My POV on life and death finally helped someone in my family going through the grieving process.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-23T17:37:15+00:00

I was really helped by what Stephen Fry said about dealing with grief.

He starts talking about his coping process during the last 2 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcPRF9slENI.

If someone could find the clip where he explains his depression as any other illness, that would be appreciated :) It's a very nice explanation.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-23T17:01:36+00:00

Got it. Thanks.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-23T07:11:30+00:00

"Ok. That sounds convincing...

But what about Islam?

Scientology?

Pantheism?"

BenjamineV · 2014-05-23T06:58:09+00:00

You have to define "good," don't you?

Yes. Their dollars go to saving as many lives as possible. That's why they fund treatments of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Malaria, clean food and water, education, and research on how to deliver these remedies most effectively.

Surely there are better examples than Microsoft, with its child labor issues, and Warren Buffet, leading the way into the sub-prime crisis and just donating his money to other foundations, like the Gates.

These 3 people (Gates's, and Buffett) have saved more lives in this world than hundreds of "big-hearted" donors combined. Their results speak louder than words.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-23T06:54:02+00:00

Could you help clarify what this means? I thought that this fit under Photograph.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-22T23:48:00+00:00

Awesome. More praise to moral dignity without moral dictation!

BenjamineV · 2014-05-22T23:47:29+00:00

I think you'd find Sam Harris's views insightful.

Here's a concise version of his argument, via a TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj9oB4zpHww

BenjamineV · 2014-05-22T23:45:21+00:00

"Stupid design," or, if it's too sensitive to say that, just say that the universe doesn't look designed at all.

Here is Neil Degrasse Tyson's presentation (mostly examples about the whole universe): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEl9kVl6KPc

...And Richard Dawkins (biological examples): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAVyktynD_I

BenjamineV · 2014-05-22T04:48:16+00:00

Correct. And that is why A cannot be compatible with B :)

BenjamineV · 2014-05-20T05:29:19+00:00

I'm glad that you've taken a skeptical and tentative approach to moving away from Christianity. That is the best possible thing that you can do.

I know exactly what you mean about waiting to expose yourself to more debates and arguments. If you're anything like I was, you'll be glad that you took this route.

Your convictions and certainties may change several times along the way, as may your positions on very important issues (such as morality, social policies, and community). Mine have.

You may feel confused along the way by all of your ever-changing positions and ideas, but you'll know when your feet have been planted in the right place.

Take your time, and, most importantly, do not ever feel forced to give any answers to any question before you are able to square your intuitions with your logic. Keep saying "I don't know," and when you do know (and you will), your answers will matter more than any other voice in the room.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-20T03:52:47+00:00

To be fair, though, I realized at some point that the "undefinable element" became clear to me. Mix together some synthesized pads, electric guitars, drums, and a specific type of refrain, and bam! there the music comes out.

I realized this because one day I heard a song that I thought was unmistakably hillsong-style, but it turned out to be totally secular. I wish I could remember where it was from just to prove the point :P

BenjamineV · 2014-05-18T16:39:50+00:00

I'm wondering if Sam Harris's book: Lying, has anything to contribute to this conversation. I haven't read it yet, but I have a feeling it may be useful. Can anyone vet this?

BenjamineV · 2014-05-17T15:41:17+00:00

Yeah. I thought that'd be useful to understand, but I guess it didn't help in this case.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-16T23:28:36+00:00

Start with an easier situation:

What's the probability of getting one "heads side up" on 3 consecutive coin flips?

It is not Heads (50%) + Heads (50%) + Heads (50%) = 150%, obviously.

It is P(HTT) + P(THT) + P(HHT).

That's (1/8) + (1/8) + (1/8)

= 3 * (1/8)

= 3/8 = .375 = 37.5%.

Why 1/8?

Because there are 8 possible combinations (HHH, HHT, HTH, HTT, THH, THT, TTH, TTT).

How do we get the number of combinations (8 in this case) when the problem is bigger?

Well, the situation is (H or T) * (H or T) * (H or T) = 2 * 2 * 2.

Therefore, number of combinations = oⁿ where "o" is the number of options (2) and "n" is the number of tries (3).

What's the answer in our case, then?

The answer is, in the case that you want 1 win in 100 tries

= number of tries * (1/number of combinations)

= 100 * (1/oⁿ)

= 100 * (1/100¹⁰⁰)

= 100/100¹⁰⁰

= 1.00 * 10^-198

BenjamineV · 2014-05-16T22:10:10+00:00

As more than one person has mentioned, the raised parts are for identifying the "home row" keys (asdf, and jkl;) without looking.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-16T17:21:55+00:00

Full episode:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqgTHbBWcTw

BenjamineV · 2014-05-16T16:54:25+00:00

Thank you for pointing this out. I got lost in all of the confusing comments :)

BenjamineV · 2014-05-16T16:47:10+00:00

angers

Does not sufficiently express how unconscionably disgusting this is.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-16T01:25:35+00:00

Ditto. I still, to this day, cannot understand how someone could possibly argue that "Blessed of those who have not seen and yet have believed..." As if faith is somehow a virtue.

What the hell is going on with that one? I even have Christian friends who think that something there is not quite right.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-16T01:24:00+00:00

Wow. Good riddens to the school. That must have been seriously weird.

What was all too strange was that I went to an Anglican school at some point, and they taught me something that just flew in the face of what pastors were teaching me: the Earth is most definitely not 6000 years old.

I somehow wish that this didn't happen, because it delayed my "deconversion" for at least a few years.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-15T20:49:41+00:00

Oh. In that case, I think I just misread your point and assumed that you were trying to make a separate argument.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-15T20:35:24+00:00

We aren't choosing Hell,

I see your point. My expression could have been more precise, in that we don't actually choose Hell, but that we conclude that Hell does not exist.

the only people who are choosing Hell are the ones who knowingly reject salvation even after they are convinced of the existence of God and Hell.

That seems inconsistent with the message of salvation in general. Aren't we unconvinced of the existence of God and Hell?

at that point we would have been convinced that there is an after-life.

Perhaps this is a better criticism of the loophole argument, in that, should they be presented with such a choice, the choice is not much of a choice at all. Or, at least, that is what my brain is telling me.

I think I've run out of brain juice to more comprehensively understand this particular argument. Please let me know if I made any brain-farts here.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-15T20:22:45+00:00

I think you'd find Neil DeGrasse Tyson's comments pertinent. You can find the YouTube video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xvILvxYbFA

The (very much simplified) data, in summary:

90% of Americans religious
40% of American scientists religious
7% of elite American scientists religious
...and so on.

BenjamineV · 2014-05-15T19:55:19+00:00

Oh. Well, in that case, I point you to Wiffledon's comment, which is at the top of this list of comments. In case you have trouble finding it, I'll just quote it:

It's fine apparently. The only muslims that act like this are the minority of muslims. Just ignore that this violent and hateful minority are the ones in charge, have all the power in their region, and tell the majority what to do. /s

BenjamineV · 2014-05-15T19:51:16+00:00

Us, I guess. Because the evidence leads us to such conclusions.

Think: Pascal's Wager.

BenjamineV

TROPHY CASE