I Completely Lost Focus

[HollywoodAFD 0]

ZING!I was only kidding around anyways. You know, or maybe you dont, in which case, you do now, that I love balloons, guys who make them, and sentences with far too many commas, in places they shouldnt be.

STFU

[copernicus 0]

I agreeUnless someone makes the stupid: Religion has caused all this horrible death in the world arguement, then I bring out this equally accurate statistical problem with their point.

Its validity also requires that you dont consider paganism a religion. I do.

[Balloon guy 158]

Ouch! Low blow!Or is it that you get paid for the balloons and I get paid for the hot air?

Oh you're a college prof?I thought he meant the original person who made the Christianity causes most of the war in history.I didn't even think we were arguing, we agreed that both points are too simplistic to make stick for either side.I never would have made a money joke on you...I would have gone for a height joke for sure.Anyway, what do you teach? I mean besides 'Why communism is a viable optional form of government'?

[Balloon guy 158]

Its validity also requires that you dont consider paganism a religion. I do.

hmmm, well they do get consideration in the jail system so you may have a good point here.and just so we're all on the same page:This is paganism:

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

hmmm, well they do get consideration in the jail system so you may have a good point here.and just so we're all on the same page:This is paganism:

Dragnet FTW. Also, i'm 6'5, so you may want to say away from height jokes with me. Go with head size jokes ( literal and metaphoric.)

[Balloon guy 158]

Dragnet FTW. Also, i'm 6'5, so you may want to say away from height jokes with me. Go with head size jokes ( literal and metaphoric.)

I remember you are the same height as me.Must suck to be short huh?Of course I used to be 6' tall also,in the 7th grade

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

I remember you are the same height as me.Must suck to be short huh?Of course I used to be 6' tall also,in the 7th grade

yeah, my dad is 5'10 and I outgrew him in like 6th grade. In fairness, I probably have an extra half inch to an inch on head size, my forehead is really tall.

[vbnautilus 48]

Oh you're a college prof?I thought he meant the original person who made the Christianity causes most of the war in history.I didn't even think we were arguing, we agreed that both points are too simplistic to make stick for either side.I never would have made a money joke on you...I would have gone for a height joke for sure.Anyway, what do you teach? I mean besides 'Why communism is a viable optional form of government'?

I also didn't think we were arguing, but I assumed he was referring to me since there aren't too many professors around these parts. Maybe that guy is too? I do cognitive neuroscience; I'm in a psychology department and a brain research institute. Basically trying to understand how the brain performs the functions of the mind. I make people do things and use brain imaging to see what's happening in their brains when they do it. Currently my focus is on how the brain does social things like empathizing with other people and feeling connected to your social group (e.g. have studied the brains of democrats and republicans hating on their opponents). Also relevant to this forum I'm currently running a study on the neural systems involved in religious beliefs. Will be sure to post about it when it's done. When I teach, its usually biological psychology or neuropsychology, something like that. And of course every semester I also teach "Poker Forum Argumentation: Getting the most out of each post and avoiding the trolls."

[timwakefield 68]

Grimms Fairy Tales?

Question, and forgive me if this has been discussed in the past 2 pages: How do you reconcile your atheism with the religious right and their connection to your party? The Republican party has been the party of God for a long time. Does that bother you?

[Balloon guy 158]

I also didn't think we were arguing, but I assumed he was referring to me since there aren't too many professors around these parts. Maybe that guy is too? I do cognitive neuroscience; I'm in a psychology department and a brain research institute. Basically trying to understand how the brain performs the functions of the mind. I make people do things and use brain imaging to see what's happening in their brains when they do it. Currently my focus is on how the brain does social things like empathizing with other people and feeling connected to your social group (e.g. have studied the brains of democrats and republicans hating on their opponents). Also relevant to this forum I'm currently running a study on the neural systems involved in religious beliefs. Will be sure to post about it when it's done. When I teach, its usually biological psychology or neuropsychology, something like that. And of course every semester I also teach "Poker Forum Argumentation: Getting the most out of each post and avoiding the trolls."

