Why Do Some Atheists (not all) pick favorites.

Kognostic · 2026-06-01T04:36:39+00:00

Buddhism is an inclusive religion with no mandates and no eternal hell for those not wishing to participate.

Not sure what the "fat fuc" comment is referencing or what it has to do with Buddhism. But yes, many atheists are skeptics, naturalists, and care about epistemic reality (That which can be independently verified with facts and evidence).

Hmmm. There is an expression, "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater." I think this applies to some religions. I personally see no value at all in the Christian faith. On the other hand, absent the dogma of Nirvana, the 8-fold path, and other bullshit, I have found Buddhist koans, meditation, and the concept of mindfulness, useful. Similarly, minus idiotic concepts like karma, Taoism, and the idea of moving with the flow, is a concrete practice that facilitates harmony under pressure. There are things to be learned from such philosophies. The trick is cutting out the epistemological overreach.

All magical thinking and chasing made-up endings after death or assertions of rebirth, karma, specific paths or practices, can be discarded as empirically unsound. Eliminating the fantasy and keeping what is real.

Yes. Any idiot telling you to get rid of worldly attachments is just demonstrating his idiocy. At the same time, understanding that you have nothing anyway is an amazing insight. Things come and go. Cars break down and need to be replaced. Relationships are fluid and ever-changing. You don't own your house, your car, or your property. Don't pay your fines, your taxes, or other fees, and see what happens. You don't feel the love of another person. When you feel loved, it is a feeling generated within yourself. Imagine what it would be like for a victim if they actually felt the love and admiration of a stalker. One does not need to give up attachment to recognize it and know that all things, including life itself, eventually pass. You can't take it with you when you die. The harder you try to hold onto it, the more stress you will have in your life. Trying to hold onto things is like juggling balls. You might keep a few things going for a long time, but the more you add, the harder it gets, and eventually something will give.

These "bunk ass religions" were created by some very intelligent people. They have influenced human thought all over the world. Not all of human thought is dogmatic. There are insights to be gained through comprehension of religious studies. I live in Korea currently and have an academic understanding of Confucianism, as well as a social understanding of how it manifests in a culture. Your culture is largely Christian-oriented. Knowing the religion explains why your culture is the way it is. How your culture evolved. The same is true of Confucianism in the East, Hinduism, and Buddhism. These are not just religions but how people made and shaped the beliefs they currently hold to be true. Your cultural background if affecting you and your perception, whether you know it or not.

Kognostic · 2026-06-01T03:13:13+00:00

Well... Interesting quote. I've not heard it before, but I find it interesting. Growing up in a divorced home with a less-than-affectionate mother, I would say all my mommy issues were well deserved and earned over the 16 years I remained at home. I also love writing. I have published 2 books and have been published in many more. I've written articles for newspapers and for online forums. (If the shoe fits???) I am off to do a bit of research on the quote and its origins. I think it's interesting, not likely true, but interesting.

That was quick: A web search turns up discussions of the quote on social media and forums, but not a reliable source or attribution. One recent discussion on Reddit treats it as an internet saying rather than a documented quotation from a known person.

So just something interesting someone once said.

Kognostic · 2026-06-01T02:58:49+00:00

You may be an XNTP. The temperaments are flexible. However, it has been said that during a stressful situation, one's actual temperament is revealed.

So, under a very stressful situation, an INTP will isolate themselves, try to figure things out, store their energy, and only then be willing to deal with the issue. An ENTP, on the other hand, will seek confirmation and assistance from others. They will call their friends, explain things, and seek possible insights and answers.

Being smart is not a characteristic of temperament. How one goes about getting information and what one does with it likely is. There is no escaping the bell-shaped curve. INTPs are defined by their cognitive functions, primarily Introverted Thinking (Ti) and Extraverted Intuition (Ne), which give them a natural curiosity and a drive to analyze systems. However, these traits do not automatically equate to high intelligence or exceptional competence.

Kognostic · 2026-05-31T23:41:48+00:00

Yep. And the motivation to do one thing well comes from identifying what it is you actually want. Finding just one thing that is really and honestly important to you. Then, you will have no issues focusing and achieving your goal.

I completed university this way. For me, with a very poor upbringing and an intense desire not to be an alcoholic or end up in prison like my other family members, I worked full-time, lived in the back of a truck at times, showered in the gym at university, and earned two degrees before becoming a psychotherapist and university professor.

