Name something stronger than God

[Atlas]

Football... (http://www.startribune.com/stories/510/5117513.html)

A Christmas eve day game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers might confict with sundown services on that most special day. Now some of you that don't understand the rivalry between those who bleed purple and those who cut cheese might not realize how that competition for souls conflicts with the celebration of the birth of the savior of humankind but here in the Northland some church celebrants are taking it very seriously. A debate raged - football prevailed. (And rightly so.)

``This was not a unanimous decision,'' the pastor, the Rev. David Pleier, said in church bulletin item on the move. ``Comments ranged from, 'You mean to say you're putting football ahead of the birth of Christ?' to 'What if we have a Mass and nobody comes? Would that be an honor to the newborn Savior?'

[Eleatic Stranger]

Well, you know it's pretty hard not to be stronger than a nonexistent entity.....

[c4ts]

According to Jack T. Chick, the Bionic Man can kick his ass.

[EdipisReks]

Ajax laundry detergent...it's stronger than god.

[Eleatic Stranger]

I'm pretty sure there's something in the Bible about Iron Chariots too....

[Jellby]

Satan

It's amazing how many things can Satan make us do, or think, or see... while God can only sit down and wait until we accept Jesus as our saviour

[KelvinG]

Now, if someone's faith is really strong, why would they have a problem watching a football game instead of going to a Xmas church service.
Or, is this something that God will actually punish them for. 10 more years in purgatory for choosing the game?

[Piscivore]

The collected body odor of ten Jesus fanboys, collected in His name on a hot August sabbath in a small, poorly ventilated garage.

*Sigh*, I miss 1inC...

[Beleth]

A grilled-cheese sandwich.


As the joke goes, nothing is better than God...

... and a grilled-cheese sandwich is certainly better than nothing!

[Beerina]

Originally posted by Piscivore
The collected body odor of ten Jesus fanboys, collected in His name on a hot August sabbath in a small, poorly ventilated garage.

*Sigh*, I miss 1inC...

To simulate this, drop your son off at a Warhammer gathering in the back room of a hobby store on a Saturday afternoon when it's loaded with stinky, unbathed college and high school students.

[Piscivore]

Originally posted by Beerina
To simulate this, drop your son off at a Warhammer gathering in the back room of a hobby store on a Saturday afternoon when it's loaded with stinky, unbathed college and high school students.

The biggest comic book store in town does Yugio tourneys every weekend. I know that smell.

[JSFolk]

I have twice now taken a bus trip from Pensacola, Florida to Calgary, ALberta.

So, my answer is "Me after 76 hours on a Greyhound".

Although, having been a gamer in the past, I have to say that "unwashed gamer" comes in a close second.

[evildave]

Move a chair.

Now ask god to move a chair.

You are stronger than god.

[Checkmite]

"What if we had a Mass and nobody came?" Sounds almost like a cool book title...

[uruk]

oops, wrong thread.

[Beleth]

Originally posted by evildave
Move a chair.

Now ask god to move a chair.

You are stronger than god. By that logic, I am stronger than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

[Starrman]

This is very timely - I am from the Green Bay area (now living in Ohio) and just yesterday told my wife that the Packer game was going to be on @ 2 on X-mas eve (Church is @ 4).

I told her I promise to go to Church the next time Jesus is playing for a conference title.

I do have to admit that I love going to Christmas mass - despite my disbelief. aside from the nostalgia, the Church and pagentry of the Mass is beautiful, and I love watching the kiddie choir.

[kerfer]

Originally posted by Beleth
By that logic, I am stronger than Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Okay, I'll bite.

Why, by the logic of the EvilOne(tm), are you stronger than the Gov? I'm pretty sure that he can move any chair that I/you can move.

I don't follow your argument...I think you got some 'splainin to do.



(edited to fix a typo...my fingers are webbed today)

[evildave]

Perhaps like Arnold, God is absent from the room with the chair?

[Riddick]

@OP: The desire for mexican food

[ManfredVonRichthoffen]

In class in middle school I prayed not to get an erection in class. I got that erection anyway. Therefore, my wang is more powerful than God.

[Z]

Originally posted by ManfredVonRichthoffen
In class in middle school I prayed not to get an erection in class. I got that erection anyway. Therefore, my wang is more powerful than God.

I've felt that way, a time or three...

Laying on the carnal bed, caked in drying sweat, an unconscious partner lying close at hand on either side, looking up, and screaming, "Top THAT, Jee-Buz!'

he he he

Then I wake up... :bgrin:

[Beleth]

Originally posted by evildave
Perhaps like Arnold, God is absent from the room with the chair? Close.

Just because I ask Arnold to move a chair doesn't mean that he will. This is true whether he is in the room or not.

