Nonpartay's Comments (663)

“LOL! Let me be your first fan. [snickering madly]”

“Probably being ironic. I must say there is quite a bit of irony in the Club for Growth moniker. They seem to be having exactly the opposite effect. Do you suppose anyone in it notices?”

“[snickering madly and still smiling] Great list! Hard to choose, but I kinda like that Moose Goddess Party. It just seems very appropriate.”

“Well, you may think it's a childish fairy tale, but people who have had NDEs all claim this about the next world, that's it's all goodness and light. And I do realize that in this world, we have to have opposites to understand everything. We can't know light without darkness, we can't know good without evil, etc. But at least one religion teaches the next world is as unimaginable to us as this world is to a baby in the womb. All they know is warm, wet, and dark with muffled sounds and a persistent heartbeat. The world really isn't that way, but if they could talk, that's how they'd describe it. The next world is pretty much impossible for us to imagine, too, for similar reasons. We haven't experienced it yet. People who have had NDEs all say that whatever they can tell you about that existence, the words don't do it justice because it's so different there are no words to describe it. So it's only an approximation what they're saying about it. In other words, we won't know until we get there, and that's pretty much all there is to it. But it is interesting to speculate, at least to me. One of these days I'll find out if I had any of it right. :)”

“Well, I think that whatever we can imagine of God is basically wrong anyway. We really can't know the Infinite, our being finite and everything. I would suggest that it is just as fabulous a claim to think all this is just a sheer accident as it is to think it has a Creator behind it, whatever that Creator's essential nature might be, whether we can see it or not. And let's face it, there are lots of things that exist but we can't see them, feel them, taste them, or hear them, but they're there anyway.

BTW, I came to believe in God through my high school biology class. We were studying photosynthesis, and I realized that there was no way air, water, dirt, and sunlight could come together and make a growing plant without a Creative Force to set that in motion. I just didn't think it would happen. And I still don't. And plants are some of the more simple systems complex as they are. Just study human anatomy and physiology if you want some really incredible evidence for a First Cause. How could our bodies possibly have developed all these intricacies without a Creator? It doesn't seem possible to me.

But hey, whatever floats your boat. I just can't make sense of the universe that you imagine, which just magically evolved without anything to make it do that.”

“Well, I know you and a lot of others are sort of stuck on the idea that this is all there is, what you can see. But even science keeps discovering waves and stuff that are invisible yet have been there all along and can be seen with the proper equipment. Who's to say there is no other dimension than this physical realm? I guess there's no real proof (though NDEs give us at least some confirmation that there might be something), but then there was no real proof for infrared rays before the 19th century. But as I said, we'll all find out when we go. I have a feeling you're going to be surprised when what you thought was the end turns out to be the beginning. :)”

“So, you have gone all over the universe and personally checked out every nook and cranny to prove there is no God? Wow, what a trip. :)”

“Good question. I imagine that their hate might be an impediment to seeing you in the next world. However, it is also possible they could have gotten over it, too. It's supposed to be all good there. Hard to imagine with this world full of contrasts.”

“Well, I'm talking about things like the ability to see what is going on while a person's body is clinically dead with their eyes closed. How can you chalk it up to "chemicals" when someone rises out of their body and watches resuscitation efforts from above and is later able to accurately report what they saw when they woke up? This has happened many times. It seems unlikely to me that a chemical could cause a situation as powerful as that. One woman I know of was actually able to hear the thoughts of loved ones at the bedside and even the doctor as she was being brought back from a long NDE. It just doesn't seem likely to me that this is just some sort of chemical reaction in a dying brain. I guess anything is possible, but likely?”

“Actually, if there is only one God, that God is the God of all religions, all people, all creation no matter what they believe about God's essential nature.”

“The question is, what is real? Is this world of dust the true reality, or is the world of the spirit the true reality? Seems to me those who have had NDEs perceive the spiritual world as the true reality, the eternal reality, the true home, while they see this life as temporary and more like school than our ultimate destination. And it really is. None of us live forever, so whether there is an afterlife or not, this reality is actually temporary. But many people are able to delude themselves into thinking this is all there is. You have to wonder at least about such an assumption given the vastness of the universe. What a waste of space if this little planet, which itself is a temporary home and won't last forever, is all there is as far as our existence is concerned.”