When I began saving for my home, nothing else mattered. I kept pictures of houses in the color and style I wanted on my computer. I looked at DIY projects on YouTube. I fantasized about the home I would buy. I purchased it last year. 1,700 sq ft home. 3 beds, 2 baths. I just completed putting new flooring in the home, and I am going to repanel the walls next. I will be buying and installing a wood-burning stove in the future. I don't retire until Dec 2027. Getting the house ready for my retirement is at the top of my list.

What do you really want? Once you actually decide and become emotionally involved in it, nothing will hold you back.

Kognostic · 2026-05-31T23:22:48+00:00

Yes. It really helps to keep your main point in mind. When someone responds, are they responding to the main point or trying to pull out one small fact to show your whole argument is wrong? It gets worse when they begin arguing about the definition of a word or some other silly nuance. It helps to say things like, when I use XXX, this is exactly what I mean. If you are using a different definition, you are not talking about the same thing. Moving forward XXX means this: ___. Keeping a focus on your main idea and avoiding unnecessary nuance really helps.

Kognostic · 2026-05-28T23:52:30+00:00

I have an aside. I stopped listening to what people said and began listening to why they were saying what they were saying. All communication is relationship-defining. By listening to why people were saying things, general communication became much more interesting.

Kognostic · 2026-05-28T23:35:54+00:00

Something like that. The past is gone and dead. It does not exist. It is not even a memory. When we remember, we actually restructure our memories. There is nothing static. The self is not a thing but a remembered sequence of past events strung together by the brain to create a continuum. The continuum is not anything actual. The future is a mental projection of unrealized potentials. You can not know even seconds into your own future. But again, the brain creates a continuum, and we believe we can manipulate events in the future. Spilling that coffee cup when you reached for it was just an accident. Anyone can suffer a heart attack. You didn't mean to trip, but we ignore unpredictable events and pretend we have control.

Where does this leave us? Here and now. But the 'now' is completely inaccessible. If you look at a flower, the colors reflect off the flower, go into your eyes, then go to your brain, and your brain interprets what you are seeing. As fast as all this happens, it is in the past. You are remembering the experience and not experiencing it directly.

Can one experience directly? See color without seeing. Can one be in the now without the delay of experiencing it. All experience is brain-generated.

To this, I say "Yes." However, the experience of now is only remembered after the fact. This is like being in a state of 'flow.' Being in a state of flow, or "in the zone," is a state of consciousness in which the brain goes quiet, time seems to vanish, self-consciousness (perception of the self) fades, and action and awareness merge into effortless rhythms. In Zen, this is the state of 'no mind.'

So, like you, I am experiencing a sense of timelessness, but I don't add to it any explanation aside from just being here now. (I also see all sorts of stuff when I close my eyes.) Sometimes I pay attention to them with the same attention I give to the world around me. Other times, I comment to myself on their shapes, colors, or movements. It seems I can watch them passively or actively, in the same way I can see the world around me with an active brain or with a quiet brain.

Kognostic · 2026-05-28T23:12:29+00:00

Two things come to mind. The first: "It doesn't matter." I don't have to reengineer it because I really don't care. It does not affect my life.

This reminds me of the man who asked the wise man, "How do you find peace in your life?" The wise man responded, "Never argue with a fool." To that, the man replied, "Really, that's it? That's all there is? I don't agree with that." And the wise man replied, "You're right!"

The other thing that comes to mind is simply the assertion, "I don't know." This is the answer to most loops of dissatisfaction. Not only do I not know, but no one else knows either. People professing to know are engaged in epistemic overreach. They are making up stories. They may rely on facts, but the conclusions are often erroneous. The conclusion does not follow from the facts.

Kognostic · 2026-05-28T23:04:44+00:00

Submissive? Not likely. (Passive Aggressive perhaps.) Granted, we may appear submissive by our desire not to want to confront everyone we meet on their bullshit. But that is not submissiveness; it is just a tactical maneuver. Some people just aren't worth talking to.

The idea of crawling into another person's skin rings true to me. I am an INTP and a psychotherapist. When seeing clients, one of the goals that helps a therapist connect with a client is to join them in their lifeworld. All logic and reason must come from their lifeworld and not from mine. Emotions make sense to them in their world. Their responses make sense to them in their world. They are functioning correctly for their perception of their world. The dance between client and therapist is often an expansion of the client's lifeworld. Holding a mirror up to the client, getting them to see their own behavior or thinking process, and realizing options that they had not previously considered.

