The "anonymous" suggestion is a fair point. But that's the way that people donate to charity these days. Are you two prepared to say that about everyone else who donates and wants to see their name on the list? That everyone who doesn't donate anonymously is doing it for political reasons? I could understand how someone who donated, even if they didn't think about their name in print, would be upset if they got a call that said, "Sorry, but because of your beliefs, we can't put you on a pedestal like we do with every single other donor that contributes."

We may live in a society where those with religious beliefs might feel that things are going downhill. But by and large, the majority of America is still very uncomfortable with Atheism. Something like 70% of Americans believe that Christ is the savior in one way or another. And most of the rest are still religious. So I think it's understandable that atheists feel the need to stick up for themselves. Especially in situations like this, where they can show that they still care for their fellow human beings, regardless of anyone's beliefs.

>> ^quantumushroom:

I don't pretend to know the atheists' true motives, but everything is political. Everything. This arrangement sucks and I wish it were not so, but it is. An anonymous donation would've been more apropos if the highest goal was really helping the charity versus branding positive atheism.
As we both know, that doesn't hold true online. Why, we may be the only two peeps online now who even admit to not having all the answers!


Shiny! What a coincidence that I am just recently becoming acquainted with the first few verses of Matthew!

Someone was passing around a picture of this giant mega-church the other day that was all sparkles and spot-lights and looked like the bridge to the Starship Enterprise. Anyway, I found this reference to Matthew 6:6 and was very surprised by the fact that people don't seem to recognize it in their lives.

Now, I understand that proselytizing and praying are two different things. So I'm not telling you to shut up. But the idea that praying should be done in secret, according to the bible, is something that I find remarkable given the televangelist America that we live in. And obviously, if people truly cared, they would apply that same idea to charity as well. Unfortunately, as QM said above, everything seems to be political, even praying.

Just out of curiosity, do you have a favorite version/translation of the bible? Because even simple things like the verses we're discussing seem to be changed around quite a bit. I especially love the ones that read Matthew 6:6 as: "Go into your closet to pray."

>> ^shinyblurry:

If they were humble, and this really was about helping cancer patients, they would have given the donation anonymously. Clearly for the atheists this was more about having a feather in their cap than helping people. Reminds me of this verse:
Matthew 6:2-3
Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

If they were humble, and this really was about helping cancer patients, they would have given the donation anonymously. Clearly for the atheists this was more about having a feather in their cap than helping people. Reminds me of this verse:

Matthew 6:2-3

Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.


>> ^Ryjkyj:
>> ^quantumushroom:
There are good people on both "sides".
Just my observation, while there are many religious fundamentalists who are 100% certain of the existence of God, they are rather in the minority. Most believers are never really that sure, thus: faith.
Atheists, on the other hand, are almost always certain their conclusion is the right one, and that there can be no other possible correct conclusion.
In other words, religious people's certainty varies, while almost every atheist is a 'fundamentalist'.
>> ^Ryjkyj:
>> ^quantumushroom:
Plenty of arrogant religionists, yes, but I expect to meet Christ Himself before finding a humble atheist.

In what way do you mean?


Either way, giving half a million dollars to an organization that tries to help people dying of cancer seems pretty damned humble.
And I don't know where you're from, but where I live, people who can admit that they don't have the whole truth, whether atheist or theist, are the exception rather than the rule.

Time Trumpet was such a clever clever show! I though it was The Day Today ... it stinks of Armando

that's from Armando Iannucci's series called Time Trumpet.

Yeah,
It's very potent and can cause death from Tachycardia. There are many other extremely potent and dangerous hallucinogen plants that are still legal. Angel's Trumpet is planted all around my neighborhood and Seth's neighborhood in Venice Beach, yet Cannabis is illegal. I think the simplistic logic of our government is "if it's fun, don't do it; if it's fatal, well you go ahead!"

P.S. That whole Meg rant ruined the episode for me, btw. When I watch Family Guy, I want to point and laugh, I don't need moral lessons.


