Random Name 's Comments

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New Rules for Gathering Points by Random Name

Jan 4, 2007 | rating: 9.4 | comments: 19

Random Name Apr 28, 2009, 12:02pm EDT

Love the post?

We're not going there.

Confused Disbelieving by Random Name

Jan 4, 2009 | rating: 8.2 | comments: 13

Random Name Feb 24, 2009, 6:19pm EST

Elise, thank you for reading my posts and leaving a comment.

One of the thoughts I have is that there is something I call (for lack of a better term) "meta values." A meta value is for example two people of greatly different values (such as two religious beliefs) agreeing not to kill each other because of their differences. Or even agreeing to say "Please," and "thank you," to be polite before the attempt to kill each other.

I just realized I have not written the article about how I became a radical agnostic I promised. I often say I am going to do things and then fail to perform. This is a meta value, but probably not a good one.

Upon a Ponzi Scheme by Random Name

Feb 22, 2009 | rating: 10 | comments: 5

Random Name Feb 23, 2009, 12:11am EST

Kathleen,

Everybody set their secret decoder watches. As soon as Kathleen cashes her gift card and gets her prizes, we storm the castle! Shhh. Be very quiet in the meantime.

Upon a Ponzi Scheme by Random Name

Feb 22, 2009 | rating: 10 | comments: 5

Random Name Feb 22, 2009, 6:15pm EST

Dame Ruth,
When and where is the rebel meeting? Will we overthrow the empire this time around?

Confused Disbelieving by Random Name

Jan 4, 2009 | rating: 8.2 | comments: 13

Random Name Jan 4, 2009, 5:46pm EST

Marilyn, if people jump to conclusions about religious belief on such shallow grounds as my having a couple of "nuts" who happen to be religious as siblings, they are in a lot of trouble in a lot of respects. They will be putty in the hands of Dame Ruth.

Confused Disbelieving by Random Name

Jan 4, 2009 | rating: 8.2 | comments: 13

Random Name Jan 4, 2009, 5:43pm EST

Ruth, that's interesting. My parents were confused and ambivalent Jews. I never felt "indoctrinated" about religion, though I was much indoctrinated about other beliefs. I am now proud to be the matriarch of four generations of non-believers.

What would you do if someone in your family chose to be a religious believer?

Sarah, I will ask you the same question. My wife and I discussed this in regard to our daughter, whom we raised as an atheist. The same question is in the air in regard to our four-year-old granddaughter.

Sufficient Grace by Marilyn M.

Aug 29, 2007 | rating: 9.5 | comments: 73

Random Name Jan 4, 2009, 5:38pm EST

As a non-believer, I suspect that religious belief often helps people find courage and strength to carry on amidst suffering and trials.

In Which My Cats Know Something I Don't by David Rochester

Jan 4, 2009 | rating: 10 | comments: 16

Random Name Jan 4, 2009, 3:53pm EST

This is your cat speaking.

Confused Disbelieving by Random Name

Jan 4, 2009 | rating: 8.2 | comments: 13

Random Name Jan 4, 2009, 3:52pm EST

Ruth--your upbringing? Were you raised by religious believers or atheists?

Confused Disbelieving by Random Name

Jan 4, 2009 | rating: 8.2 | comments: 13

Random Name Jan 4, 2009, 3:34pm EST

St. Grems: I tend to think the entire human race, as a species, is mentally ill. But that is another post.

Confused Disbelieving by Random Name

Jan 4, 2009 | rating: 8.2 | comments: 13

Random Name Jan 4, 2009, 3:31pm EST

Ruth, any day now I expect you to be whacking a Jehovah's Witness or a Mormon on the head so you can get past them to my door to convert me.

Watch out! Radical Agnostics are terrorists.

AARRGGHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So Much For The Book I Won On eBay. by Leah Christensen

Jan 1, 2009 | rating: 9.8 | comments: 68

Random Name Jan 2, 2009, 9:43pm EST

I've bought things on eBay. It's best for finding odd things that you can't find elsewhere. I've never had a disaster, but I've had irritations and frustrations.

Cyndi B, that's terrible! You should be so ashamed of yourself.

