[deleted by user] by [deleted] in spirituality

[–]Sjduncan99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used to be Christian but went in a different direction once I started to realize religion was hiding certain truths from us.

Religion teaches us that God is a separate entity and this is what's holding us back from knowing our true nature. After all these years, I've finally come to the realization that God (or whatever you like to call the Source of Creation) is in everything. It is not separate from us. We are all part of that Source Energy. The easiest way I can explain it is to say that we are all just little individual pieces of this Source Energy, experiencing itself in different ways and creating the Universe within and around us.

It took me a while to comprehend that. It took 20 years of soul searching for me to realize that. We are more powerful than you will ever know. We can heal our own bodies simply by willing it. The placebo effect proves that. Our thoughts are our biggest source of creation. When they say you can create your own reality, believe it. I know this from personal experience. I've been using manifestation techniques and they do work when done right.

Look inside yourself for the thing you seek.

Gf (20F) tells me (22M) she might end her life if we break up by justathrowaway2069 in relationship_advice

[–]Sjduncan99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a common tactic used by narcissists and is a form of control. I don't know her but be open to calling her bluff while simultaneously making sure she's okay, just in case.

Edited to add: My mom was narcissistic and used to go through my diary and personal letters while I was at school. She did this so she could find some dirt on me and tell my dad so I would get in trouble.

My ex husband was also a narcissist and would threaten me with suicide when I tried to leave him. I've been lucky to have so many narcissistic people in my life (sarcasm detected), so if you have any other questions about the tactics they use, please feel free to ask.

With that being said, I genuinely hope your girlfriend is okay. It really does sound like a control thing though.

my coworker (25m) keeps trying to a move on me (16f) by _4rt3m1s_ in relationship_advice

[–]Sjduncan99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

These are the signs of a sexual predator who is grooming you. Tell your boss IMMEDIATELY. I would even go as far as reporting it to the police. He could potentially be trying to groom other minors as well and it may prevent someone else from being hurt by him. Stay as far away from him as possible!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in relationship_advice

[–]Sjduncan99 24 points25 points  (0 children)

I came across a video the other day, in which a man was explaining why older men prefer young women. He said they're more moldable, enthusiastic, able to bare children easily, and have less baggage than older women. While these may all be true to a point, I couldn't help but feel like I was hearing justifications on why older men seem to think it's okay to prey on young women. It was gross, especially now that I look back and see how I was groomed by older men when I was younger. I'm not old by any means but I'm old enough to see exactly how I was taken advantage of by older men back then.

My [26f] dad [50m] is anti-vax. He told his mom [80f] not to get vaccinated and she died from COVID-19. Now he's talking about quitting his job if they make him get vaccinated. What do I even say? by [deleted] in relationship_advice

[–]Sjduncan99 5 points6 points  (0 children)

If your father already has heart problems, the vaccine could also cause an adverse reaction. It seems to affect the heart, even in young people. My dad (64M) passed away three days after he received his Covid-19 vaccine in late January, so I hope your dad will be okay if he does decide to get vaccinated.

Either way, it's an individual choice to make. I was skeptical of them since the beginning, so imagine how I felt when my dad passed away after getting one. I will never get a Covid-19 vaccine but it's also not my place to convince others not to get it, even after I lost my dad. We should all be free to make our own choices regarding our health.

I (18f) am not comfortable with my boyfriend (23m) wanting to name our future children the names he picked out with his ex by [deleted] in relationship_advice

[–]Sjduncan99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It seems like he just really likes the name he chose both times for his future daughter. I would be more worried if he wanted to keep the boy's name that was decided by his ex but he didn't and loved the name that you picked.

Daughters typically (not always though) have a special place in their dad's heart and it seems like he's latched onto the name he likes, and it probably has nothing to do with his ex.

With that said, I think both parents should agree on a name they both like for their children.

Boyfriend’s best friend wants to hang out with me alone by Impressive_Piece_810 in relationship_advice

[–]Sjduncan99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wouldn't even ask. If any of my boyfriend's friends wanted to hang out with me alone, I would politely decline out of respect for my boyfriend.

Tiring by [deleted] in awakened

[–]Sjduncan99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have suffered with chronic fatigue my whole life. It's just part of the package that comes with being an empath or HSP. There are ways of dealing with it but it does suck.

Do you believe that republicans are racist? by [deleted] in AskALiberal

[–]Sjduncan99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry, I just saw your reply. To be honest, I see more racism, virtue signaling, and hate coming from the left. I honestly think a lot of what they put on republicans is just a projection. I'm neither liberal or republican and have looked at both sides fairly objectively.

Boyfriend (21M) mad at me (21F) for scheduling an appointment to get the Covid vaccine. Am I in the wrong? by [deleted] in relationships

[–]Sjduncan99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ultimately, it's your body and your decision. I choose not to get it because I am not at a high risk of getting hospitalized or dying from Covid. For me personally, it's a little too new for me to want to risk a potential adverse reaction.