>> ^shagen454:

From the type of trip this seems like they may have a brugmansia tree outside their home and ate the trumpet flower. I only learned about it a couple of days ago when I walked by a nicely scented tree with beautiful flowers coming off it and one of my friends explained that its a hallucinogen... that causes complete dementia.

From the type of trip this seems like they may have a brugmansia tree outside their home and ate the trumpet flower. I only learned about it a couple of days ago when I walked by a nicely scented tree with beautiful flowers coming off it and one of my friends explained that its a hallucinogen... that causes complete dementia.

>> ^Mammaltron:

Awesome trumpet work!


And bongo work, and synth work, and... I swear I saw a guy back there answering phones... and another carving a turkey, but I lost count at about 15.

Awesome trumpet work!

I bet its that trumpet!

>> ^robbersdog49:

Why? Why are farts so funny?


As Louis CK once said to Jon Stewart (and I paraphrase), "Farts are funny because it's like a trumpet sound your body makes...out of your ass."

Ah, good to know. Thanks!

In reply to this comment by gwiz665:
You gots to use the old style embed to embed in comments.
In reply to this comment by Shepppard:
@gwiz665

I agree with you that Morrowind was better then Oblivion.. but I think Skyrim trumps them all.

All three keep the same "Theme" (the notes played for the rising crescendo) but differently.
Morrowind has it peacefully played by flutes as it climbs, Oblivion has it played with a quicker tempo and by trumpets, and skyrim put lyrics to it, and gave it a more grand feel.)

clicky

That video is a really good way of hearing how the theme evolved throughout the three games.


(Edit: I can't embed videos anymore for some reason, so it was replaced with a link instead.)

You gots to use the old style embed to embed in comments.
In reply to this comment by Shepppard:
@gwiz665

I agree with you that Morrowind was better then Oblivion.. but I think Skyrim trumps them all.

All three keep the same "Theme" (the notes played for the rising crescendo) but differently.
Morrowind has it peacefully played by flutes as it climbs, Oblivion has it played with a quicker tempo and by trumpets, and skyrim put lyrics to it, and gave it a more grand feel.)

clicky

That video is a really good way of hearing how the theme evolved throughout the three games.


(Edit: I can't embed videos anymore for some reason, so it was replaced with a link instead.)

@gwiz665

I agree with you that Morrowind was better then Oblivion.. but I think Skyrim trumps them all.

All three keep the same "Theme" (the notes played for the rising crescendo) but differently.
Morrowind has it peacefully played by flutes as it climbs, Oblivion has it played with a quicker tempo and by trumpets, and skyrim put lyrics to it, and gave it a more grand feel.


(Thanks Gwiz)

That video is a really good way of hearing how the theme evolved throughout the three games.

I am amazed that anyone can view this nonsense as a beacon of light for freedom

and @MaxWilder since you've brought up something I've said in a separate thread despite my not having said anything in this one (and quite angrily for some reason), while law doesn't specifically say anything about not being hassled, in does work that way in some respects. For example, there are laws that prevent me from standing in front of your house blowing an airhorn all night. There are laws preventing me from defecating in the middle of the floor in the library, then disposing of it. neither of these things hurt anybody or their property, they just bother them. If you think people don't have the right to not be bothered, you should take a stance against noise ordinances and public defecation. Join me next thursday where I take a stance and attach a trumpet to my asshole and parade through the tomb of the fallen soldier shitting through my trumpet for freedom

aka crying because someone told me I was bothering people and making a big egotistical scene disguised as political activism

@marbles playing a trumpet in the monument is surely against a noise ordinance, just like dancing in this one is. the reason there was a problem in this video is because these guys were doing something against an ordinance recently passed for the memorial.

Now whether or not it's a reasonable law to pass is another issue and I do think it's a silly one, but this particular group came to the memorial with an agenda to get arrested.

The real problem is we don't really get to see what was going on before the cops showed up, which is unfortunate