[Dustin Kesselberg]

Originally posted by Beleth
Close.

Just because I ask Arnold to move a chair doesn't mean that he will. This is true whether he is in the room or not.


And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen. "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."


Well according to jesus,If a true christian with no doubt asks for something to be done...Anything to be done,It will be done.
"all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive"

I suppose jesus did not really mean that,and I am misinterpreting it huh?

[kerfer]

Originally posted by Beleth
Close.

Just because I ask Arnold to move a chair doesn't mean that he will. This is true whether he is in the room or not.

Thank you.

It wasn't clear at all that this was your point.

[Atlas]

Originally posted by Dustin
And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen...."

...

I suppose jesus did not really mean that,and I am misinterpreting it huh? You got it wrong. It's too bad you don't have a fig tree to practice on. I think it means that every person of faith SO FAR has been a poser.

[Dorian Gray]

Atheism.

[evildave]

Originally posted by Atlas
You got it wrong. It's too bad you don't have a fig tree to practice on. I think it means that every person of faith SO FAR has been a poser.

All the billions of them. A bit like the 'Far Side' cartoon where the scientist leaving the elephent cage tells the guy bringing mice that they don't need to keep bringing more mice in: the elephant isn't scared.

I think if you just up and ask Arnold to move a chair he was idly standing next to, he'd do it without even asking why. He'd even ask if where he moved it was 'good enough'. Most people who aren't busy or on their guard obediently and cooperatively do simple things like this without a moment's thought when you're not interrupting them. Try it.

[BillyJoe]

ED,

Originally posted by evildave
Most people who aren't busy or on their guard obediently and cooperatively do simple things like this without a moment's thought when you're not interrupting them. Try it. I just tried this on my daughter. She's too small to easily lift a chair, so I asked her to lift the remote control lying on my desk. She did so immediately. Amazing.


Seriously, I doubt that I would ever do this even if I was not on my guard (which is never) or busy (which is hardly ever). Surely you would first ask "why?". (In fact my daughter did ask "why?" but, unfortunately, she had already lifted the remote.)

BJ

[Belle]

Originally posted by Atlas
[URL=http://www.startribune.com/stories/510/5117513.html]
A Christmas eve day game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers might confict with sundown services on that most special day....

:w2: Since I currently reside in this land of Cheeseheads, Churches and Taverns, your post doesn't surprise me - but got a big giggle out of it. Thank you Atlas for my morning "smile"...

For my answer to your question, I'm going to rephrase it just a bit and make it "What's stronger than the IDEA of God..." - okay? And I gave the God-idea a pretty good challenge... though I didn't know (during the whole thing) that we were in competition... :)

Was going out with a handsome, intelligent and sexy man for about 5 months, whose only fault was that he was a Christian - (one of those mutual agreements that the subject of Religion would not be discussed.) Suddenly he stopped calling, and I simply shrugged and went on...

Four months later I get a call of "explanation"... you see, he'd heard a sermon against pre-marital sex, and couldn't even call to explain why he couldn't see me anymore because he didn't think he had the strength to resist me. How I kept from laughing out loud before I got off the phone with him I'll never know.

...and no, this is not the action of a very young man - he was 45.

[Atlas]

Originally posted by Belle
:w2: Since I currently reside in this land of Cheeseheads, Churches and Taverns, your post doesn't surprise me - but got a big giggle out of it. Thank you Atlas for my morning "smile"...

For my answer to your question, I'm going to rephrase it just a bit and make it "What's stronger than the IDEA of God..." - okay? And I gave the God-idea a pretty good challenge... though I didn't know (during the whole thing) that we were in competition... :)

Was going out with a handsome, intelligent and sexy man for about 5 months, whose only fault was that he was a Christian - (one of those mutual agreements that the subject of Religion would not be discussed.) Suddenly he stopped calling, and I simply shrugged and went on...

Four months later I get a call of "explanation"... you see, he'd heard a sermon against pre-marital sex, and couldn't even call to explain why he couldn't see me anymore because he didn't think he had the strength to resist me. How I kept from laughing out loud before I got off the phone with him I'll never know.

...and no, this is not the action of a very young man - he was 45. That might be a pretty good preacher if he only gives sermons on premarital sex once every 45 years. Somehow I doubt that's the first time he's heard it so it seems a poor memory is stronger than God or the idea of God.

It's a good thing the preacher didn't mention anything like red hair is a sign of demon possession, he might have had to kill you. At the very least he would have never "explained" the situation. I do hope though that the guy finds a nice ugly girl that is easy to resist. I'm sure he'll be thanking the preacher for his guidance all the days of his life.