“Well, a lot of marvelous things can bring peace and comfort, like a good night's sleep, but one doesn't want to spend one's whole life sleeping. I think this is all set up so we can all make a choice about what to believe about the relative worth of a human being. It wouldn't comfort me to think I have as much value as a rose. The rose has its own value, but I have others, as do all human beings. We are not all the same as each other, nor are we the same as every other life form, though there are, of course connections as it's all part of the same creation. Everything is unique in creation, in fact, which is but one of the marvelous things about it.”

“Your side loves the fetus and hates the child. You think we should all be on our own as far as taking care of ourselves. What's the point of having a country if we're all just on our own anyway? Is taking care of others so objectionable to you that you would sacrifice yourself in the name of freedom? Someday, some insurance company, under the present system, even if you've paid them thousands, just may say sorry, you're not getting any help from us, and there won't be any federal laws to keep them from doing that. Good job! Just leave me the hell out of such a revolting system.”

“Please, speak for yourself. It is obvious you haven't got a clue what progressives want. Totalitarian socialism? AS IF! And which side wants to decide how you live your life more? The one who thinks it should be up to the government whether you can have an abortion? The one who thinks it's okay to wiretap your phone and read your emails? The one who thinks there needs to be an investigation of congress to see which are anti-American and which are pro-American?

And as for health care, the kind your side wants and has now is already making decisions as to who will live and who will die, who has the greatest risk of injury or illness. They decide if you have a preexisting condition that should make you ineligible for health care. The government with Medicare has never done the things you think it will. The public option is premium supported, so people can always opt out.

(cont.)”

“Yet isn't it ironic that the Cubans seem to have better health care than we do? Anyone in Cuba can go to a doctor and get a prescription filled for about a nickel. Terrible, I know....

The difference between conservatives and progressives is right there in the name. You guys want to go back to a mythical past that really never existed if you think things were all that wonderful back in the day. Progressives want progress, in other words, a better future. When you have over 300 million people, I'm really sorry, but it takes big government to make sure everyone has what they need. Government is not just for providing for the common defense. We also need government to insure domestic tranquility, to establish justice, and promote the general welfare. If you don't believe me, just read the Preamble of the Constitution.”

“John,

It doesn't mean there isn't one either.

isjois,

Thanks! I've been thinking about this stuff for way too many years. ;)”

“Sorry?”

“Well, just keep up the good work and eventually you'll forget you ever did it. I can't remember how long it took me before that happened, but it definitely did. :) Congratulations!”

“As an ex-smoker for over 30 years, I can tell you that the desire does go away. I never want a cigarette now. I never think about it at all unless something like this article comes along, or someone is blowing smoke in my face (I usually hold my breath in those cases).

It's great that you quit. My aunt died of lung cancer, so I know what you're going through somewhat. It's not a good way to go. :( And she died too young and I still miss her terribly. She was terrific.

BTW, if you're wondering why you still think about it, consider that if you smoked a pack a day, you put a cigarette to your lips 200 times every day. This kind of repetition and reinforcement is not duplicated by anything else we do. So don't feel bad that you still want it. All I can say is the desire does go away eventually, and it's a great freedom not to be a slave to a plant. :)”

“GREAT point! I'm so tired of hearing the President blamed for the opposition that has been hurled at him from the moment he took office. He's persuasive, but when someone is just stubborn and unreasonable, it's hard to get through. Republicans don't care about us, they don't care about their constituents, they only care about defeating anything President Obama wants to do. Nice!”

“Congratulations! See my previous post for some great imagery that'll help you stay free. :)”

“Well, I never heard that before, and it may be true, but it's still better to keep trying if one wants to quit. It has been shown that those who keep trying eventually do quit, and that has to be better than never quitting at all.”

“Actually, we have almost 90% employment now. We just need more, of course. But it's not like we don't have any.”

“If there are Lilias, Yoga & You videos anywhere, she was great many years ago. She had a show of that name on PBS. I used to do yoga with her show every day.”

“On what planet do you spend most of your time?”