Sucks.

Interesting, I suppose. What is more important is that I got my invitation to log in to my Battle.net account and download StarCraft(r) II: Wings of Liberty(TM) Beta. Yeah!!!! It's here!!!!

Thanks. I switch between Firefox and IE. I will check it out.



In reply to this comment by conan:
>> ^ABTechie:
Title, tag or video is wrong. I watched Will Ferrell in "The Landlord.


That's because of Internet Explorer. Seems that FoD is still not able to serve millions of users that use IE. But i guess that's ok because IE is a rather unusual and exotic browser. Sarcasm.

Title, tag or video is wrong. I watched Will Ferrell in "The Landlord.

The player catching the punt should be given a couple yards space to complete the catch before being tackled.

In reply to this comment by joe2:
i don't watch football so i can't tell what he did wrong

don't they tackle each other constantly all game? what did he do that was wrong?

TDS is just awesome.

Brake? Accelerator? Which one stops the car again? Oh, darn it. I will pick this one and press really hard.

It violates his beliefs to talk publicly about his beliefs. What?

I don't expect you to answer all of the questions that I asked. It is enough that you read them.

I will stop being a wind bag and try to focus for the sake of simplification. I will also try to stop assuming what you believe.

Do you believe that there is a God with a consciousness, separate from humans?
And it has the power to manipulate matter and energy at will?
And it cares about human morality?
And tries to communicate with humans?

Do you believe in the existence of heaven and hell as places that exist where souls go when you die?

"Everybody gets to interpret scripture how they want to," and then proceed to interpret The Bible as YOU want to, in order to make a point." - Do you believe in a literal reading of the Bible or do you believe it needs to be interpreted? If you believe the Bible can be interpreted, how do you know which interpretation is correct? How can you know which interpretation God would want?

“they obviously don't understand Jesus Christ AT ALL” – Explain Jesus to me.

Please read Matthew 15:1-28. What do the following verses from this passage tell us about Jesus?

Verse 16
Verse 24
Verse 26
Verse 28


In reply to this comment by thepinky:
I don't even know where to start replying to your many comments. Do you seriously want me to justify my claim that religion should promote tolerance and reason with scripture? I could do it, but it would take me hours to explain all of doctrine to you. I have indeed both read and studied The Bible on my own, in over five religious courses and one secular, and in two courses at the university level. I am traveling to Jerusalem in January to further study The Old and New Testaments. I am not one of those people who think that you can prove anything about The Bible by quoting a few scriptures. I have no desire to argue with a person who makes points that I have already made (as if I disagree with you about them), and who answers with essays that don't even seem to be a direct rebuttal for me, but for all of Christianity. It annoys me when people assume things about what I believe, and it further annoys me when you say things like, "That is the problem. Everybody gets to interpret scripture how they want to," and then proceed to interpret The Bible as you want, in order to make a point. You can't dismiss biblical interpretation as arbitrary and then make definitive statements about how it supports slavery, torture, forcing women to marry their brothers-in-law, etc. That's just ridiculous.

I hope that I don't sound too hostile. I have a very fiery temperament, but I assure you that it's all in good fun and that I do appreciate your comments and enjoy heated discussions. I think that you are an intelligent person and that you made good points, but what am I supposed to do with that quagmire that you gave me, honestly? I don't have that kind of time nor stamina.

“ your 37 years of experience, I'm sorry to say, do not exhaust all of the possibilities religion has to offer.” I in no way implied that I had exhausted all of the possibilities of religion, but I am no going to limit my understanding of morality to Jesus, The Bible or a Christian church like many Christians do. Many Christians believe that Jesus and the Bible hold the ultimate truth for morality, similar to what other believers do with their holy books. It is the truth and there is no need to go anywhere else.

Also, many religious people dismiss scientific findings. They don’t see that humans are like other animals and have instincts. That is why 13 or 14 year olds are having sex. It is normal. It may not be a good idea but it is normal. Religious people hold these ideals of sex and marriage that don’t take into account human instinct. They can’t understand why men are so easily distracted by beautiful women or cleavage. They can’t understand why porn is a $12 billion a year business. They can’t understand why people cheat on their spouse. They can’t understand why a 40 something year old man want to divorce a wife of similar age and go off with a 20 something year old woman. “It just isn’t part of God’s plan.” Religion doesn’t talk about pheromones, hormones and neurotransmitters which are an integral part of the decision making process for humans. Religious people think that people just make good or bad choices, but they can’t understand why they make those good or bad choices, especially when it comes to sex. Religion is overly simplistic.

If I need to get into more detail about sex and religion, I can if you ask. The oppressive culture regarding sex, created by Judaism, Christianity and Islam, is very harmful to society and individuals. It creates women who don’t understand the sexual fantasies of men, which causes fear and anger in women, which causes men to feel guilty and to hide their fantasies.

