You should pick up some of the later stuff. Some of those graphic novels are awesome. I like "the gift", "all his engines", "pandemonium", and "hard time".

>> ^ponceleon:
Actually, I disagree with Budzos... I enjoyed the movie a lot more than the comic. I found the comics very hokey and disjointed in comparison, whereas the movie really encapsulated what I would LOVE religion to be. To me Catholicism is empty just because it has claims to relics, spells, and traditions which are ineffective in our world but pretend to be powerful in the way they are presented in this movie.
Religion would kick ass if it was based on a reality like this... I'm not sure how else to say it, but religion (and Catholicism specifically) is like people playing a childish game in which they are trying to imagine a world like this movie portrays.
To get more specific, I liked the explanations and backgrounds of the characters much better in the movie than in the comics. The comic has John Constantine being an ex glam-rocker who is slightly psychic/mystic and who's "damnation" doesn't come from an attempted suicide as in the movie, but rather a botched exorcism which is just kinda stupid. The whole suicide thing is really well done in the reimagining in the movie and makes a lot more sense.
Papa midnight is another character which is vastly improved in the movie. In the book, he seems more like a reject from Live and Let Die, a blaxploitation stereotype, whereas in the movie they really brought home the idea of someone that lives between two allegiances.
As for the use of "guns" and other 007ny stuff, I really thought it worked a lot better than the way they present him in the books. Frankly I'd rather have Constantine wielding a holy shotgun with blessed bullets than looking for a tape of his music video in his trashy apartment.
I'll admit that I only got through three of the graphic novels before I stopped, but I just feel that the changes made to Constantine's development improve vastly over what I saw in the books. As for making him American, I hate Keanu in most of his performances and I thought he really brought it for this one. I was pleasantly surprised and this movie remains one of my all-time favs.

I sometimes wish I were in that man's spot. I might be speaking for a nation here when I say nothing in life excites me anymore. The magic and mysticism is gone forever

>> ^bcglorf:

>> ^spoco2:
Nah, my take is that in the movie, it's so stupid it's awesome.
This though, I can see many American's seriously singing along with pride and a tear in their eyes.
It's pretty sick really.

Am I reading your post strangely?
Why is pride in seeing Osama dead pretty sick really?


Wow! You don't see the problem with that?

a) Killing him is not some great victory. A victory would have been capturing him, having him tried in a proper court and actually convicted of something with real evidence.
b) Having the kind of insane celebrations so many Americans currently are because a man was killed is pretty sick.

Can you not see how madly dancing around because a man has been killed is wrong? If he could actually be shown to be responsible, then I'd be far more happy to see him rot in jail for life, it brings 'monsters' down to a real, pretty damn pathetic level and shows people that justice can prevail. To have him killed like this, and his body just gone will purely engender him with almost mystical powers for some.

The number of comments I see of people saying 'I don't support the death sentence, but in his case I make an exception' are scary. Basically they are saying that they turn off their morals at a certain point, which is surely the opposite of what you should be striving for. I don't see how you can have over the top celebrations for killing someone and somehow think you have the moral high-ground over terrorists.

@mgittle

Agree with you partly. However, I think focusing on religion just in terms of neuroscience is far too narrow a view. Religion brings many, many other benefits in socio-cultural and psychological terms (see here and here for two examples). Far more, in my opinion, than the dangers. But that is not an excuse to overlook the dangers either, and it certainly isn't justification of evils committed in the name of religion.

@chtierna

It really depends on what you call "evidence." Harris clearly sets the bar very high--he will only include as evidence anything that can empirically be tested.

But I think most believers do in fact look at the evidence in their own lives--purely subjective evidence. Has this belief system been useful to them? Has it helped them and the people they care about be happy? Can they see positive benefits in their lives? They may not even believe any of the mystical stuff, but if they answer yes to these questions they have very little motivation to change. Honestly, I think for most human beings, the subjective evidence is far more compelling than the empirical when determining our belief systems.

@BicycleRepairMan

But he clearly is telling us what to believe in this video. You are too. Both of you are telling us to believe that those who are religious are delusional. Delusion is a pathological problem caused by illness. Neither the field of psychology nor psychiatry consider religious beliefs to be delusional (Freud did, but not based on any empirical research--it was his personal view). There is no evidence that I am aware of that shows that religious beliefs are delusional in the medically defined sense. They may be "mistaken beliefs" but that is not the same thing.

This may seem off-topic a bit, but let me explain why I hate these kind of videos. "Atheism" means not believing in a god. That's it. Atheists (after the term "fundamentalist atheists" started floating around) have gone to great lengths to protest that atheism is not a belief system (and hence it is impossible for an atheist to be "fundamentalist").