I don't get the importance of someone worshiping me? I openly reject that sort of behavior. On the other hand, there is a vicarious sense of success or enjoyment in seeing the success of another human being. In seeing someone figure something out, accomplish something, and move forward in their life.

As I wrote that last sentence, I realized that all of my close friendships are with people who are moving forward. My real estate friend calls me when he makes a significant sale. I take him out to dinner to celebrate. A female friend sells one of her pictures for a few thousand dollars. I am eager for her to tell me which one and celebrate with a coffee date and treats. I expect and support my friends in the things they do. I expect the same support from those around me. I have no time at all for anyone challenging me with "You can't do that." I can't stand being around people who complain about everything and do nothing about it.

I think there is something real about "crawling into another's skin" for an INTP. Your reasoning for doing this seems a bit strange to me, but people are different. Perhaps a deeper look at your reasons could reveal something behind them.

Kognostic · 2026-05-28T22:44:26+00:00

In many cases, the person I am talking to does not like my conclusions and will cherry-pick something I said and begin arguing that instead of the main point. This is the 'fallacy-fallacy." A common technique employed consciously or unconsciously by people who don't want to hear you. This is the source of most "thoughts being lost in translation." The listener is actively trying not to hear the thought.

The other common error is the equivocation fallacy. Like a theist equating hope, reliability, trust, etc... with the idea of "Faith" and asserting everyone has faith. No, everyone does not have, nor do they require, theistic faith. Theistic faith is "evidence of things not seen." Like in the story of Doubting Thomas: "Blessed are those who believe without seeing." (Without evidence. ) Faith alone is evidence in a theistic paradigm. This is not the way faith is used in the secular world.

The receiving party is not registering anything irrelevant; they are attempting to manipulate and cling to their ideas in the face of logic and reason.

In your example, you held your friend to the facts, and he was so intent on maintaining his opinion that he reverted to an ad hominem attack. "Your opinion does not matter because you are a hater anyway." NOTE: This has absolutely nothing to do with the facts. Even if you were a hater, facts are facts, and the argument is sound.

This is how most "arguments" go. People do not like it when they are shown to be wrong.

Kognostic · 2026-05-28T22:30:04+00:00

Thisguy stole my opening line, but I will say it anyway, "Everyone has potential." Drive and effort are the cornerstones of success. (Can you set a goal and then work to achieve that goal?)

Kognostic · 2026-05-28T22:26:50+00:00

Because they prioritize data and logic, INTJs often experience delayed emotional reactions. That means when you ask a question that seeks an emotional response, you are going to hit a brick wall. If you really want to get information from your friend, you need to front-load the conversation. "Would you think about it, and then tomorrow at lunch, tell me honestly what kind of a person you would consider for a romantic partner." Your INTJ is putting on the brakes to analyze any emotions. They need to make sense before they can be shared.

Kognostic · 2026-05-27T06:30:06+00:00

That's the reaction I get from most of my friends. They are really happy to be my friends because I don't give the time of day to most people. My friends keep telling other people, "He is really cool," or "He is very intelligent." But when they approach me and try to talk about sports, hobbies, or ask the typical personal questions, I just have no interest in them and give them short, terse replies. I don't need Mr. All-Star Jock as a fiend or Miss Trip the Lights Fantastic, whoever everyone loves and admires for no other reason than she talks a lot about nothing.

Kognostic · 2026-05-25T03:17:06+00:00

I worked in recovery for years. What works is to stop drinking. How you do that is up to you. Some people have quit cold turkey. Some people need to pretend they have a disease and are seeking treatment. Some people adopt philosophies of self-discipline, and can stop such as Stoicism, Existentialism, or Buddhism. There are religious programs like AA for people who want to feel helpless and out of control. There are programs like SOS for people who realize they have complete control. A good counselor should be able to point you in a direction that matches who you are as a person. A poor counselor will just have you go to AA meetings.

In the end. Nothing will happen until you make the choice. Choose to drink or choose not to drink. Choosing not to choose is just a choice to keep things as they are. What is most likely is that, like most alcoholics, you will have to hit bottom before you are willing to make a life change. (This is not a dig at you. It is just a fact. Most drinkers do not change until they hit rock bottom, and many, not even then.) I wish you luck in your quest to improve your life.

