Posts by Coded Logic

127

The people are mobilizing Mr Drumpf

by Simon in

protesters shut down a trump rally.

massive numbers of people are out in chicago and have shut his event down.

there were scuffles inside the event.. despite his lame attempt to pretend the violence he instigates is nothing to do with him it's clear that it is as the cnn quotes during the last event showed only too well.. this doesn't happen at anyone else's events - candidates have even given up the stage to protesters, not called for them to be beaten and punched.. trump is an ugly person and this is just a small taste of what a future under his rule would be like.. shame on the gop for not kicking his ass out.

Coded Logic

Thank you SBF and Fink for your links. What Chomsky had to say was certainly . . . bizarr.

Concerning media propaganda, he seems to think that the British press not covering the US rejection of a conditional Iraqi retreat from Kuwait was somehow informative. I don't understand why he thinks this. Especially when the US had specifically stated it would not accept anything other than an unconditional retreat. Is there some reason that the British media should have covered this non-story going on in the back doors of US negotiations?

Next he says the US media initially wouldn't cover COINTELPRO. This is only partially true. It took years for all the facts to come out about the program after the FBI field office had been broken into and it's not uncommon for newspapers to sit on stories for months at a time while they collect all the facts before they will publish. Chomsky then tries to say it's meaningful that the reporter interviewing him (admittedly not the brightest crayon in the box) knows about Watergate but has never heard of COINTELPRO. As though these two things are comparable? The FBI being caught with it's hand in the cookie jar (not the first or last time) is not the same as a US President attempting to steal an election and being forced out of the oval office. This would be like saying "Well you know who Monica Lewinsky is but how come you don't know who Paula Broadwell is?" These two stories are not equal.

I agree with Chomsky that there is a lot of media bias. But his additional step that all reporters are indoctrinated and tools of propaganda is moon landing conspiracy stuff. There's a huge difference between newspapers being, at times, incompetent (Iraqi WMDs anyone?) vs. reporters deliberately turning a blind eye to inconvenient facts.

I think Chomsky is well informed and has a good handle on the facts. Unfortunately, his conclusions from those facts seem to be completely unbridled by reason. It's as though the emperor purchased the best clothes he could find but then decides not to wear them every time he goes out for a walk.

127

The people are mobilizing Mr Drumpf

by Simon in

protesters shut down a trump rally.

massive numbers of people are out in chicago and have shut his event down.

there were scuffles inside the event.. despite his lame attempt to pretend the violence he instigates is nothing to do with him it's clear that it is as the cnn quotes during the last event showed only too well.. this doesn't happen at anyone else's events - candidates have even given up the stage to protesters, not called for them to be beaten and punched.. trump is an ugly person and this is just a small taste of what a future under his rule would be like.. shame on the gop for not kicking his ass out.

Coded Logic

Am I the only one who thinks Chomsky is the emperor with no clothes on? I just don't get it. Everyone talks about how smart this guy is and what a visionary he is. But, to be perfectly honest, I've never heard him say anything particularly insightful nor do I feel he says anything very well.

Maybe it's just me. If anyone thinks I'm outa my mind post a link for me to a video or some of his writing that you feel really hits the mark. Not trying to disrespect the guy, I'm just genuinely baffled as to why Chomsky's opinion carries so much weight with liberals.

9

Why don't we have dominion over the animals?

by Coded Logic in

a devout christian had his buttocks mauled by a lion after challenging the big cat to a duel in order to prove the “lord’s power over animals”.. alec ndiwane, who has been described as a “prophet” in african media, was on safari at the kruger national park in south africa when he confronted the pride.. determined to prove to fellow tourists that god would save him, ndiwane is said to have gone into a trance and started speaking in tongues before opening his car door and charging at the lions.. but the lions were quick off the mark and bit him viciously on the backside as he clambered into the vehicle.. a warden managed to scare the big cats off by firing a gun in the air.. “i do not know what came over me,” ndiwane told ghanaweb.. “i thought the lord wanted to use me to show his power over animals.

is it not we were given dominion over all creatures of the earth?” he added.. http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/6994224/devout-christian-has-buttocks-mauled-by-lions-after-challenging-big-cats-to-a-duel-to-prove-the-lords-power-over-animals.html?cmp=spklr-_-editorial-_-twitter-_-thesunnewspaper-_-20160311-_-news-_-394160343-_-imageandlink.

Coded Logic

A DEVOUT Christian had his buttocks mauled by a lion after challenging the big cat to a duel in order to prove the “Lord’s power over animals”.

Alec Ndiwane, who has been described as a “prophet” in African media, was on safari at the Kruger National Park in South Africa when he confronted the pride.

Determined to prove to fellow tourists that God would save him, Ndiwane is said to have gone into a trance and started speaking in tongues before opening his car door and charging at the lions.

But the lions were quick off the mark and bit him viciously on the backside as he clambered into the vehicle.

A warden managed to scare the big cats off by firing a gun in the air.

