chtierna

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Member Since: September 25, 2008
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Comments to chtierna

15 Comments

calvados

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Now that is a happy puppy.

chicchorea

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Happy Easter to you.

chicchorea

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HERE'S WISHING YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND!!!!!

chicchorea

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I'm so sorry I missed this my friend. Please forgive.

A belated but nevertheless hearty congratulations to you on your shiny new(almost) Silver Star.

Looks ever so good on you. It matches the glow from all that love.
>> ^siftbot:

Congratulations on reaching new heights on VideoSift. You have earned yourself 50 stars, earning you status of Silver Star member. You have been awarded 1 Power Point for achieving this level. Thanks for all your contributions.

chicchorea

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING MY FRIEND!!!!!

siftbot

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Congratulations! Your comment has just received enough votes from the community to earn you 1 Power Point. Thank you for your quality contribution to VideoSift.

AdrianBlack

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Thank you for votes, chtierna! I've been having so much fun being pushed up this little star ladder from groovy sifters like you, and I really appreciate the back-up! I will also be voting for you as well.

*pinkie swear* I won't turn douche no matter which gem.

In reply to this comment by chtierna:
Congrats on the silver. You joined recently and have been rocketing up the ladder Just don't be a douche when you hit the diamonds and you can always count on my vote

AdrianBlack

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Thanks! You have excellent taste!

In reply to this comment by chtierna:
I always thought the sift needed some *quality animations.

MikesHL13

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Thank you!

In reply to this comment by chtierna:
*quality

siftbot

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Congratulations on reaching new heights on VideoSift. You have earned yourself 50 stars, earning you status of Silver Star member. You have been awarded 1 Power Point for achieving this level. Thanks for all your contributions.

siftbot

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Congratulations! Your video, 200 students admit cheating after professor's online rant, has reached the #1 spot in the current Top 15 New Videos listing. This is a very difficult thing to accomplish but you managed to pull it off. For your contribution you have been awarded 2 Power Points.

This achievement has earned you your "Golden One" Level 2 Badge!

dannym3141

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I didn't know there was a good end bit, i just stopped the video. I'll go and watch it in a bit

In reply to this comment by chtierna:
I agree exactly. The first 5 minutes inspired awe and many other feelings, the religion part just fell flat and then the end revived the magic a bit.

In reply to this comment by dannym3141:
The first 5 minutes were absolutely beautiful. Those 5 minutes express in words things that i never could, sat there staring up at the sky or looking through a telescope. It expresses completely my marvel when looking out at the universe and understanding the things i understand about it and then looking back down at myself and everyone on earth with me.

The rest of it i could take or leave. No need to argue for/against religion after that point. Just say those first 5 minutes, and the conclusions are your own.

siftbot

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Your video, 200 students admit cheating after professor's online rant, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.

AdrianBlack

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Thank you very much chtierna, I definitely will!

In reply to this comment by chtierna:
Nice animations, keep them coming!

arvana

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Fixed.

In reply to this comment by chtierna:
*dead

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chtierna

said:

@SDGundamX

I'm still curious if you would have been offended if the video called believers in Zeus and Poseidon idiots. Is it belief in itself (any belief lacking empirical evidence against it) that you think should be shielded from intolerance or is it beliefs shared by many people? If I called someone who believed in Zeus a complete nutter, would that offend you? If it made them happy and comfortable with their lives.

I'm slightly confused by the multiverse angle, I'm not sure how the Flying Spaghetti Monster would have a bigger likelihood of existing in another universe (as a magical being always existing without evolving into place), I guess it's possible to speculate in a universe that functions in a way that gives rise to Him, but how does that contradict the observations made on how this universe functions?

About the atrocities, I think that we still have atrocities going on today. Just take the deaths of millions of Africans from AIDS because they were taught not to use condoms. You probably think this is an atrocity, but it's bought with money pumped into the catholic church from millions of believers, most of them I would assume moderates, that lend their indirect support to the continuation of these teachings (although lately Ive heard the Pope has changed his mind, a bit too late for all those who are dead). And yes, the Church might be separate from the belief, but its built up on a base of belief and given power and cover by believers. And in 20 years we will hear the same story again "that was then, this is now, I agree that was an atrocity but now we're rid of all that, I don't believe in that, nobody I knows believes in that anymore". And then on to the next decision that affects other people negatively. And as such religion is always safe, the atrocities are always in the past and criticism can be deflected or ignored.

Look, I feel as I'm rambling but my basic point is this: Either you have good reasons for believing in something, or you don't. What makes someone happy might _seem_ right for him or her, but as a species we owe our continued survival and common well-being to realize our limits and overcome them. One such limit is that as pattern-seekers we encounter false positives all the time (this surely benefited us very early in our development). In ancient times a flood must mean the God's are angry. A bad harvest must mean the field is cursed. A modern version would be feeling religion gives our life meaning and happiness and must therefor contain some deeper truth. I simply cannot see how this follows.

Realizing someone is making claims based on flawed arguments we owe it to voice our opinions and concerns, even if harshly as in calling someone an idiot.

>> <a href='http://videosift.com/video/Your-Faith-is-a-Joke?loadcomm=1#comment-1121012'>^SDGundamX</a>: 
@<a href="http://videosift.com/member/chtierna" title="member since September 25th, 2008" class="profilelink">chtierna</a> With regards to Elvis (or 9/11 conspiracy, "birthers," the Apollo mission conspiracy theories, and so one) I think there actually is more than enough evidence--empirical evidence--to disprove the claims. With regards to any deity, I've already said I'm an atheist (i.e. I don't believe in them). But that does not mean they do not exist (actually, if you subscribe to the multiverse model of the universe then you could even go so far as to say it is likely the Flying Spaghetti Monster does exist somewhere, though not necessarily in our universe. ). It simply means that they don't meet my own personal burden of proof to warrant belief. In regards to your next point, I think we need to separate religious belief from actions taken in the name of religion. Many faithful and non-faithful alike would label those acts you listed above as atrocities. Just because someone happens to be religious in no way means they are going to start condoning those acts you listed. And the reasons those things happen extends far beyond religion--we can't examine those acts without also examining the historical and socio-cultural contexts in which they occur. To merely look at, for instance, suicide bombers from a religious perspective seems rather simplistic to me given the historical, cultural, and political events that have led up to the idea terrorist acts are a valid tool for applying political pressure. I've said this before (in other threads) but to me religion is a tool. Any tool can be turned into an improvised weapon. And that is what I believe has happened in those cases you described. It's clear religion can be used for great good or great evil. I think it is also clear the major monotheistic religions are going to have to change going into the future. They are going to have to be re-conceptualized to maximize the potential good and minimize or (if possible) downright eliminate the potential bad effects. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Kind-Christianity-Questions-Transforming/dp/0061853984/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1292805773&sr=8-2">Here is one book</a> that has already called for such a re-conceptualization for Christianity (haven't read the book, by the way though the premise sounds interesting... check out the reviews).

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