Lastly, let me say that it doesn't surprise me that menfolk in Packerland are a little messed up in the head. I've always thought their cheese hats looked like they were screwed on too tight. You should identify with our team Belle, after all we call the owner Red.

[Belle]

Originally posted by Atlas
You should identify with our team Belle, after all we call the owner Red.

Can I still identify with the Yankees and Giants? - originally from Jersey (not Joisey), and defending Steinbrenner here is SO much fun! ;)

Maybe I should have mentioned that he'd been a born-again for only a year - complete atheist prior to that, had a major life crisis, and got sucked in... I think it WAS his first time hearing about the sins of any form of premarital sex (poor baby) :p ... hadn't thought of demonic red hair - although (at this point) I'm certain I lost nothing but an potential big-time headache...

Hmmm... maybe I could dump the Giants for the Vikings and keep the Yankees? THAT sounds like fun!

[Ladewig]

Name something stronger than God.

Reality.

[evildave]

Originally posted by BillyJoe
ED,

I just tried this on my daughter. She's too small to easily lift a chair, so I asked her to lift the remote control lying on my desk. She did so immediately. Amazing.


Seriously, I doubt that I would ever do this even if I was not on my guard (which is never) or busy (which is hardly ever). Surely you would first ask "why?". (In fact my daughter did ask "why?" but, unfortunately, she had already lifted the remote.)

BJ

It's simply a matter of being cooperative. If someone asked you to pass them the remote, and you weren't using it or the TV, and on your way out the door, and it was right there, you would do so without hesitation. If you were standing in the doorway and someone asked you to turn the light on, you'd do it.

It's drilled into you for all your life to be helpful, and it works because you occasionally want that help, too.

"Pass me..." are the most potent words in any language, because they almost always work, but other trivial 'Move that...' or 'Operate that...' commands are equally powerful. Adding 'Please', or pitching your voice 'just so' makes it compelling. If the reason for the operation seems 'obvious', people don't hesitate.

In fact, you'll find that people who don't do these 'automatic help' things are prone to be labelled with not-so-nice words, like 'obstinant' or phrases like 'doesn't play well with others'.

There is a limit to how often you can ask before you use up your 'credit', but most everyone who isn't upset or busy with something has one or two simple commands of this nature to do trivial things, ready to go at a moment's notice, and if you look you're busy, most people will do minimal tasks, even if they wonder "Why?". Sometimes people who are upset and/or busy are even more susceptible to these little suggestions, because they're also distracted and doing it is the best way to get you out of their hair quickly.

"Hurry up!" is often in this conditioning. The practical upshot of this is that suggestions will go into most people's heads without critical analysis, especially when given by authority figures.

[BillyJoe]

Originally posted by evildave
If the reason for the operation seems 'obvious', people don't hesitate. Oh, well, yes, in that case, where the reason is obvious, I would not hesitate either.

Originally posted by evildave
"Pass me..." are the most potent words in any language, because they almost always work, but other trivial 'Move that...' or 'Operate that...' commands are equally powerful. Adding 'Please', or pitching your voice 'just so' makes it compelling. Fair enough.
(I didn't ask my daughter to "pass the remote please", I merely asked her to lift it off the desk, no please, no pitch, nothing.)

Originally posted by evildave
In fact, you'll find that people who don't do these 'automatic help' things are prone to be labelled with not-so-nice words, like 'obstinant' or phrases like 'doesn't play well with others'. :o
(Is this smilie a black featureless face for anyone else or is there something wrong with my monitor?)

Originally posted by evildave
"Hurry up!" is often in this conditioning. The practical upshot of this is that suggestions will go into most people's heads without critical analysis, especially when given by authority figures. No, this is where I ask "Why?".....especially if it's authority figures. Perhaps I'm too guarded, too critical.....or perhaps too anti-social :(

[Atlas]

Originally posted by BillyJoe
:o
(Is this smilie a black featureless face for anyone else or is there something wrong with my monitor?) It is a red face, eyes closed, open mouth smiley, like it's singing to the choir or something. It could be your monitor or your own dark heart. Nice to see you again Billy.Originally posted by evildave
"Hurry up!" is often in this conditioning. The practical upshot of this is that suggestions will go into most people's heads without critical analysis, especially when given by authority figures.
Originally posted by BillyJoe
[B] No, this is where I ask "Why?".....especially if it's authority figures. Perhaps I'm too guarded, too critical.....or perhaps too anti-social :( While we are young and learning social relationships we generally understand that our authorities are there to help us. Parents, teachers, police, preachers, even sales people...

When they speak in the imperatve voice it carries an implicit "if you know what's good for you" message. Even when we begin to question authority we still recognize that when the police have us surrounded and say "drop the gun" it means "or unpleasant consequences will follow". Sometimes though the unspoken message is "I need help" which also can cause an unthinking response.

