

I don't think Christians quite understand that someone had to torture and kill Jesus. If Jesus died for thier sins, peacefully in his sleep at 86 years of age, it just wouldn't be the same. If I were a Christian I would say kudos to who ever may have done it in order to provide the Christians with a messiah. That said, lets give credit where credit is due and quit blaming the innocent.

We often do not choose our outcomes but we make many of the choices that lead us to those outcomes. We are also subject to the choices of other's such as Rev. Calli's childhood experience with the choices of his priest.

Only a simpleton could believe otherwise, RabbiO.

I am having a dickens of a time with my posts today. Please forgive me.

I am having a dickens of a time with my posts today. Please forgive me.

I am having a dickens of a time with my posts today. Please forgive me.

Yes. Running into a burning building without thinking of the consequences, leaping into the river to save the child, covering the hand grenade with your body are not instinctual responses. If they were instinctual, they would be shared by all of the same individuals of the specie with a only a few exceptions. There are but a few of us that would do such things. Fight, flight or freeze are all choices be they conscious or sub (un)conscious choices.

Yes. Running into a burning building without thinking of the consequences, leaping into the river to save the child, covering the hand grenade with your body are not instinctual responses. If they were instinctual, they would be shared by all of the same individuals of the specie with a only a few exceptions. There are but a few of us that would do such things. Fight, flight or freeze are all choices be they conscious or sub (un)conscious choices.

Yes. Running into a burning building without thinking of the consequences, leaping into the river to save the child, covering the hand grenade with your body are not instinctual responses. If they were instinctual, they would be shared by all of the same individuals of the specie with a only a few exceptions. There are but a few of us that would do such things. Fight, flight or freeze are all choices be they conscious or sub (un)conscious choices.

Yes. Running into a burning building without thinking of the consequences, leaping into the river to save the child, covering the hand grenade with your body are not instinctual responses. If they were instinctual, they would be shared by all of the same individuals of the specie with a only a few exceptions.

Conscious choices, unconscious choices, choices driven by chemical imbalances or choices made by the mentally ill are none the less choices.

Momma always kept her pistol in her dresser drawer but would still get in anyone's face if the circumstances warranted. And you are right, she was a saint.

We were poor when I was a child. I will not go into the details of how poor but if we were in a restaurant (we never did) my momma would have given them anything they asked for but would have died to keep them from stealing it from her or us. Matter of principle she would have said. She always said principles are worth dying for and that was one of hers.

I have chosen to believe that George Washington was the first U.S. President because I have chosen what is was taught in school and what has been written in the history books. That does not mean that I will continue to believe that if new evidence s b old arrive to suggest it is not true (historians have uncovered evidence that George Washington's real name was Igor Smith and changed his name to avoid prosecution in Maryland.) I will believe there are wind mills in the Netherlands much for the same reasons as I have never been to the Netherlands to witness the wind mills myself. As far as my grandfather is concerned, I cannot believe nor disbelieve he was born in a school house as there are no existing records (if I am to believe the record keepers) regarding the specific details of his birth. I choose to believe what I do and can choose to disbelieve it as easily. Was that the experiment?

Momma always used to say, "There are good and bad in all people." It doesn't matter one's religion, nationality or color. My experiences has have proven that to be true.

Humor also takes some of the sting out of being alive.

Humor may well be the most important thing that keeps me sane and relatively non violent. As the saying goes, "There is no evidence that life should be taken seriously."

I have dreamed that I was cursing or loudly shouting actual words at people and my wife has told me that I was loudly moaning or "wooooooing" in my sleep.

The US is on the other side of the plate.

Your photo taken from the moon shows the earth to be shaped similar to a plate. Maybe a flat plate.

Hurt could be defined as harm. Harm the child to prevent harm to the child?

I get ya. Whatever your belief or disbelief or doubt is moot but it would be easier argued from a position you are familiar with.

I would think that you would first argue your own position. If you believe in a G/god, then argue for such a G/god. If you don't believe there is a G/god, then argue that. If you don't know then choose that position. Later, you will have heard the arguments against your position and will be better equipped to take on one of the other positions? Best to start with what you think you know. There will be many who will try to let you know that you are wrong.