I'm not needing work there. You on the other hand need a lot of work on grammar and style. A mix of one word sentences, incomplete sentences and long sentences that should 6 or 8 is not helping you be understood. My grammar is not perfect but out of respect for the non-English speakers I at least TRY to get it close. I try to avoid things like non-standard abbreviations without including the unabbreviated version at least once. Try to anticipate how what I say could misinterpreted and explain it before it's asked. I try to layout the post such that it's easy to follow. You seem to be fluent in English and you claim to be from a profession that requires a college degree so you should be capable of doing these things, but you do none of them. I don't see it. What I do see is you being offended by who says something, not by what is said. You've pitched fits even when I've asked for clarification or agreed with you. Which in essence is saying I WAS AGREEING WITH YOU. Also, You've accused me of several times of quibbling. You just said agnostics do not quibble. The obvious conclusion of your thoughts is that I am not agnostic. Multiple people here have either directly or indirectly accused me of being agnostic based entirely on my thoughts. Clearly your view of what an agnostic thinks like is not compatible with the consensus. Philosophy .... Productive ...... I certainly hope so. I had a few years of college before the Military and my aptitude tests suggested Philosophy would be a good choice. So I looked at it as a possible profession. Why would anyone want to be a PROFESSIONAL in a skill who's only significant job opportunities (& purpose) are to teach others how to do it? Not saying it's not important as a elective in other paths. But as an actual job.... I prefer a job where one actually does things vice sitting around and thinking about them.
i step into that sh**. @joe, and everytime i feel my soles sink into the sh**, i know i should be wiser.. but wtf, i can`t help myself.
I think Man always has Free Will. That the existence of a God (with or without a set of omni's) is irrelevant. Man has Free Will either way. That if a man chooses not to do something over fear of consequences that (the act of choosing) is exercising his Free Will. (Examples) An unrestrained slave chooses to run or not run. A slave bound with shackles chooses to try and escape them or not. If he tries and fails he still made a choice. He can then choose to try again or give up. ~~~~ The nature of the consequences and the one wielding consequences (God vs Slave Owner) doesn't matter. The man chooses to risk the consequences or not. That he can make that choice is where the Free Will is. That's what started all the fireworks in here. Because if he is both omniscience and omnipotent then he created us in order to punish us. He is cruel. - As is self evident in the Old Testament. Some of the Religious folk in here want to take the Bible as literal for Creation while at the same time ignoring that it shows him as cruel if taken literally. They want two cakes and to eat both of them. .
@Joe C: I don't see PCBONEZ as a troll. Just like you or I, He expressed his opinions. Whether or not we agree, well that's another story. @PCBONEZ: I agree. You can still choose. Regardless of whether God exists or not.
Honesty is best. So, I believe you. Really. In order to improve on that, I think you could spend a bit of time you use for writing long posts to read a little bit slower, preferably with a bit of understanding, i.e. more carefully. Then, think for a moment about not letting that huge ego of yours getting in the way of "agreeing" with somebody you allegedly agree with, only to appear to be "correcting" that position you agree with. Who knows, it might even do you some good... Btw, this has nothing to do with "non-native English speakers" (I presume this is what you meant by "non-English speakers" - which is absurd, given the fact we are debating in English ), grammar, style and so on (this is the oldest clobbering tool in the book, together with the "real world" bomb) - but with thinking. So, let's see how you stand with that... Ahem, I have even agreed with ThommasMan - several times, in fact - so, sorry, you must go back to the drawing board. I mean, it does sound nice for your "deduction" purposes - but it just "ain't true"... Is that when you say "yes" and then "however, it's not what you say but this is how it really is"? Is that the "Yeah but no but yeah but no but..." PCB "agreeing"? It's a little confusing and it seems to me it also is a confused way of "agreeing" - but hey, what do I know, perhaps you could teach me some of that logic. It's new to me. Even though I studied it. But I keep forgetting that tech guys are the only ones who "actually get it", sorry... Must be my advanced age... Where? Point precisely, please. It looks like more of that brilliant "logic" of yours: Me: "Agnostics don't get drawn into Qs which can not be reasonably answered. You quibble." You: "Therefore, agnostics don't quibble." ???? Never mind Aristotle. I mean, give it up for PCB! A new syllogism has been borne!!! You must write a paper on this one. I am sure several awards for "PCB Logics" are to follow. Perhaps it will even be taught at a