And yet I see more and more videos like this one which in which atheism is clearly being portrayed as a belief system. It is being associated with a positivistic worldview in which only that which can be measured is real or meaningful. Atheists are presented as more rational and logical than other people. And anyone who is not an atheist is demonized as the "other"--for instance, in your own very words as "delusional" --and described in terms of what they are not (i.e. rational, intelligent, etc.) rather than in terms of what they are (i.e. human beings with complex motives and reasons for believing). In other words, atheism is presented as being downright hostile to religion--though oddly enough "religion" is often narrowly defined as Fundamentalist Christianity and Radical Islam.

I'm an agnostic atheist. That means I don't believe in any particular deity though I don't deny the possibility he/she/it/them may exist. I make no claims about my rationality or that of others. I make no claims about the nature of human knowledge. When I say I'm an atheist I mean I don't believe in a god or gods. That's all atheism should mean. Being an atheist does not make one any better than any other human being on the planet. The condescension that I see in most of these videos is, frankly, disgusting. The fact remains that neither atheists nor believers have any concrete evidence that their particular side is correct. You don't agree with the other side? Fine. But if you want to be treated with respect (and judging by these videos, atheists so desperately do) you need to act in a way that is worthy of respect. That is what will get people listening seriously to what you have to say. Not chastising them as if they were a child.

@KnivesOut Exactly.

However, respecting the person is different from respecting their ideas. You can argue about ideas, but there is a certain type of logic that allows people to arrive at the belief system they have. It may be technically wrong, but that doesn't mean they're not emotionally and historically attached to them. Attacking their ideas is like attacking the way they became attached to those ideas, and that can be very upsetting to people.

The one thing Richard Dawkins keeps saying is that he thinks there will be a critical mass of non-believers at some point in the future...and that when we reach that point it will become much more socially acceptable and normal not to believe. I agree with that, and I think the best way to get to that point is to not make a war out of it. Just letting your friends and family know that you're not religious and you're perfectly happy about it is enough. That way, any of your family members who may be leaning that way will know they're not alone.

@SDGundamX

Some people are certainly happier practicing religious rituals, but I believe the mysticism attached to those rituals is the source of the problems religions cause. I think people benefit from prayer because it affects their brains in the same way meditation does. fMRIs have proven this recently.

Check out this Talk of the Nation (NPR) show from the other day...it's about Neurotheology...a.k.a. your brain on religion. Wish it was a video so I could sift it =(

http://www.npr.org/templates/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=5&prgDate=12-15-2010

1. Chrono Trigger (0:00)
2. Super Mario Allstars (0:07)
3. Legend Of the Mystical Ninja (0:13)
4. Hagane (0:19)
5. Axelay (0:25)
6. Romance of the Three Kingdoms 3 (0:31)
7. Pilotwings (0:37)
8. Super Punchout! (0:43)
9. Wild Guns (0:49)
10. Secret of Mana (0:55)
11. Super Double Dragon (1:01)
12. Earthbound (1:07)
13. Addams Family (1:13)
14. Actraiser (1:19)
15. Biker Mice from Mars (1:25)
16. Aliens vs Predator (1:31)
17. Breath of Fire (1:37)
18. F-Zero (1:43)
19. Gradius 3 (1:49)
20. Megaman 7 (1:55)
21. Super Star Wars (2:01)
22. Rock'n Roll Racing (2:07)
23. Pocky & Rocky (2:13)
24. Legend of Zelda - Link to the Past (2:19)
25. Prince of Persia (2:25)
26. Bust A Move (2:31)
27. Out of this World (2:37)
28. Super Metroid (2:43)
29. Blackthorne (2:49)
30. Animaniacs (2:55)
31. Street Fighter 2 (3:01)
32. Secret of Evermore (3:07)
33. Super Mario World (3:13)
34. Sparkster (3:19)
35. Demons Crest (3:25)
36. Aladdin (3:31)
37. Final Fantasy 3 (3:37)
38. Castlevania X (3:43)
39. Final Fight (3:49)
40. Donkey Kong Country (3:55)
41. EVO (4:01)
42. Starfox (4:07)
43. Super Adventure Island (4:13)
44. Flashback (4:19)
45. Sunset Rider (4:25)
46. Shadowrun (4:31)
47. Final Fantasy 2 (4:37)
48. Indiana Jones Greatest Adventures (4:43)
49. Lufia 1 (4:49)
50. Kirbys Dream Land 3 (4:55)
51. Joe & Mac (5:01)
52. Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (5:07)
53. Killer Instinct (5:13)
54. Super Bonk (5:19)
55. Ninja Warrior (5:25)
56. The Lost Vikings (5:31)
57. Harvest Moon (5:37)
58. Spiderman VS Venom (5:43)
59. Lion King (5:49)
60. Super Castlevania (5:55)
61. Super Mario RPG (6:01)
62. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV - Turtles in Time (6:07)
63. Kirbys Avalanche (6:13)
64. Contra 3 (6:19)
65. Mortal Kombat 2 (6:25)
66. Super Turrican 2 (6:31)
67. Tiny Toon Adventures (6:37)
68. X-Men (6:43)
69. Megaman X 1 (6:49)
70. Super Mario World 2 (6:55)
71. Battle Toads & Double Dragon (7:01)
72. Tales of Phantasia (7:07)
73. NBA Jam Tournament Edition (7:13)
74. Tetris Attack (7:19)
75. Stunt Racer FX (7:25)
76. Super R-Type (7:31)
77. Ninja Gaiden Trilogy (7:37)
78. Earthworm Jim (7:43)
79. Dragon View (7:49)
80. Yoshis Safari (7:55)
81. Sim City (8:01)
82. King of Dragons (8:07)
83. Super Offroad (8:13)
84. Madden 95 (8:19)
85. Super Bomberman (8:25)
86. Tetris & Dr. Mario (8:31)
87. Mario Paint (8:37)
88. Arkanoid 2 (8:43)
89. Final Fantasy Mystic Quest (8:49)
90. Cybernator (8:55)
91. Cool Spot (9:01)
92. Super Mario Kart (9:07)
93. Death and Return of Superman (9:13)
94. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Tournament Fighters (9:19)
95. Soul Blazer (9:25)
96. Super Ghouls & Goblins (9:31)
97. Zombies Ate My Neighbors (9:37)
98. Darius Twin (9:43)
99. Captain Commando (9:49)
100. Lemmings (9:55)