Jesus promised torture, killing and weeping and gnashing of teeth. Along with some good wisdom, he used fear to control people. I have gotten the good about Jesus my whole life. That is what believers like to focus on and it helps the ministers keep their jobs. But, the whole picture of Jesus is generally not given and explained. That is why most people believe in Jesus and the Bible. It is because they don’t understand them. Being a Christian means that someone has wrapped all of their morality and understanding into a word which is created and interpreted by the individual.

“they obviously don't understand Jesus Christ AT ALL” Do you think I understand Jesus Christ at all? Please reference the Gospels scripture references in your answer.


In reply to this comment by thepinky:
I agree that science, logic, and respect for others are essential to good society, but the right interpretation of Christian doctrine should encourage these things, not reject them.

"Religion" is not synonymous with "Protestant Christian," and your personal bad experiences with religion do not prove that all religion is harmful. It's funny how you just sort of skipped over the second part of my sentence, "However, religion isn't harmful in and of itself, but the watering-down and misuse of doctrine is, yes, extraordinarily evil and damaging to both straight and gay people."

When I refer to the "watering down" of doctrines, I'm verifying what you said. It seems like most Christians today have no concept of the fact that faith does not have to be removed from logic, tolerance, and an open mind. "Faith," for some people, is a word to throw out when someone asks you a hard question. I do believe in faith. You and I both know that there are things that human beings don't and/or can't understand. Whereas you write faith off as belief in the supernatural, I believe that faith is belief in things that follow all of the laws of the cosmos, but that are beyond our power, knowledge, or understanding. Faith is not necessary for the purpose of dismissing science and logic. It is necessary so that we can have choice. People are always arguing with me about choice, saying that a god who threatens damnation is not truly offering choice. Well, that's a discussion for another day.

When religious people think that morality is black and white, when they are hateful, intolerant, or bigoted, they obviously don't understand Jesus Christ AT ALL. So when I say that religion is not inherently harmful, your 37 years of experience, I'm sorry to say, do not exhaust all of the possibilities religion has to offer.

“religion isn't harmful in and of itself, but the watering-down and misuse of doctrine is”

Sure, religion can be just a tool for good or bad. But, supernatural religions give humans the right to claim God’s word as their own. And, I don’t know I a supernatural doctrine that is infallible. Do you? Are you going to say that the doctrine has to be interpreted correctly? That is the problem. It will be misused because people get to interpret it as they see fit.

“I do believe in faith.” Words are arbitrary. What faith means to you is not what is means to mean me. Faith is used too broadly. The best use of it in our discussion is that faith is somehow evidence for religious people. “I have to have evidence that God exists. I have faith that God exists.” Somehow, theists get to interchange faith and evidence as if they are equal.

“Faith is not necessary for the purpose of dismissing science and logic.” Faith is a real problem when people start believing “I don’t have to know the answer. God knows the answer, and I trust God will take care of it.” That is not how science and technology works.

“People are always arguing with me about choice” If you would like to see a discussion between me and a Christian on the subject of choice and free will. Go to http://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/comments/9omev/some_questions_to_other_atheists/
and do a search for the users ABTechie or beldenge.


In reply to this comment by thepinky:
I agree that science, logic, and respect for others are essential to good society, but the right interpretation of Christian doctrine should encourage these things, not reject them.

"Religion" is not synonymous with "Protestant Christian," and your personal bad experiences with religion do not prove that all religion is harmful. It's funny how you just sort of skipped over the second part of my sentence, "However, religion isn't harmful in and of itself, but the watering-down and misuse of doctrine is, yes, extraordinarily evil and damaging to both straight and gay people."

When I refer to the "watering down" of doctrines, I'm verifying what you said. It seems like most Christians today have no concept of the fact that faith does not have to be removed from logic, tolerance, and an open mind. "Faith," for some people, is a word to throw out when someone asks you a hard question. I do believe in faith. You and I both know that there are things that human beings don't and/or can't understand. Whereas you write faith off as belief in the supernatural, I believe that faith is belief in things that follow all of the laws of the cosmos, but that are beyond our power, knowledge, or understanding. Faith is not necessary for the purpose of dismissing science and logic. It is necessary so that we can have choice. People are always arguing with me about choice, saying that a god who threatens damnation is not truly offering choice. Well, that's a discussion for another day.

When religious people think that morality is black and white, when they are hateful, intolerant, or bigoted, they obviously don't understand Jesus Christ AT ALL. So when I say that religion is not inherently harmful, your 37 years of experience, I'm sorry to say, do not exhaust all of the possibilities religion has to offer.