Uni Philosophy course one day... At least when the military infiltrate the last refuge for scoundrels who dare question the PCB military logic... Now, that is a new one. Perhaps you could share these brilliant lines of "PCB Logics" with us, mere mortals, who are just not at your level of "obvious"? Pretty please.... (Oh, sh*t, now I've done it, here comes a mile long post full of sweet nothings, asserting PCB logic... Madre mia!!! ) Wow! Accused you, eh? Poor you. You must feel awful now. Btw, what does military "think" on these issues? Will you be reprimanded for being an agnostic? Yes. Brilliant! If only I said that.... Hmmm... You see, if I say that you should do something you actually can do - only by PCB logic that might mean "Go do philosophy"... So, lots of indeed!!! More honorary PhDs from Philosophers all over the world to follow, I am sure... AHAHAHAAAAA!!!!(Ahem, sorry, that was "uncalled for"... [Oh, brother, I haven't had such a laugh on MDL in ages!!! Thank you! ]) And that's which military? It seems to me their tests need a little work... well, based on your "logic" alone, as demonstrated here. But then again, military and thinking in the same sentence... Ahem... First of all, dude, it ain't a "skill"... I mean... what a laugh! Secondly, "grammar and style" - "who's" is an abbreviation of "who is" or "who has" - have a look at this: http://www.elearnenglishlanguage.com/blog/english-mistakes/whos-vs-whose/ - perhaps you will even understand it... one day... Thirdly: that is your considered understanding of several thousands of years of "philosophy", is it? Wow! I thank you, Sir, for your precious "guidance". I was blind for all of my adult life. Just one Q: how could such a useless activity endure for so long, be so influential in all walks of our activities as Humans and actually be so "dumb"? So dumb, in fact, that you actually thought of it as a profession! (OLE! ) You mean, "an elective", oh grammar master? And the "denigration" is coming from "on high", as in "military", so that is a definitive "put down", right? Well, you're in good company: Stipe Shuvar, back then Minister for Education, a veritable Stalinist of former Yugoslavia, where I grew up and studied etc. - thought the same as you and reduced it in high/grammar schools significantly. In fact, he only left it in some schools earmarked for his buddies', rather priviledged kids. Go figure... I went against such "logic" and his "values" only to have been found completely wrong all this time... Shoot, I feel wasted and trashed now. My whole life just flashed before my eyes - after YOU opened them. Where would we be without such dazzling display of clear and useful PCB Military logics... (Style, Sir, style, I beg you! If you are using vice (as in a latin word) one should put it in Italics, for instance... ) Right, perhaps somebody should have warned Aristotle and co. long ago. Alas, back then they did not have US military to tell them how things actually are, so they had no chance to "be all that they could be" and instead went on being mere useless fools. (Oh, wait, wasn't Socrates killed by his peers for "teaching kids how to think"... ermmm, I mean, poisoning them with "wrong ideas"? Damn, beat you to it!!! ) Donald, may I recommend this brilliant mind for US Defence Secretary!!! I think you two will get along just "great". The best! 'Cause he's got words. The best words. You will love 'em. Truly!
Me too. Took the class in High School. It didn't stick. I meant speaking Russian or German, maybe Japanese - right here - in the forum. .
About as humorous as Archie Bunker would be in today's world in a predominantly black and Jewish neighborhood. Spoiler
I knew what you meant too. I was more or less conducting a mini-experiment in human nature. I ignored your covert jab and demonstrated the idea of turning the other cheek by responding to aggression with a peaceful remark. As you just demonstrated all that gets you is slapped again even when the aggressor claims a higher spiritual/moral ground. To me that's very humorous. - Thanks! Expanding your education. My education was partially funded by the military, that doesn't make it a military education. The US military trades education funding for time in service in areas such as Science/Engineering/Medicine to get qualified young people in those disciplines as well as to provide an Education to people that otherwise might never get one. Someone fresh out of Engineering or Medical school is unlikely to go into the Military. They want higher pay and most probably need to pay off loans. Military disciplines are reserved for those slatted to become Line Officers. That is not me. I had no more to do with Military Operations/Thinking/Strategy/Planning than a Medical Doctor that happens to be in the Military. Like myself, Medical Doctors are not Line Officers. - Your earlier criticisms of me for Military Operations/Thinking/Strategy/Planning were ignorance. Future ones will be deliberate stupidity. You keep bring it up as if you know all about military thinking so evidently you've done a great deal of deliberate study in the military disciplines. I haven't done any significant study there. Never interested me. So who's thinking is skewed by military ideas and thinking? - Not mine. .