I used to wonder often where the idea comes from that I think, before I think it. Then I saw the book Blink and thought someone figured it out, but I was disappointed. We should hook up and have some cigars because as what's his name said:"A good cigar closes the door on the vulgarities of the world"Dang, I could be a test subject and you could moniter me getting mellow when I fire up a good stick. What's the pay for guinea pig these days?

[Nimue1995 1]

Question, and forgive me if this has been discussed in the past 2 pages: How do you reconcile your atheism with the religious right and their connection to your party? The Republican party thinks they are the party of God for a long time. Does that bother you?

FYP

[vbnautilus 48]

We should hook up and have some cigars because as what's his name said:"A good cigar closes the door on the vulgarities of the world"

You're on.

Dang, I could be a test subject and you could moniter me getting mellow when I fire up a good stick. What's the pay for guinea pig these days?

Going rate is $25 and the fulfilling satisfaction of having contributed to science. Actually if you believe the bible is the literal truth we may be able to use you... May have to pull out the special "tall guy MRI" though.

[timwakefield 68]

i actually find buddhism very interesting *throws a bone in*

If it weren't for reincarnation, Buddhism would be based almost entirely in our (humanity's) scientific reality. The entire basis of the religion is: all that exists is your mind, it only exists in the present moment, and the present moment is never anything but fleeting.

[vbnautilus 48]

If it weren't for reincarnation, Buddhism would be based almost entirely in our (humanity's) scientific reality. The entire basis of the religion is: all that exists is your mind, it only exists in the present moment, and the present moment is never anything but fleeting.

Which is really the whole point of reincarnation. It's a metaphor. You are born anew in each moment. Dragging your identity and knowledge and all that crap with you from "lifetime" to "lifetime" (from moment to moment) is suffering; letting it go just being in the present moment is jumping off the wheel of rebirth, aka nirvana....

[copernicus 0]

Question, and forgive me if this has been discussed in the past 2 pages: How do you reconcile your atheism with the religious right and their connection to your party? The Republican party has been the party of God for a long time. Does that bother you?

The same way I reconcile living in a country founded and still governed largely on a Judaeo-Christian ethic. My core values are not dissimilar, and there is no inherent conflict with theists.There who indviduals that legislate or attempt to influence legislation based on extreme views. Whether those views are formed from religous dogma or socio-economic dogma is irrelevant.

[timwakefield 68]

Which is really the whole point of reincarnation. It's a metaphor. You are born anew in each moment.

Meh, that's sounding more like a Western interpretation. While I am unsure how important the idea of reincarnation is to things like Zen Buddhism, in many forms of Buddhism it is very important and very literal. The actions you take in this lifetime affect your karma, and your karma determines what form your next body takes. Note, of course, that there is no higher power or any sort of controlling or deciding entity. But it is seen as literal. If you live a extraordinarily good life then maybe you will be reborn as a monk in Asia and will have a chance at enlightenment. However, in descriptions of reincarnation or the idea of a Buddhist 'soul,' you can also see how it relates to the body we have now. Basically what I'm saying is that to say reincarnation is not literal is to disagree with Buddha's teachings (unless I am mistaken, which is possible). Regarding those descriptions, these are the two I remember: That your new self relates to your old self like a candle that burns through the night - in the morning it is not the same flame as it was the night before nor is it different. And the other description (about how this body changes) is to consider your 5-year-old self in terms of physical stature, emotional makeup, logical thought, interesting ideas, etc, and then compare that to the self you are today. You certainly can't say that it's the same, nor is it different.

[vbnautilus 48]

yeah, my dad is 5'10 and I outgrew him in like 6th grade. In fairness, I probably have an extra half inch to an inch on head size, my forehead is really tall.

hmmm, you don't look so tall in the pic.

[timwakefield 68]

The same way I reconcile living in a country founded and still governed largely on a Judaeo-Christian ethic. My core values are not dissimilar, and there is no inherent conflict with theists.There who indviduals that legislate or attempt to influence legislation based on extreme views. Whether those views are formed from religous dogma or socio-economic dogma is irrelevant.