Schisms in the Church of Radical Agnosticism by Random Name

Jan 2, 2009 | rating: 7 | comments: 11

Random Name Jan 2, 2009, 9:39pm EST

Sandy,

A cousin of mine once expressed dismay that I was an agnostic. I inquired what she believed. She told me the universe was filled with bubbles of intelligence. This struck me as so bizarre I wanted to learn more about her peculiar beliefs, but we never had a chance to continue the discussion, and as she lives in Spain and I in Puget Sound, we are not likely to, unless we bounce into each other as little bubbles of intelligence. If you believe that let me talk to you about a bridge in Brooklyn.

Schisms in the Church of Radical Agnosticism by Random Name

Jan 2, 2009 | rating: 7 | comments: 11

Random Name Jan 2, 2009, 9:35pm EST

Dame Ruth, your comment reminds me of an obscene joke I heard in junior high school, which would make it almost 50 years old. I don't think I will tell it here. In fact, while I thought it hysterically funny when I was 15 years old, I am not sure I would even chuckle any more.

Schisms in the Church of Radical Agnosticism by Random Name

Jan 2, 2009 | rating: 7 | comments: 11

Random Name Jan 2, 2009, 8:13pm EST

Jai beat me to the question about having balls. (Thank you.)

I am wondering about the devotions of "devout atheists." Do they kneel? Do they kneel on people? Do the stand? Sit? Lie? Recline?

Is Gather a Ponzi Scheme? by Random Name

Dec 24, 2008 | rating: 7.4 | comments: 23

Random Name Jan 2, 2009, 4:50pm EST

I've run out of supposedly witty replies to comments. So I will just thank the people who posted the last few comments and avoid stoking the Hellish fires any higher.

Is Gather a Ponzi Scheme? by Random Name

Dec 24, 2008 | rating: 7.4 | comments: 23

Random Name Jan 1, 2009, 5:46pm EST

Aniko and Kathleen,

I consider myself a radical agnostic. One of our credos is based on Keats' "Negative Capability" (which is perhaps the same idea as Festinger's "cognitive dissonance.").

Under the strategy, I feel I should be simultaneously prepared to live joyfully for many years or to drop dead in five minutes or to linger in agonizing pain for years. Under all those possibilities, you have plenty of reason to be very nice to me.

Is Gather a Ponzi Scheme? by Random Name

Dec 24, 2008 | rating: 7.4 | comments: 23

Random Name Dec 31, 2008, 8:54pm EST

Aniko,

If Borders closing is the worst thing that happens to me next year, I can deal. As I will be 65, I am more worried about getting a "Random is Closing" notice, perhaps in an artery.

At check out stands, I amuse myself (though the checkers not so much) by musing after the debit card terminal says, "Approved" perhaps one day the display will say, "Not approved" and I will drop dead right here in front of you." It generally fails to get a big laugh out of the checker. Perhaps they are wondering if they remember their CPR.

My take is, "If I can't laugh at the thought of my own death," do I really have a sense of humor worth a hoot?

Is Gather a Ponzi Scheme? by Random Name

Dec 24, 2008 | rating: 7.4 | comments: 23

Random Name Dec 31, 2008, 8:07pm EST

Aniko,

I don't know. I began to feel uneasy about the stock market and the housing market a couple of years ago. I thought about pulling everything I have out of the stock market (which is not vast), but I couldn't time it.

I don't care much about Gather. I'd like to cash in my coupon before either Borders or Gather collapses, or Yosemite blows up with the giant civilization destroying supervolcano under it goes, or before civilization collapses the way the Mayan calendar predicts. As that is not due to 2012, we have plenty of time. Also, as I am 65, I may be past my "pull-date."

Radical Agnosticism Terrorism by Random Name

Dec 24, 2008 | rating: 10 | comments: 7

Random Name Dec 31, 2008, 3:19pm EST

Sarah, you are starting to make a little sense. When something makes sense to me, that is probably a sign it doesn't make much sense to most people.

I am an agnostic in the sense that I don't know how the universe began, and I don't believe in making up stories (aka "myths) about what I don't know and don't understand.

On the other hand, I've never saw any reason to believe that we have a "soul" that exists past the time we die. In that sense, I am an atheist.

It is difficult to conceive of "Heaven." Is it the equivalent of an endless heroin high?

Humans are much more fascinated with the idea of Hell. (Sarte, for example, as you appropriately mention. Dante and Milton also, if you want to be classic.)

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