“I do not know what came over me,” Ndiwane told GhanaWeb.

“I thought the Lord wanted to use me to show his power over animals. Is it not we were given dominion over all creatures of the earth?” he added.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/6994224/Devout-Christian-has-buttocks-mauled-by-lions-after-challenging-big-cats-to-a-duel-to-prove-the-Lords-power-over-animals.html?CMP=spklr-_-Editorial-_-TWITTER-_-TheSunNewspaper-_-20160311-_-News-_-394160343-_-Imageandlink

1

A "was it designed" that will never appear in WT publications

by ILoveTTATT2 in

jw
friends

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/genetic_algorithm.

many times, the watchtower has published articles that show that scientists have used "biomimetics" to get some amazing answers to tough technological problems.

they want to make it seem like the solution was made by a creator and not the result of millions of years of evolution and natural selection.. well... i doubt that this part of "biomimetics" will ever come up in one of the wt articles.. scientists have mimicked natural selection itself to arrive at amazing solutions to tough technological problems.. for example, would you think that this design (below) is the best design for an antenna?.

Coded Logic

"Then who or what does the computer program represent? Ha, gotcha!"

Umm, it represents the natural selection process that is unguided.

"But it has an intelligent programer! Ha, gotcha!"

Well no, the programer is just looking at how nature works and is modeling that. We don't infer from that - that nature has a programer.

"So it's all by accident? That sounds dumb to me. Ha, gotcha!"

Oh brother . . .

375

This thread is for proof that God exists

by juandefiero in

jw
friends

however, i haven't found any evidence to support that belief.. have you?

if so please, show me the evidence that god exists, and i will believe along with you.. criteria:.

(1) you must specify which god you are talking about;.

Coded Logic

I find it hard to believe too that the transition or change from nothing to something happened without energy

Happens all the time. It's called the Casimir Effect. It should also be noted that the total sum energy of our universe is zero.

it randomly decided to choose the drive (set of physical laws) and direction it did forming the universe . It is like playing the lottery with 6.02 x 10 23 different numbers and winning 6.02 x 10 24 times by chance if a person should live so long.

We don't know why the universe has structure - and we don't know why it has the structure that it has. But a current lack of an answer doesn't mean we get to automatically invoke God (please see the argument from ignorance fallacy).

It should also be noted that your use of statistics is very misleading. It's not the staggering odds you're suggesting. Rather, it's identical to saying, "If the laws of the universe were different - than the laws of the universe would be different."

Allow me to explain by way of example; here in the United States the number of license plate configurations that are possible is over 78 billion. So, what are the odds that my license plate number would just happen to be the one I have? Is it a staggering coincidence that I have a license plate number?

No, not at all. Because most cars have license plates. So that I would have SOME license plate number - despite all the possible combinations - is not remarkable. I don't just get to say, "The only way I can I explain my license plate is by amazing odds of 78 billion to 1." Rather, the odds of me having a license plate is almost 1 to 1. The fact that there are different possible combinations is completely irrelevant. The same is true of the universe. That it would have SOME configuration of laws is not remarkable even if different laws were possible - which we don't know if they are.

375

This thread is for proof that God exists

by juandefiero in

jw
friends

however, i haven't found any evidence to support that belief.. have you?

if so please, show me the evidence that god exists, and i will believe along with you.. criteria:.

(1) you must specify which god you are talking about;.

Coded Logic

when some people loose faith in reality they sometimes do not think correctly especially when reality hurts very much and they have to deal with it and the only way to cope with such pain is to believe that reality does not exists even though in the back of their minds they know it.
-Fisherman

This doesn't fit the bill of a single non-believer that I know. However, it does sound an awful lot like almost every single religious person I've ever met. When they don't get relief they say things like "God has a plan" or "God will make everything perfect in the next life" or "God works in mysterious ways" etc. Instead of dealing with reality they try and change the very nature of reality by proposing an unknown and inexplicable solution.

"It is comical." -Marvin Shiimer to hear people demand proof of God from other people.

I agree. An all powerful God should be more than capable of speaking up for himself. If I want someone to know of my existence I would go introduce myself. Surely God can do at least that.

So the fact that we're still debating the existence of such a being after thousands of years means there's really only two conclusions that can be reached. Either God is hiding. Or God doesn't exist.

To paraphrase Raymond Franz: .."it would be a puny God if he could be subjected to being measured or proof.."

I don't see how being measured or shown to exist makes you "puny". However, if people can question your very existence - well that's about the weakest position I can think of. The greater a person's influence, the more they show up on the radar. And the more unremarkable a person is - the more they fade into the background. An all powerful God should be front and center.

13

Fleecing the Flock

by Coded Logic in

at the last assembly i attended in 2005 the cost was $11,000 per day in yuba city (just over two hours away from our circuit).

this always seemed a bit high for a facility that was built on donated land and whose construction loan had been paid off for 20 years.. i just looked up the cost to rent the redding civic center, which is just as nice if not nicer and a whole lot closer for our circuit, and it only costs $2,500 a day plus $250 for consumables (parking included).

if it would save the brother's and sister's $8,250 a day and they could have the assembly locally why wouldn't they do it?.