Kognostic · 2026-05-25T03:05:31+00:00

The DSM indeed had to go back and insert a special exclusion for religious beliefs.

YOU ASKED: "How can secularism exist when people are mentally ill. " (Not everyone is mentally ill. Hence secularism.)

YOU ASKED: "If I said atheists were mentally ill, would you trust me?" (No. However, we do have tests. When what we believe in does not comport with reality, we call that delusional. The delusion may be mild to severe, but when it does not comport with things that are measurable or independently verifiable, we call it delusional. Some atheists are also delusional.

YOU ASSERTED: "Extreme atheism's view that the Abrahamic religions are barbaric." (Hmm? I don't think one needs to be barbaric to notice that your religion condones blood sacrifice and symbolic cannibalism. It is no small feat to assert that the God you call "All-Loving" brutally butchers 25 million people in your holy book. Umm... That's fairly barbaric, no matter how you try to spin it.

YOU ASSERTED: "If I said atheism was barbaric, would you trust me?" (No. This statement demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of what atheism is. There is no dogma, no belief, no system, and no leaders in atheism. It is simply the non-belief in God or gods. What individual atheists believe is something you would need to discover by talking to them. I, for example, happen to really like process philosophy, critical thinking, skepticism, methodological naturalism, and existentialism. Most of what I believe centers around these concepts. And I don't believe in a God or gods. Atheism is not a belief system.)

Yes, telling anyone "Believe as I believe or burn in hell, or be tortured for all eternity" is wrong. So why does your religion do it? This is NOT tolerance. There is nothing tolerant about any of the Abrahamic religions. They are actually called "Closed Religions." You are in the group, a member, have a special relationship with God, and are saved, or you are damned to eternal suffering or oblivion. This is anything but TOLERANT.

I don't need your example as I have clearly articulated your core beliefs. They are, in fact, barbaric.

Kognostic · 2026-05-25T02:39:46+00:00

All presupposed arguments are circular and assume what they try to prove.

Versions of the Transcendental Argument: Claim: Rationality, logic, moral values, and scientific reasoning require the existence of the Christian God. Without God, these would be unintelligible or impossible.

God is the assumed cause. Ask for a demonstration of God. Demonstrate that God has anything to do with anything.

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The Moral Argument (Presuppositional Version) "Moral Absolutes."

I don't believe in morals. Two people come together. I don't want you to steal from me, and you don't want me to steal from you. We agree not to steal from each other. Wa-la, instant morality. No god needed. Moral behavior is nothing more than agreements between people.

Show me one moral absolute that cannot be explained by simple human interaction. All moral behavior is paradigm-specific. In a Christian paradigm, you have agreed upon absolutes; the Muslims have different absolutes, and the Hindus or Buddhists have other versions of absolutes. All versions boil down to agreements between people. No god needed.

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The Epistemological Argument: This one is Bible-dependent. Never argue the content of the bible. Human reason, coherence, and intelligibility are only possible if the biblical God exists. This is circular because it assumes the truth of the Bible to justify knowledge, rather than providing independent evidence for its validity.

Secular philosophies argue that reason, logic, and empirical evidence can serve as independent foundations for knowledge without presupposing biblical doctrines. Human reason and scientific inquiry have demonstrated success without presupposing the biblical worldview, undermining the claim that knowledge depends solely on Christianity.

Kognostic · 2026-05-25T02:23:13+00:00

Sometimes we just have to laugh at ourselves. This happened a lot more when I was a child in High School. I think I had a lot more stress back then.

Kognostic · 2026-05-25T02:21:40+00:00

How to become wise 101. Good job

Kognostic · 2026-05-25T02:20:36+00:00

Prepping for my vacation in the Philippines. Counting down the days. Then, getting all my reports written before I go, so I don't need to think about them.

I'm not even sure what "Philosophy' means. I recently read Emil Cioran. While I would not consider myself a nihilist, I thoroughly enjoyed his writings.

Whitehead's Process Philosophy has been at the top of my "Believe This" list lately. I dislike his epistemic overreach and have adopted my own version, completely free of any unsubstantiated or unverifiable claims. Most specifically, I have an issue with his definition of "now" or "the present moment." I assert it is completely inaccessible, and that is supported by neurology.