"the right interpretation of Christian doctrine" What is the right interpretation? That is the problem. Everybody gets to interpret scripture how they want to. Human interpretation not divine providence.

Why do you think "science, logic, and respect" would be encourage by Christian doctrine? Please back up what you say with scripture, preferably from the Gospels. Christians believe that a Christian marriage should be between 1 man and 1 woman. Why? Scripture doesn't support that. Some Christians believe that Jesus would accept homosexuality. Why? Jesus said that he came to fulfill the Law, not abolish it. (Matt. 5:17-20). Jesus was a Jew and didn't say that people get to abandon the Law and its 613 commandments that were given to the Jews hundreds of years before him. A lot of people believe in what they believe in because it is policy. Policy handed down to them by people they trusted, not because they came to some logical rational conclusion by use of the scientific method. And people can't see how it changes or know why it changes.

Study the Bible. You will see that it supports polygamy and slavery. Jesus never says to abandon these traditions. When Jesus says "do unto others as you would have them do unto you", he is quoting Leviticus.
Jesus promises to kill those who oppose him (Parable: Ten Minas - Luke 19:11-27). Jesus promises that God will torture people if they are unforgiving ( Parable: Unforgiving Servant - Matthew 18:21-35). Jesus is the Prince of Peace? “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10:32-36). Jesus’ message is for everyone? No. (Matthew 10:5-8). When Jesus is talking during the story of the Marriage at the Resurrection, he doesn’t say that the Jewish tradition is wrong that a woman should be forced to marry a man’s brother if he dies and she hasn’t given him a male heir (Matt. 22:23-33; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-40)

Jesus may have been radical for his time, but he is not the panacea that modern Christians make him out to be.


In reply to this comment by thepinky:
I agree that science, logic, and respect for others are essential to good society, but the right interpretation of Christian doctrine should encourage these things, not reject them.

"Religion" is not synonymous with "Protestant Christian," and your personal bad experiences with religion do not prove that all religion is harmful. It's funny how you just sort of skipped over the second part of my sentence, "However, religion isn't harmful in and of itself, but the watering-down and misuse of doctrine is, yes, extraordinarily evil and damaging to both straight and gay people."

When I refer to the "watering down" of doctrines, I'm verifying what you said. It seems like most Christians today have no concept of the fact that faith does not have to be removed from logic, tolerance, and an open mind. "Faith," for some people, is a word to throw out when someone asks you a hard question. I do believe in faith. You and I both know that there are things that human beings don't and/or can't understand. Whereas you write faith off as belief in the supernatural, I believe that faith is belief in things that follow all of the laws of the cosmos, but that are beyond our power, knowledge, or understanding. Faith is not necessary for the purpose of dismissing science and logic. It is necessary so that we can have choice. People are always arguing with me about choice, saying that a god who threatens damnation is not truly offering choice. Well, that's a discussion for another day.

When religious people think that morality is black and white, when they are hateful, intolerant, or bigoted, they obviously don't understand Jesus Christ AT ALL. So when I say that religion is not inherently harmful, your 37 years of experience, I'm sorry to say, do not exhaust all of the possibilities religion has to offer.

I have no forgotten about you. I have just been busy. I will reply.

In reply to this comment by thepinky:
I agree that science, logic, and respect for others are essential to good society, but the right interpretation of Christian doctrine should encourage these things, not reject them.

"Religion" is not synonymous with "Protestant Christian," and your personal bad experiences with religion do not prove that all religion is harmful. It's funny how you just sort of skipped over the second part of my sentence, "However, religion isn't harmful in and of itself, but the watering-down and misuse of doctrine is, yes, extraordinarily evil and damaging to both straight and gay people."

When I refer to the "watering down" of doctrines, I'm verifying what you said. It seems like most Christians today have no concept of the fact that faith does not have to be removed from logic, tolerance, and an open mind. "Faith," for some people, is a word to throw out when someone asks you a hard question. I do believe in faith. You and I both know that there are things that human beings don't and/or can't understand. Whereas you write faith off as belief in the supernatural, I believe that faith is belief in things that follow all of the laws of the cosmos, but that are beyond our power, knowledge, or understanding. Faith is not necessary for the purpose of dismissing science and logic. It is necessary so that we can have choice. People are always arguing with me about choice, saying that a god who threatens damnation is not truly offering choice. Well, that's a discussion for another day.

When religious people think that morality is black and white, when they are hateful, intolerant, or bigoted, they obviously don't understand Jesus Christ AT ALL. So when I say that religion is not inherently harmful, your 37 years of experience, I'm sorry to say, do not exhaust all of the possibilities religion has to offer.

QualiaSoup and TheraminTrees are both great. Check them out on YouTube.

What a great show. Thanks to Netflix, I can still watch it.