Coded Logic

At the last assembly I attended in 2005 the cost was $11,000 per day in Yuba City (just over two hours away from our circuit). This always seemed a bit high for a facility that was built on donated land and whose construction loan had been paid off for 20 years.

I just looked up the cost to rent the Redding Civic Center, which is just as nice if not nicer and a whole lot closer for our circuit, and it only costs $2,500 a day plus $250 for consumables (parking included). If it would save the brother's and sister's $8,250 a day and they could have the assembly locally why wouldn't they do it?

The more I think about the costs of the assembly's and the conventions the more the numbers don't add up. Anyone else know what you are paying for your assembly hall per day and what it would cost to rent a facility that seats 1,000 to 2,000 people in your area?

375

This thread is for proof that God exists

by juandefiero in

jw
friends

however, i haven't found any evidence to support that belief.. have you?

if so please, show me the evidence that god exists, and i will believe along with you.. criteria:.

(1) you must specify which god you are talking about;.

Coded Logic

Now, the problem no longer is that you have no proof that God exists and therefore you have evidence to have faith that God will give you relief. The problem is that you have not relief. What happens to some people is that they forget about God- believe it or not, and they the stop believing that God- exists believe
-Fisherman

People "lose faith" in their governments. It doesn't mean they stop believing their governments are real. I've "lost faith" in friends before. It doesn't mean I started doubting my friends existence.

Belief in God isn't about "relief". It's about whether or not were justified in believing the claims that are made about a God's existence. Is there any good reason to think our universe was intentionally created? Is there any good reason to believe that humans are intelligently designed? Is there any good reason to think there is some sort for cosmic plan for all of us?

When looking at these questions we just aren't able to justify saying yes to any of them. And not only is there a lack of evidence for all of them - but for the second two there's a great deal of evidence to the contrary.

I appreciate that you are trying to understand the views of atheists and agnostics. But if you really want to know why we don't believe - just ask us. You really don't have to come up with these sorts of apologetics yourself.

375

This thread is for proof that God exists

by juandefiero in

jw
friends

however, i haven't found any evidence to support that belief.. have you?

if so please, show me the evidence that god exists, and i will believe along with you.. criteria:.

(1) you must specify which god you are talking about;.

Coded Logic

reality involves something more and why the universe was formed and human conduct and morality.
-Fisherman

I think it's an interesting philosophical question to wonder if there's a "why" or purpose behind the universe. So long as one recognizes that "why" assumes intent. I can think of all kinds of reasons intended and unintended - perhaps our universe is a piece of artwork hanging in some alien gallery. Or, perhaps our universe is some exotic particle that was created unintentionally in an experiment. etc.

While such speculations are fun, I always try to ground myself that intent is an assumption we need not necessarily make. And that it's quite likely there may be no "why" to the universe.

conclusive, unambiguous, unequivocal, solid, indisputable evidence so that people may know once and for all that he is real. I would be convinced with such proof, how about you.

That's all I ask for. And indeed that's what this entire thread is about. And yet many people have come on here espousing their beliefs but not one of them is willing to furnish grounded reasons for those beliefs.

But let me ask you the opposite question, if there was a solid unambiguous evidence that Jehovah did not exist would you you be convinced?

375

This thread is for proof that God exists

by juandefiero in

jw
friends

however, i haven't found any evidence to support that belief.. have you?

if so please, show me the evidence that god exists, and i will believe along with you.. criteria:.

(1) you must specify which god you are talking about;.

Coded Logic

SBF,

If Tallis has a peer reviewed scientific paper on this exact topic, the neuroimaging of emotional brain states, then I'd be more than happy to read it. However, if you're just going to continue to strawman "Next time you see a prettily coloured brain scan next to an article burbling on about breakthroughs in understanding our humanity, reach for the salt." then please don't waste my time.

My position is not based on "prettily coloured brain scans". It's based on the academic research of neuroscientist and the conclusions they have reached. Once again, if you think evidence is invalid or the conclusions are not justified then you're more than welcome to reach out to the scientists to explain to them why you're the authority on the topic. And you can provide them with YOUR research and YOUR conclusion that you have gotten through the peer review process.

But what you DON'T get to do is try and badger me over the head with some science pop article that was written before the research was done. Nor do I care about the quote mining you've done on Tallis. If we are having a conversation about epilepsy or neurological rehabilitation - the areas where Tallis has done research - then yes I'd defer to him in a heartbeat as he's one of the leading authorities on the topic. But when it comes to areas where he hasn't done the research - then I'm going to trust the scientists who HAVE done the research and HAVE gotten their work published.

You consistently do this SBF. You demand evidence up the nose from everyone else to support everything they say and then you try to counter them with flimsy little blogs and quotes from people who are not experts on the topic - who have not done research on the issues - and who have not passed peer review.