The only good Christian is a Gnostic Christian. True or false?

[Baruch]

Not sure what your point is.

If you know what a metaphor is, can you not know what metaphysics is?

[Baruch]

Webster doesn't think.  It only provides common reference points for clear communication.  You can make up your own definitions for commonly used words and go on communicating like crazy, and you might even clearly understand what you are saying, but no one else would without a common reference.

We have no common reference points, because that means there is an absolute meaning, which everyone here denies exists.  Hence any real discussion ends up in pointless semantics.  The only reason why a dictionary is brought in, is as a gambit.  My dictionary is bigger than your dictionary ...

If you use a word, but don't know what it means, you use a dictionary, but then that means you have already admitted your ignorance.  Sad.

What is communication?  It isn't a string of meaningless ones and zeros.  It is the human at one end, and the human at the other end that give it a shared meaning, but more like an overlap, not like an actual agreement.  Why are you uncomfortable with overlap?  Because if someone will concede to your definitions, you are half way there to controlling the discussion.  Newspeak.

Define the terms and ... there is no choice but materialism, no choice but Hillary ...

[SGOS]

We have no common reference points, because that means there is an absolute meaning, which everyone here denies exists.  Hence any real discussion ends up in pointless semantics.  The only reason why a dictionary is brought in, is as a gambit.  My dictionary is bigger than your dictionary ...

If you use a word, but don't know what it means, you use a dictionary, but then that means you have already admitted your ignorance.  Sad.

What is communication?  It isn't a string of meaningless ones and zeros.  It is the human at one end, and the human at the other end that give it a shared meaning, but more like an overlap, not like an actual agreement.  Why are you uncomfortable with overlap?  Because if someone will concede to your definitions, you are half way there to controlling the discussion.  Newspeak.

Define the terms and ... there is no choice but materialism, no choice but Hillary ...

This at least partially explains why people here don't know what you are talking about half the time.  Your communication skills are sub par, even though you think the problem is with your audience.  You are right that communication has a human at each end, but you don't seem to hold up your end of the transaction very well.

[Mike Cl]

We have no common reference points, because that means there is an absolute meaning, which everyone here denies exists.  Hence any real discussion ends up in pointless semantics.  The only reason why a dictionary is brought in, is as a gambit.  My dictionary is bigger than your dictionary ...

If you use a word, but don't know what it means, you use a dictionary, but then that means you have already admitted your ignorance.  Sad.

What is communication?  It isn't a string of meaningless ones and zeros.  It is the human at one end, and the human at the other end that give it a shared meaning, but more like an overlap, not like an actual agreement.  Why are you uncomfortable with overlap?  Because if someone will concede to your definitions, you are half way there to controlling the discussion.  Newspeak.

Define the terms and ... there is no choice but materialism, no choice but Hillary ...

What is sad is not admitting one's ignorance.  That is what leads to stupidity and that, indeed, is sad. 

Ignorance can be fixed--and all of us are ignorant of many, many things.  So what?  A stupid person doesn't care and reveals in their stupidity. 

[Baruch]

This at least partially explains why people here don't know what you are talking about half the time.  Your communication skills are sub par, even though you think the problem is with your audience.  You are right that communication has a human at each end, but you don't seem to hold up your end of the transaction very well.

All I have to do, is surrender unconditionally, making a verbal safe space for all you college kids ;-)

And no, I am not blaming anyone.  And if you accept any authority, you aren't free, you are just another drone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4fHre-yRPY

Which of us is Alice, and which of us is the Cheshire Cat?  Well Gilgamesh seems to be this guy ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZy-n8gP8o8

[Cavebear]

My concern is that you're subscribing to the myth that people only use 10% of their brains at a given time. I don't know if that is what you're implying, but it is completely untrue. We wouldn't be able to survive on 10% brain power. The brain has to monitor balance, movement (several brain areas govern specific types), perceptions, keeping your heart beating, keeping your lungs breathing, and all kinds of things you're not even consciously aware of. You're using all areas of your brain all the time. The degree to which it is being used varies, but more activity doesn't equal better. Seizures cause neurons to fire like crazy, but those are of course undesirable.

This is tricky.  On the one hand, evolution doesn't "reward" any creature for developing more ability than they need to thrive.  But evolution also doesn't seem to like an under-used talent either.  It either dimiinshes and becomes used.   

Intelligent primates like us might be  a contradictory evolutionary situation.    And THAT might suggest self-aware intelligent creatures might be more rare than I both hope and fear.

[Blackleaf]

This is tricky.  On the one hand, evolution doesn't "reward" any creature for developing more ability than they need to thrive.  But evolution also doesn't seem to like an under-used talent either.  It either dimiinshes and becomes used.   