I never watched that show because I never saw racism as funny. You seem to be very familiar with the show. FYI: My neighborhood is about 5% Caucasian. Evidently you have assumed that I am part of the 5%.
I don't even know enough about that show to know why that question is pertinent. Never watched it. Thank you for at least asking before jumping to some invalid conclusion. More people should try that. I don't think it matters so I choose not to say at this time. I will say that my parents encouraged my siblings and I to make our own Religious choices so we followed (or tried to) a number of Religions while I was growing up. Jewish was one of them. My doubts formed early. My age was one digit when I started getting kicked out of Sunday for insisting on logical answers to simple questions, like: "So if the planet is flooded such that no land is above water, then were did the water go?" I wasn't buying the typical BS answers they use to shut kids up.
OK, free lessons in humility to follow, round two... Before I start, I have to declare "interest": my mum wanted to send me to military high-school and then academia - I was quite good in maths and sciences, I excelled in school, plus she wasn't very well paid and she thought she would not be able to afford it, so... But at a tender age of 15 I dug in and showed her I wanted freedom and I knew that my nature is critically minded, so no military sh*t for me... It was a painful confrontation but it had to be done. And "we" pulled it off somehow... That was in Tito's Stalinist Yugoslavia, with free education, all the way to PhD, free health service, paid holidays, paid sick leave, equal pay for women, pensions and whatnot... Now, let's see how things are in the "land of the free"... Could most Americans dream of such stuff nowadays - and it's getting worse, it seems... considerably worse - just look at the new education secretary, the utterly incompetent and unprepared but heavily prejudiced billionaire woman who (ever so slightly) "favours private education" and is willing to de-fund the public sector even more than it is now... I mean, yayks!!! So, context set, let's rock'n'roll...... But of course you did... Me, too. I always do that when I am being treated so benevolently, from "on high", as shown in my previous "considered response"... Btw, you scored badly. As seen above... And now "for real": it seems to me, you weren't "conducting an experiment" but you were "tamed" a wee bit, using your own "tools"... Check it out. Language/terminology and "style", Sir, show one's mindset, you see: there was nothing "covert" about it (oh, I just love that "special language" - "covert operations" and whatnot - so sexy!). You "ignored" many a point. You had to, There was no defence. You were "caught with your pants down" and slapped back. Well, in that case, let's go all the way, why not: you were aggressive, pedantic, combative, full of yourself, enough to annoy anyone, no matter how patient - and then I decided to give you a taste of your own medicine... Strangely enough, you didn't seem to have liked it, you were surprised and left speechless, hence very short messages followed, in what looked like you may have found some humility, after all, when being shown through, as a bit of a fraud... OK, OK, at least for a while. So, now that you have re-grouped and caught your breath, as it were, you want to carry on as before. Right... Sure... And now "let's speak the truth", shall we: what that demonstrates is - don't start (being an "aggressor") in the first place. (Love the military terms and logic all the way, while claiming you have nothing to do with the military, they just paid the bills and your "zero-sum game" all the way has nothing to do with anything, it's just... "normal"...) Oh, any time. You keep doing it, try to be "clever", and I'll show right through it, grammar, style, vocabulary and all.... I beg your pardon? Is that yet another military phrase? Sorry, mercifully I had no military education, so "expanding your education" would mean "something completely different". Yeah, that's right - right out of Monty Python... Oh, yes it does - everything you say kinda points in that direction. But hey, you feel differently. Very well. ("Grammar and style" moment, Sir: you're missing a comma or two, here and there - but OK, you're military, well trained, you have good lungs on ya, so long sentences without pausing to take a breath is easy-peasy for ya, hence no need for commas/pauses, when we take a breath, to be able to finish a sentence without fainting, us mere mortals... ) In other words, like gen. Ch. de Gaulle, after WWII, they get young (otherwise close to zero chance of funding their own education) and pliable people from poor backgrounds, who then