A great organization:

MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies)
MMAPS' mission is 1) to treat conditions for which conventional medicines provide limited relief—such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), pain, drug dependence, anxiety and depression associated with end-of-life issues—by developing psychedelics and marijuana into prescription medicines; 2) to treat many thousands of people by building a network of clinics where treatments can be provided; and 3) to educate the public honestly about the risks and benefits of psychedelics and marijuana.

MDMA for PTSD
MAPS’ top priority project is funding clinical trials of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) as a therapeutic tool to assist psychotherapy for the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other illnesses. Preliminary studies have shown that MDMA in conjunction with psychotherapy can help people overcome PTSD. MDMA has empathogenic effects, and it is also known as the popular drug Ecstasy (although "Ecstasy" does not always contain pure MDMA). In laboratory studies, MDMA has been proven sufficiently safe for human consumption when taken a limited number of times in moderate doses.

LSD/Psilocybin for Anxiety Related to Life-threatening Illness
LSD is short for d-lysergic acid diethylamide, and was discovered to be a psychedelic substance by Dr. Albert Hofmann on April 19, 1943. Psilocybin is a psychedelic compound also discovered by Hofmann which are found in psychedelic mushrooms. These mushrooms have been used for thousands of years by a variety of indigenous cultures for a variety of religious and therapeutic purposes. Both of these substances are well known for eliciting personal growth and mystical experiences in people who use them wisely. MAPS is interested in these substances for their potential to help people with a variety of conditions. Currently we are focused on developing these drugs into prescription medicines to treat anxiety associated with life-threatening illnesses.

Though there has been substantial prior research with LSD in cancer patients that demonstrated safety and some degree of efficacy, that research was conducted over 35 years ago. In order to generate data that will be accepted by today’s regulatory agencies, new protocols must meet modern drug development standards. Our research has had to start from scratch and has been designed carefully. Our LSD and psilocybin studies will be used to guide the development of future treatment approaches.

On a car trip to and from my Thanksgiving destination, I had long discussions with my (Christian) family about faith. I tried to explain the sense of contentment and dignity I feel facing life without religious comforts and fears, just as this guy describes that sense very well.

I am always comforted by exploring the limits of knowledge. Knowing what I don't know is comforting to me. I like waking up every day knowing I'm ignorant of all sorts of stuff...operating from a sense of curiosity and caution rather than thinking I have everything figured out.

Empiricism > Rationalism > Mysticism

if anyone liked this video and missed this one:
http://videosift.com/video/Science-saved-my-Soul

Thanks for the sift.

You showed your ignorance while asking a sarcastic question and even putting in some arrogance. Thats trolling enough, and that also proved you will never acknowlegde something different.

Nope thats not what it says. Thats what you and some others interpret into it.
From Wikipedia (since youre too lazy): The God gene hypothesis proposes that human beings inherit a set of genes that predisposes them towards spiritual or mystic experiences. That includes religion.

That would make religion part of science because its part of our genes and thus pretty normal. But maybe we can remove those genes, like I am sure some militant atheists would like to.