Intelligent primates like us might be  a contradictory evolutionary situation.    And THAT might suggest self-aware intelligent creatures might be more rare than I both hope and fear.

True. Certain strengths seem to diminish when they're not particularly useful. Deep sea fish often lack coloration as well as eyes because...well, they can't see anything down there and you can't see it. Which is pretty fortunate, because what fish would want to procreate with this ugly piece of shit?



I mean, Jesus Christ. Not even a mother could love a face like that. Fortunately for us, our survival became dependent on our use of tools, agriculture, and cooperation, so we continued to grow more intelligent. To a certain extent, we even hold evolution on a leash now. We have selectively bred plants and animals to suit our needs. Bananas went from being hard and requiring them to be boiled before eating to being soft and ready to eat. Soon we'll probably even be able to genetically alter babies to eliminate diseases, maximize strengths, or even just choose what color hair they have. So if the day comes when our big brains are no longer necessary for survival, we probably won't have to worry about losing brainpower.

[Cavebear]

I'm not sure what you are getting at  here.  Deep ocean creatures  are more reactive than intelligent.    If they meet something else, they try to eat it.  With the exception of a Gulper that can actually eat something larger than itself via an immensely expandable stomach.

So, your point?

[Baruch]

What is sad is not admitting one's ignorance.  That is what leads to stupidity and that, indeed, is sad. 

Ignorance can be fixed--and all of us are ignorant of many, many things.  So what?  A stupid person doesn't care and reveals in their stupidity.

No Brite here will admit to that.  Only Dims are stupid.  We are the Brainiacs.

Soft bananas as ecologically soft ... they are vulnerable to disease, and are going extinct.  Only tough bananas will be left.

[Unbeliever]

So can I, but that does not take away from the fact that "Once one dismisses The rest of all possible worlds, even your imaginary ones, One finds that this is The best of all possible worlds!"

Well, with that logic, once you dismiss the rest of all possible pizzas, even the imaginary ones, one finds that anchovies with pineapple and liverwurst is the best of all possible pizzas.

[Baruch]

Well, with that logic, once you dismiss the rest of all possible pizzas, even the imaginary ones, one finds that anchovies with pineapple and liverwurst is the best of all possible pizzas.

Anchovies would cover the taste of the liverwurst and pineapple would cover the taste of the anchovies .... brilliant!

[Greatest I am]

Whoa, arrogant much?  All I was doing there was commenting on the Anthropic Principle.  I'm at work, so commenting on your videos is not feasible.  And in any case, I would rather hear your take on them than assume you let videos do your thinking for you.

Not my thinking. my typing so that I might give my two typing fingers a break.

I generally only use vids to supplement what I put.

Regards
DL

[Greatest I am]

Kabbalists/Hasidim know, the rabbis are parrots, same as all other clergy.  We understand metaphor, the rabbis are taught to parrot what they are taught.  A kosher parrot would make a good rabbi ;-)

I will let you get away with this deflection. I too will deflect.

Have you read what scriptures say of prophets and Rabbis?

Isaiah 56:11) "They are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, each on to his unjust gain, to the last one" But do not despair, for the day of judgment is at hand, for the day of judgment and the day of the LORD occupy the same time frame. All the dross will be burned away. (Zech 13:9) & (Malachi 3:3). In that day, "you will distinguish between the righteous and the wicked" (Malachi 3:18)

That is why I think that the best religious form of Jewry are the Karaite Jews.

They are almost as worthy of praise as Gnostic Christians. :-)

Regards
DL

[Greatest I am]

What is your ... anthropic principle?  Mine is ... we are demigods, because everyone is equal, and Augustus is a demigod.  A rock can't act on its own, a human being can.  That is the very basis of Semitic criticism of statue worship.

Agreed.

If you can name your God as I am, then you are enlightened.

That has been said by many enlightened sages for many years now. Some day I will write an O.P. on this.

I think I will be disappointed though by the numbers who are dim as compared to those who are bright.

The world is getting brighter but way too slowly for my tastes.

Regards
DL

[Greatest I am]

My concern is that you're subscribing to the myth that people only use 10% of their brains at a given time. I don't know if that is what you're implying, but it is completely untrue. We wouldn't be able to survive on 10% brain power. The brain has to monitor balance, movement (several brain areas govern specific types), perceptions, keeping your heart beating, keeping your lungs breathing, and all kinds of things you're not even consciously aware of. You're using all areas of your brain all the time. The degree to which it is being used varies, but more activity doesn't equal better. Seizures cause neurons to fire like crazy, but those are of course undesirable.

Well put and I do not follow the 10% use thinking at all.

That does not take away that we do not use all of our minds and that meditation, activating our pineal gland to engage more of our minds is a worthy thing to do.

https://www.ted.com/talks/iain_mcgilchrist_the_divided_brain

Regards
DL