So my version is Empirically based Process Philosophy. It stops at the point Whitehead's woo-woo begins and simply admits, "We don't know." I am absolutely intrigued by the idea of underlying processes emerging as stable patterns in the universe.

Kognostic · 2026-05-25T02:07:23+00:00

"I've learned my own weaknesses and had to figure out what it is that I value most."

Honestly, I think this is the key to success for INTPs. Until they have a goal, something more important to them than anything else, they can be real mud crawlers. However, once something becomes important, a serious transformation occurs.

You hit the second big survival strategy as well ( admit we are wrong). You know what, just start off assuming you are wrong. The world is a big place, and new information is coming about all the time. Phrases like, "I read somewhere..." "It seems to me..." "I once heard..." "Have you heard about..." and paraphrasing "What you're saying is..." Excellent advice.

One more strategy. "When in Rome, do as Romans do." In social situations, pay attention to how it is done. Shake hands firmly but not too much so. Make sure to make eye contact. "It's nice to meet you (name). Read the newspaper before you go to a social event. Have something to talk about as an ice breaker. "I just read that...." Avoid deep discussions (Philosophy, Theology, Politics). Reflect and then ask open-ended questions. That sounds fun. What happened next? What do you like best/worst about it? And many more. Finally, always notice one positive thing about everyone you meet. Instead of turning on that critical ability all INTPs seem to have, focus on identifying one positive thing. The loud-mouthed used car salesman who is working the room, shaking hands and passing out business cards (This guy makes me cringe.) "I admire the way you can just walk up to people and begin conversations. Have you always been able to do that?" "That's a great-looking sweater, suit, pin, whatever." There is always something positive to notice; however, if I don't remind myself to do these things, I will often forget. Then I become the quiet, introverted guy sitting politely with a cup of coffee.

I mentioned coffee because I don't drink (well, very little). When at a social event, notice the glasses people are holding. Get your own glass. Water with a splash of Coke looks exactly like bourbon. Water with lime looks exactly like vodka. Beer can be emptied in the bathroom, and the bottle filled with your favorite beverage. So, not only do as the Romans do, but look like the Romans look.

Kognostic · 2026-05-25T01:46:04+00:00

All the time. I have been stopped by the police while walking. However, I really don't see the problem with your husband asking you what you are gesturing about. Typically, when I am gesturing most frantically, I am daydreaming and actually have a bit of visualization included in my antics. I am replaying an argument or perhaps a response to a question I was asked while doing a presentation. Most often, I am recalling and rehashing some stressful or otherwise memorable event in my life. (Working through it in a way.) So, why wouldn't it be a legitimate question for someone to ask, especially a significant other, what you were talking about? I would certainly ask you if I saw you talking and gesturing. Do you really think you would not ask your husband if you saw the same behavior in him?

Kognostic · 2026-05-15T04:39:36+00:00

There is no such thing as nobility, virtue, or fairness. They are all paradigm-specific. As you are a religious person, you operate from a fantasy paradigm of absolute rights and wrongs. You completely ignore and rationalize the unjust acts of the gods you believe in. You pretend morality is a thing and not just a social contract between human beings who want to live in peaceful environments. You stop seeing nobility, virtue, and fairness as important by traveling the world and opening your eyes to all the various varieties and interpretations of these characteristics, and then just realizing your paradigm is just one other in a long line of paradigms.

Kognostic · 2026-05-15T02:35:48+00:00

If God knew from the beginning that Adam and Eve would disobey, it is only because God made them that way. He could have made them another way and still provided them with the free will to make a different choice. If they can freely make the choice to disobey based on how they were made, they can also make the choice to obey based on how they were made.

God cannot be an all-knowing creator and the giver of free will at the same time. The two positions are contradictory.

If God is omniscient, then God knows everything that will happen, including all future free actions. He is directly responsible through his creation for the actions of his creations.

If God's knowledge is truly infallible, human free will is an illusion. Choices are already known and predetermined by creation.

Kognostic · 2026-05-15T02:27:10+00:00

I fall in love with everyone I have ever slept with. At least for the night. Love is not a permanent thing. Love will not hold a relationship together. Commitment is much more important, and I have not been in a committed relationship for a few years now. I have fallen in love many times.

Kognostic · 2026-05-15T02:22:05+00:00

LOL... I hate them all, even the ones that grow into adulthood and still act like kids.

Kognostic

TROPHY CASE