I am also not surprised some atheists dont want that to be true, since they feel so superior to religious people and dont even want to realize that they also believe in something like that, only in a different way.

This is all I will reply to you since I cant break through your ignorance anyway and its exactly what I suspected after your first trolling.

"In its efforts to stop us facing reality, religion has become the reality we cannot face."

For those looking for a reason to watch all 14 mins...here's my favorite part:

There's no word for such experiences that come through scientific and non-mystical revelation. The reason for this is because every time someone has such a "mindgasm"--religion steals it--simply by saying, "ahh, you had a religious experience." And spiritualists will pull the same shit! And both camps get angry when an atheist like me tells you that I only ever had these experiences AFTER rejecting EVERYthing supernatural. But I do admit, that after such experiences, the moments when reality hits me like a winning lottery ticket, I often think about religion...and how lucky I am that I am not religious.

You want to learn something about God? Okay. This is one galaxy. If God exists, God made THIS. Look at it. Face it. Accept it. Adjust to it. Because THIS is the truth, and it's probably not going to change very much. This is how God works. God would probably want you to look at it, to learn about it, to try to understand it. But if you can't look, if you won't even try to understand, what does that say about your religion?

Using the word "a-hole" instead of anus ruins the medical and mystical seriousness of the subject matter.

Hey, this is an important one for me because it moves me so much too. I was just wondering if you understood exactly what he was saying and still found it uninteresting.

He's not saying in the clip that you're JUST made of the same stuff. It's not like he's just saying: "cars are made of metal, and toasters are made of metal".

What he's saying is that (statistically speaking) the actual, individual atoms that make up your body WERE at one point, part of a star. They were also any number of other things. Your actual body is made of stardust. And not just that. You've also been flowers and rocks and trees and water and (less-romantically) you've probably been poop for most of the time since Earth began.

Take a look at your hand... what you're looking at right now has at one point been several-hundred-thousand-degrees.

Sorry to drone on. I just find that completely fascinating. I could ponder it for much, much longer. I know you probably understood the clip. Just making sure.

In reply to this comment by westy:
I dont realy understand hwo what he is saying is that philasophical.


We are part of the universe and we are made of the same matter that makes that universe .

I guess that might be mind blowing to sumone that belive sin mystical shit but to annyone else its such a inane and obvouse statment its hardly of philasophical merrit (asuming your educated and over the age of say 10).

Allso its quite bezar to be so emotive about it.

Part of me likes it when scentists try to make sience emotive as it can atract people to science but ultimetly its disingneouse to claim anny 1 thing is more amazing than another in an ultimate sense or to be realy emotive over 1 scentific fact and not so about another.

I dont realy understand hwo what he is saying is that philasophical.


We are part of the universe and we are made of the same matter that makes that universe .

I guess that might be mind blowing to sumone that belive sin mystical shit but to annyone else its such a inane and obvouse statment its hardly of philasophical merrit (asuming your educated and over the age of say 10).

Allso its quite bezar to be so emotive about it.

Part of me likes it when scentists try to make sience emotive as it can atract people to science but ultimetly its disingneouse to claim anny 1 thing is more amazing than another in an ultimate sense or to be realy emotive over 1 scentific fact and not so about another.

>> ^Raaagh:

>> ^westy:
"my energry"
fail so retarded ,
its called using gravity , body wait and the directoin of those forces. not "chi" or simply "energy" with no blody descriptoin as to what context the word is been used in.

There is no direct english translation. But calling it "gravity" is a massive fail.


your a fail,

just read what jubuttib put he has it right.

Evan though i didnot say "its called gravity" i think you will find that a Huge propotoin of getting sumone on the ground efficently is pritty much about using gravity and manipulating an indaviduals center of gravity.

Its quite clear that a good propotoin of pracitoiners of asain marsail arts are not using the word "Chi"/"qi" or hwoever its spelt as a way to describe a scentific force , Origonaly i thought it was litraly a case of them having another word that was not ment to be mystical, but its often used in the context of beeing mystical and magical. ( u can understand why when in the past that would be a good way to intimidate an oponent if they think your a magical person and ohnislty belive it then they are going to be shitting themselfs and hardly put up a good fight)

but now its just plain retarded.

I agree that the mystical definitions of chi are retarded, when they're actually talking about momentum, center of mass etc. But the terms have been in use for centuries and back then people didn't know any better. It's kinda tough to cut those ties. It's a simple umbrella term for a LOT of more advanced scientific concepts.

And while demonstrations are always just demonstrations, I have zero doubt that aikido is a very effective self defense system. But compared to, say, thai-boxing, it requires a damn sight more expertise before it becomes that effective, meaning it's not something you can utilize even after a year or three.

I don't love the martial side of it, but I do love the art.