[Why is it?]

Even a "dumb" phone can track you. It needs to "know" where it is and report that so that incoming calls go to the right towers.

 

I've never had a mobe except for work, and that got de-batteried as soon as my shift ended.

 

[Christian Threats of Damnation]

In the beginning was the word. And the word we "meh".

 

[Christian Threats of Damnation]

De-Athe is the end of everything.

 

For the mathematically inclined, 666 is a triangular number, being equal to the sum of the first 36 (6X6) whole numbers. Perhaps we should form a cabal to research Athematics.

 

[Why is it?]

Or as it says in my kitchen: "Eight legs good, six legs bad".

 

[Why is it?]

I'm always amazed at how many people keep their heads firmly in the sand when it comes to that sort of stuff.

[Interesting]

3 hours ago, RevBogovac said:

 

I see that in a more cyclical or wave pattern. This "tango" has also been around for god know how long. Just read the dialogues from the ancient Greek philosophers or the transcripts of Ancient Roman senate debates... nothing new, just rehashed. (Or did you think Trump, Putin, Bolsonaro, Duterte et al. actually invented this whole theatre?) 

 

Of course not, but having followed politics for 45 years I would say that the professionals are a bit worse, but the general public has become much more partisan.

[Interesting]

My point was that one trend is "everything is grey" and the other is "everything is black or white".

 

I agree that both trends have been around since the year dot, but I'm seeing both turned up to 11 recently.

 

[Interesting]

I find it odd that we have two (in my mind) contradictory trends going on.

 

First is the move towards cultural relativism - everything is equally valid.

Second is the increasing black-and-white polarization going on, especially in politics.

 

[Dharma and the ET]

Thanks. They're now on may "approved" list.

 

Currently listening to

 

[Dharma and the ET]

Yay - someone else likes Snarky Puppy! 👍

 

Checking out the Metropole Orchestra now.

 

[Why is it?]

Never mind me - HK vs Taiwan already resolved.

 

 

[Dharma and the ET]

I think humans are quick to believe that everything has a purpose. Nonetheless, I think ET might be interested in the idea that the Universe had a purpose.

 

Other quite general ideas come to mind... life is sacred; consciousness is sacred; something meaningful remains of us after our death.

 

[Dharma and the ET]

On 3/22/2020 at 6:20 PM, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:

I was trying for an intelligent conversation about ideas.  I'm sorry if I'm coming across as a humorless old grump.

 

Please.  No more ice cream humor.

 

 

 

 

Sorry Jonathan. One of my weaknesses is a pathological inability to resist a straight line. I didn't intend or expect to derail the thread.

 

For discussion of aliens, I think the best source is SF. Yes, a lot of it is thinly veiled humans or monsters with ray guns, bur there are some authors who have put serious thought into what an alien might be like. There is a good paper on this  here.

As noted there, the key thing about aliens is that they are alien. They will cheerfully insist that two plus two is orange.

 

One author not mentioned in that paper who has several times produced good insightful alien stories is Gordon R Dickson. I would particularly recommend The Alien Way for an examination of evolutionary impacts on psychology or The Way of the Pilgrim for alien spirituality.

 

In film, I thought Arrival presented (and then rather skipped over) some real differences in outlook. A good film anyway.

 

 

[Dharma and the ET]

Quote

On 3/20/2020 at 4:25 PM, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:

  What does Earth have, besides Buddhism -- that ET might find interesting?

 

 

Pistachio ice cream?

[The Real You]

I have long held that all theories are wrong, or at best incomplete.

 

[Starting the first ulc church UK]

Nope, it's ULC ORG UK/forum

 

 

I believe the Monastery thing is a bit of code on this site.

 

 

[THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE PALI CANON]

We can't see because your link points to a file on your local machine. You would need to link to a public version.

 

[Starting the first ulc church UK]

Is it www.ulc.co.uk?

 

[Speculations on Alien Life and Religion]

Not really.

 

Instead of thinking of it as the speed of light, think of it as the speed of causality. That may help to clarify why you can't go any faster.

[God bless everyone and marry Christmas]

Merry midwinter and all the best for the new year, everyone.

[Hello from Old and refreshed me.]

Welcome back.

[Christian Threats of Damnation]

I think there is another form of agnostic, who says that God may or may not exist, but if (s)he does, they are in principle unknowable. We can have no more understanding of God than an ant could have of a whale.

[If the gods (small g) were proven to be true.]

Miriam-Webster offers:

Quote

: a being or object believed to have more than natural attributes and powers and to require human worship

 

specifically : one controlling a particular aspect or part of reality

 

The requiring worship aspect intrigues me. I don't think that applies across all traditions. For example the Aesir were dangerous and might punish disrespect if they saw it, but AFAIK they had no need for or interest in any form of adulation.

 

[If God were proven to exist]

On 9/12/2019 at 8:24 PM, Jonathan H. B. Lobl said:

 

 

 

Your comment brings us to a discussion of the gods -- small g -- instead of God with the big G.

 

Is that what you intended?  I don't mind.  The gods are interesting.  I need to be clear.  Is that what you intended?

 

 

 

 

I intended a moment of levity.

 

[If God were proven to exist]

Quantum theory depends on probability and chaos theory.

 

Hail Eris, all hail Discordia!