become ever so mildly thankful and duly formed in a "military mind mould" without ever suspecting any such thing. How very devious of them... Oh, you never mentioned the terrible score in social mobility when it comes to the US (and UK) - see Rowntree and OECD reports, where the US scored lowest/worst, contrary to the popular (holly-woody) belief about "Amuuurica, Amuuurica, the land of the free, the land of opportunity" and whatnot. It appears the motor of social immobility in such places is precisely - the education system. In the US case, well over 1/2 of taxes goes to the military budget. Not much into education and all those other "sochu-lism bad" projects and under this monster president - it's gonna get even meaner! The US spends more than combined 20 top countries on the list of military spending. And they seem to be flourishing in such a system, where they "benevolently" rescue the talented young who would otherwise only dream of such education, for which one needs three jobs, just to survive and put your kid through college somehow, plus your kid comes out with a ton of debt anyway and hence "tamed" in various ways, pliable to do as s/he's told... What a "great" system to have all that "freedom" professed and insisted upon methodically "prevented"... So, see above. Taxpayer's money for influence. Sure, these "risk takers" were probably also from more wealthy families or they have bigger balls or both. In which case military can't really "influence" them all that much. But the bankers can... So, the military turn to the pool of desperate talented young people, who can't afford to want freedom all that much. And those that can, they think and act freely. Or at least they think they do. Well, at least they think they are outside the system of "discipline" and "do as you're told system". Little do they know... Paying off debt later on, having to be schtum whatever they may be doing, toe the corporate line, which in fact made it possible to have such a gargantuan and fiercely influential "military-industrial complex" in the firsts place...... And you claim this has nothing to do with the way you think or feel, eh? Yeah, of course it doesn't... But of course. Except it did have a lot to do with the way you are thinking and feeling... Oh, really? So, please, "teach" me, the ignorant fool, who has no clue about a clue... ("You keep bringing it up", Sir. Grammar and style, remember?!? We would not want to show that all that precious education went to waste, now would we...) FYI: it's called "influence". It works on all levels, including the emotional level, where you really are, as can be seen, without realising it - as intended... And yes, humans "learn" all the time, including the unconscious, emotional level, without ever realising it, unless they are educated in a critical fashion and that kind of education can make it transparent. But, as can be seen in M. Moore's film - it's thrown out in a lot of US schools, as "balast" - it can't get you a job, so... Oh, I can see that... It could have been "a little uncomfortable", as it would require some "critical" edge and effort... But I have - at least a little bit more than you. Free education, you see - it helps. In EU it mostly is free. And critically "skewed". At least most of the time, you could get good quality - even Humanities! - education, thanx... Oh, and paid holidays (plenty of), maternity and paternity, plus sick leave, decent wages, good "services" for your tax € and so on and so forth... Much better ground for "critically minded, freedom loving, creative people", to my mind, than... military funded, since the "public" one is soooo darn dear and unaffordable to most... Yet another G & S lesson: "Who's" again? Damn! You just can't learn, now can ya? Plus, see that dot above - terrible grammar/punctuation. Sloppy. Is that how they teach you in the military funded education programmes for the poor, talented kids? Well, obviously, they should do better. At this moment, this reflects badly on such an education... ermmm, that is not in any way "military", of course... or at least "militaristic"... Just a little "dominance seeking"... Ahem... Oh, and I really do believe you have been ever so slightly "skewed"...You see, you just can't help yourself doing this "stretching yourself to the limit/pushing it all the way/never letting go/never give an inch" thing, it seems... See above. Bye...
So, is the point of all that rhetoric that you are offended for being called human? BTW: Your video does not play here. Something about a Copyright violation. Or is that just don't like me and that's an attempt to suppress my free speech through intimidation? Well, Virtual sticks and virtual stones can't break this Bonez and your opinions will never harm me.