Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

[LynahFan]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

Nature is not an anarchy.

Give it time.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

Give it time.

Very nice.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

Nature is not an anarchy.

Neither are 2D6. Order rises from chance all the time. "Design" is an unnecessary postulate.

 

[joecct]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

Neither are 2D6. Order rises from chance all the time. "Design" is an unnecessary postulate.

Who set up the rules in the first place? First and foremost, there has to be a set of rules. Randomness (dice throws, for example) exists in this universe, but even it has to exist under the current set of rules that were in place when the universe began (so are they truly random??). The person(s) that put those rules into place is generally called "God", or for this discussion, The Powers That Be.

We believe in The Powers That Be and some speculate that we got a "soul" when mankind first erected a statue/monolith/whatever to TPTB. Some call TPTB God, Allah, Buddah, whatever, but most folks on this planet realize that there is someone out there who is greater than the human "Us".

Forgetting that can lead to dire consequences. For example, if one does not believe in a judgment at death, what is to prevent that person from causing all sorts of evil while living? Remember what ET said -- "Be good!"

 

[LynahFan]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

For example, if one does not believe in a judgment at death, what is to prevent that person from causing all sorts of evil while living?

I don't believe there is a judgment at death; being kind and helpful to my fellow humans in this life is plenty of motivation for me to be good. I truly feel sorry for those who have to be scared into it, or worry about what's in it for them after death.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

For example, if one does not believe in a judgment at death, what is to prevent that person from causing all sorts of evil while living?

A person who only does good because he thinks he's being watched is a called a "sociopath."

The gods are an attempt to impose order on the chaos of the universe. Many human beings need this extension of the rules of the family to feel secure. All well and good -- those who needs gods should have gods. All we are saying is, those of us who don't need gods are worthy of equal respect. Our lack of belief should not undermine your belief any more than your lack of belief in pixies undermines those who believe in pixies.

Create the worldview you need. Just don't impose it on others.

 

[Gurtholfin]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

I don't believe there is a judgment at death; being kind and helpful to my fellow humans in this life is plenty of motivation for me to be good. I truly feel sorry for those who have to be scared into it, or worry about what's in it for them after death.

Couldn't agree more. Never understood people who think they are being good as a way to gain entry to Heaven or to avoid Hell.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

Couldn't agree more. Never understood people who think they are being good as a way to gain entry to Heaven or to avoid Hell.

But, but, but... I thought Reading Bible + Accepting Jesus = Food...

 

[Kepler]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

Who set up the rules in the first place?

That's a logical error. There doesn't need to be a "who" setting up the rules when the rules arise spontaneously from the nature of reality. Nobody guides the dice to fall into a normal distribution (in fact, in other possible realities the dice do different things). The nature of our particular reality is all that's necessary. The same basic thing happens with evolution, or the creation of matter. There is no "who" unless, with the Deists, you want to call the whole of the universe the who. Which is fine as long as you then don't start assigning anthropomorphic features to it. The universe isn't aware of you -- it's not even aware of itself, and it's a lot bigger than you are. You'd think it shouldn't have missed it.

Even if that were not the case, then one would need a who to create the who that created the rules. Who arguments are infinite regressions.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

That's a logical error. There doesn't need to be a "who" setting up the rules when the rules arise spontaneously from the nature of reality. Nobody guides the dice to fall into a normal distribution (in fact, in other possible realities the dice do different things). The nature of our particular reality is all that's necessary. The same basic thing happens with evolution, or the creation of matter. There is no "who" unless, with the Deists, you want to call the whole of the universe the who. Which is fine as long as you then don't start assigning anthropomorphic features to it. The universe isn't aware of you -- it's not even aware of itself, and it's a lot bigger than you are. You'd think it shouldn't have missed it.

Even if that were not the case, then one would need a who to create the who that created the rules. Who arguments are infinite regressions.

If there is no "who", then what band did "Pinball Wizard"?

 

[joecct]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

One down, one to go:

WTOP Radio ‏@WTOP
ALERT: WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal court rejects voting districts drawn by Texas Legislature, finds maps discriminatory.

 

[bronconick]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

Uh, they've got like 2 months before the election, and I believe Texas added a House seat in this census. What do they do if they don't get a legit map?

 

[joecct]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

Uh, they've got like 2 months before the election, and I believe Texas added a House seat in this census. What do they do if they don't get a legit map?

Dunno. If Maryland overturns their gerrymander via referendum this November, they'll have 2 years to get it right (or left in the case of MD).

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

He's not up for re-election, but I can officially put Chuck Schumer into the "whiny little *****" category. Why? Weakest handshake ever.

 

[FreshFish]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

Hmmm....Linda McMahon supposedly has a slight lead over Chris Murphy in the CT Senate race. That would be a real shocker if it stood, CT is so blue, it's useless to threaten to hold your breath.....

She's hitting him pretty good with an ad about how frequently he was absent from committee hearings during the financial crisis. the state's leading newspaper did a "fact check" on that claim and found it accurate. Now she is running ads about how the fact check turned out.





It's funny how people say that the Republicans are "the party of the 1%." How do they get so many votes when they represent so few people?

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

Hmmm....Linda McMahon supposedly has a slight lead over Chris Murphy in the CT Senate race. That would be a real shocker if it stood, CT is so blue, it's useless to threaten to hold your breath.....

She's hitting him pretty good with an ad about how frequently he was absent from committee hearings during the financial crisis. the state's leading newspaper did a "fact check" on that claim and found it accurate. Now she is running ads about how the fact check turned out.





It's funny how people say that the Republicans are "the party of the 1%." How do they get so many votes when they represent so few people?

George Soros is part of the 1%, is he not? As well as Warren Buffett?

That switch-over wouldn't surprise me at all. After all, how was Pataki elected governor of NY from 1994-2006? Al D'Amato 1980-1998 (I know, he lost to Mr. Weak Handshake)?

 

[TimP]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

It's funny how people say that the Republicans are "the party of the 1%." How do they get so many votes when they represent so few people?

They fool uneducated hicks into voting for them with their laughable "trickle down" bit.

 

[duper]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

I don't believe there is a judgment at death; being kind and helpful to my fellow humans in this life is plenty of motivation for me to be good. I truly feel sorry for those who have to be scared into it, or worry about what's in it for them after death.

this

 

[FreshFish]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

They fool uneducated hicks into voting for them with their laughable "trickle down" bit.

Gotcha! Weren't you taught not to skate with your head down?

Republicans get so many votes because many people become annoyed when "enlightened" Democrats call them stupid!




Most of you smug progressives probably have no idea how miserable life can be for an ambitious person in a thoroughly blue state (pun intended).

What do you call an entrepreneur in New Haven? a drug dealer!

 

[duper]

Re: Elections 2012: Congressional and Gubernatorial

Gotcha! Weren't you taught not to skate with your head down?

Republicans get so many votes because many people become annoyed when "enlightened" Democrats call them stupid!




Most of you smug progressives probably have no idea how miserable life can be for an ambitious person in a thoroughly blue state (pun intended).

What do you call an entrepreneur in New Haven? a drug dealer!

The great thing about this post is that Fresh probably truly believes that the words "progressive" and "ambitious" are mutually exclusive. Of course, now that I have said something, he'll tell me how I took his words out of context.