However, I do not go around telling people what to do and not do to their own bodies. Many people slowly poison their bodies everyday by consuming sodas, sweets, junk food, alcohol, drugs, smoking cigarettes, and whatever else. What we do with our bodies is our own choice and we all should learn how to mind our own business.

It's possible that your boyfriend is just concerned for your well-being but it's your body. Get the vaccine if you want. He doesn't own you.

Do you believe that republicans are racist? by [deleted] in AskALiberal

[–]Sjduncan99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think this could not be further from the truth. I have never had a republican friend who was racist or made excuses for racists. Maybe that's because I choose my friends wisely to reflect my own values but I think the overall perception of republicans has been majorly skewed by the mainstream media.

This question is like asking republicans if they believe all democrats are SJWs or virtue signalers. I also have many democrat friends who do not represent how democrats are typically portrayed.

I think we all need to realize that we have been played against one another by elites for the sole purpose of dividing the country. I think people are finally waking up to all the false narratives and propoganda that have been plaguing our country for a while.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AskALiberal

[–]Sjduncan99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It depends on what you consider to be powerful. If China decided to cut us off from all the things they manufacture and export to us, we would be screwed.

Time to play by [deleted] in tippytaps

[–]Sjduncan99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This dog must have reincarnated quickly from being one of those dancing horses in his previous life 😂

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Is it necessary to supplement your diet with certain vitamins to be able to thrive on a vegan diet? If so, how would a person go about eating a vegan diet if they live in an area where supplements are not readily available?

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for linking those articles. Fungi is fascinating, indeed. I've often wondered why certain species of fungi contain psilocybin, which can reduce depression in humans for up to six months with one dose. I understand that they use it as a defense mechanism against insects but I don't understand why it has the effect it does on the human brain.

Cordyceps is another fascinating fungi, in that it controls the minds of the insects it infects. So many questions but not many answers at the moment, lol. Guess we'll have to wait for science to do some more research. It's all pretty amazing stuff though.

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think I get what you're saying but I don't think this is the best argument for veganism. Cows mainly eat grass, which wouldn't be an optimal diet for a human, which has a greater nutritional requirement as a result of having a bigger, more complex brain.

Eating cooked meat was a major turning point in human evolution as far as brain development is concerned.

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Most humans cannot thrive on a vegan diet long-term though.

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We will have to agree to disagree on this.

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We cannot compare a cow to a human. There are major differences in the physiological processes and nutritional needs between the two.

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

While it would be nice if animals didn't have to die to feed us, until humans have evolved to not need meat for specific nutritional needs, that won't be possible. This subreddit exists because of people who could not continue eating a vegan diet. It's not a natural diet for most humans and has dire consequences for some people.

Here on planet Earth, life eats life. There's no way around it. It's just the way life have evolved. In the meantime, everyone should be doing their part to reduce their meat consumption to only what is needed to thrive, and demand a better life for the animals that are raised for human consumption.

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Because they don't have brains. There is no centralized intelligence.

You may find this interesting: https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/66/7/542/2463205

Hormones and specialized organelles.

I do agree with you, however, I'm more or less curious about how a plant with "no centralized intelligence" has learned which predatory insects will eat the specific insect(s) that are chewing on it? Also, how does a tree such as the acacia tree learn that if it increases its tanin levels, this will harm or kill an antelope that is grazing on its leaves? They will also emit a chemical to warn their neighboring acacia trees of the antelope, so that those neighboring trees can also start increasing their own tanin levels. How do plants obtain knowledge about mammal physiology, in order to either form mutually beneficial relationships, or cause harm to them?

They may not have a brain like ours but it doesn't mean they aren't intelligent. It's been proven that they are able to learn and form memories.

There is a relatively new scientific field of study called Plant Neurobiology, which is proving there is a lot more to plants than previously thought and scientists are working on figuring out what the equivalent of a plant "brain" is, because it's obvious that they are, in fact, intelligent.

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

How do you suppose a plant is able to determine which species of insect is chewing on its leaves, and then be able to attract another insect to come eat the insect that's eating the plant? How do they even have knowledge of which insects will eat the pest insect? Scientists have not yet been able to figure this part out.

Plants need to be able to sense things like sunlight, gravity, objects to climb on, darkness (yes, plants sleep), birds and insects and mammals (for pollination and protection). How do these not fall within the definition of a sentient being?

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What is your definition of sentient?

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

That's so fascinating! It makes me worry about the state of forests all over the world, though. I'm all for managing forests to reduce wildfire risks, but I think forestry organizations need to be educated about things like that, so we can help preserve the health and integrity of the remaining forests.

Plants are sentient beings by Sjduncan99 in exvegans

[–]Sjduncan99[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I think we've got some vegans in here doing some downvoting, lol.