Good answer .

[vbnautilus 48]

Meh, that's sounding more like a Western interpretation. While I am unsure how important the idea of reincarnation is to things like Zen Buddhism, in many forms of Buddhism it is very important and very literal. The actions you take in this lifetime affect your karma, and your karma determines what form your next body takes. Note, of course, that there is no higher power or any sort of controlling or deciding entity. But it is seen as literal. If you live a extraordinarily good life then maybe you will be reborn as a monk in Asia and will have a chance at enlightenment. However, in descriptions of reincarnation or the idea of a Buddhist 'soul,' you can also see how it relates to the body we have now. Basically what I'm saying is that to say reincarnation is not literal is to disagree with Buddha's teachings (unless I am mistaken, which is possible). Regarding those descriptions, these are the two I remember: That your new self is like a candle that burns through the night - in the morning it is not the same flame as it was the night before nor is it different. And the other description (about how this body changes) is to consider your 5-year-old self in terms of physical stature, emotional makeup, logical thought, interesting ideas, etc, and then compare that to the self you are today. You certainly can't say that it's the same, nor is it different.

(read my edit, I elaborated a bit)I am certainly aware there is the interpretation you are describing is prevalent, but in my view that's a bastardization of the central idea of buddhism, and not really what the buddha himself taught. He taught quite a bit with metaphor and really was focused on dealing with the point of view of the mind, rather than with making metaphysical claims about the afterlife. Furthermore, it really is a good metaphor for what he was talking about. (I think a similar thing happened with christianity over the years... metaphor transforming into literal history which then loses the deep meaning behind the metaphor in favor of a supernatural belief)

[timwakefield 68]

As long as we're talking about Buddhism, http://www.fullcontactpoker.com/poker-foru...howtopic=116533. In case anybody's interested .

[timwakefield 68]

(read my edit, I elaborated a bit)I am certainly aware there is the interpretation you are describing is prevalent, but in my view that's a bastardization of the central idea of buddhism, and not really what the buddha himself taught. He taught quite a bit with metaphor and really was focused on dealing with the point of view of the mind, rather than with making metaphysical claims about the afterlife. Furthermore, it really is a good metaphor for what he was talking about. (I think a similar thing happened with christianity over the years... metaphor transforming into literal history which then loses the deep meaning behind the metaphor in favor of a supernatural belief)

Hmm here's another interesting point in the same vein: the current Dalai Lama has suggested that a general vote be held among Tibetans living in exile about whether or not the next Dalai Lama should be chosen the traditional way or not, after the current Dalai Lama dies. The traditional way being that they discover his reincarnated self in a child, and that child is raised to be the political and religious leader of his people. (out of compassion the first Dalai Lama vowed to be continually reborn on earth to help and to teach his people, despite having reached enlightenment)

[vbnautilus 48]

Hmm here's another interesting point in the same vein: the current Dalai Lama has suggested that a general vote be held among Tibetans living in exile about whether or not the next Dalai Lama should be chosen the traditional way or not, after the current Dalai Lama dies. The traditional way being that they discover his reincarnated self in a child, and that child is raised to be the political and religious leader of his people. (out of compassion the first Dalai Lama vowed to be continually reborn on earth to help and to teach his people, despite having reached enlightenment)

Yeah that is interesting. A lot of it is just political because the chinese have claimed power over reincarnations within tibet. I actually think that it might be better for them to do it in the traditional way, because it seems like a really unique experience for that kid who is chosen to believe he is something special from the time he is born and to be trained with that philosophy from the very beginning, and I think it has turned out to be a fairly effective system for creating leaders who have the right mindset.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

As long as we're talking about Buddhism, http://www.fullcontactpoker.com/poker-foru...howtopic=116533. In case anybody's interested .

Who the hell besides steven Segal and Richard gere is interested in buddhism?

[Nimue1995 1]

This reminds me, I haven't seen Southern Buddist on here for a long long time. Anyone know where she went?

[strategy 4]

Don't forget that I make 3 times what the college prof makes, because I actually produce something.

he produces human capital. go ahead, look it up.