This anecdote doesn't have an authority but does have the voice. My buddy was coming out of a bar and was probably feeling no pain when from an alley he heard sounds of a scuffle and a women's voice "Help! Stop!". Unthinkingly he ran into the gloom and was beat up, knocked out, and had his money stolen. That's probably a bad example of the effect except that I do think that we generally do want to help one another even when it puts us out a little bit. Up here in snow country it's a part of the season to help someone push his car out of the snow. We hate to see anyone, especially a damsel, in distress and not provide some aid and comfort.

I think indifference is not generally powerful enough to overcome the inclination to help, you actually have to enjoy someone's suffering to not provide even minimal assistence. Even panhandlers can separate us from our money until we learn to walk on by.

I think the effect comes from the afterexperience. When you do a good deed you always feel good about yourself for helping out. When you don't you are afflicted by thoughts of the person and their plight that you walked away from. You may even wonder in both cases how the Karmic master will "bless" you for your deed.

[evildave]

What do you want to bet the woman who called for 'help' was in on it? A great way to attract drunks into inconspicuous places to be rolled, don'tcha think?

But honestly, the core phenomena is that if you say "jump", most people will do it without even asking 'How high?'.

[Atlas]

Originally posted by evildave
What do you want to bet the woman who called for 'help' was in on it? A great way to attract drunks into inconspicuous places to be rolled, don'tcha think? The way he tells it she was. When he got back there he saw her standing alone screaming, it stopped him cold, and then he was jumped.

[BillyJoe]

Originally posted by Atlas
It is a red face, eyes closed, open mouth smiley, like it's singing to the choir or something. It could be your monitor or your own dark heart. Nice to see you again Billy. Likewise, Atlas.
Yes, I don't get it. Everything else looks the same. Hey, what's this about "dark heart"!!!

Originally posted by Atlas
While we are young and learning social relationships we generally understand that our authorities are there to help us. Parents, teachers, police, preachers, even sales people... Hmmm...I v'e missed out somewhere, obviously. For me, they were just trying to get you to do what they wanted you to do so that they could get you to fit into some unknown overall plan of theirs or, worse still, abide by some unjustified and unjustifiable rule just for the heck of it.

Originally posted by Atlas
When they speak in the imperatve voice it carries an implicit "if you know what's good for you" message. Even when we begin to question authority we still recognize that when the police have us surrounded and say "drop the gun" it means "or unpleasant consequences will follow". Sometimes though the unspoken message is "I need help" which also can cause an unthinking response. Okay, that I understand. But the response is not automatic or reflexive. You still assess the situation and then decide to go along with it because of the unsavoury consequences if you don't.

Originally posted by Atlas
I think the effect comes from the afterexperience. When you do a good deed you always feel good about yourself for helping out. When you don't you are afflicted by thoughts of the person and their plight that you walked away from. I understand this as well. Again, though, I think it is a considered response. And there is a sort of reward for your efforts. Hell, I know someone who goes out of his way to help people, but the people he helps are just names in a ledger. The only reason he does it is to feel good for having done it. Perhaps, also, he's collecting browny points in heaven.

Originally posted by Atlas
You may even wonder in both cases how the Karmic master will "bless" you for your deed. Oops. :o

:D

BillyJoe
(*****, that black face again :( )

[Atlas]

Originally posted by BillyJoe
Hey, what's this about "dark heart"!!! I'm sure it's a projection of mine from our last go-around where, in my opinion, you showed little caring for, and marked ambivalence toward, the destruction of hypothetical people. :p

Hmmm...I v'e missed out somewhere, obviously. For me, they were just trying to get you to do what they wanted you to do so that they could get you to fit into some unknown overall plan of theirs or, worse still, abide by some unjustified and unjustifiable rule just for the heck of it. I've done a little rethinking here. I do believe that there is some training we get growing up. When training puppies (I've never had one) one school denies harsh physical discipline and trains by means of praise and treats when the correct behavior appears by chance. Some child rearing methodologies also deny spanking and striking the child in favor of less physical punishment but employ the praise and reward technique to elicit "right" behavior.

In other words, lavish praise is a real positive reinforcement for human beings and we may, in fact, chase it. I grew up in a family of 12 and when we were very young if my dad wanted a beer from the fridge or an ash tray or the TV guide several of us might jump at his request. Now it may have been that we thought we might get into his good graces, he was a severe disciplinarian and ruled with an iron hand, wooden stick and leather belt. But I don't think that was it entirely. We expected praise. To be given a pat on the head, and be called good boy or daddy's boy was the equivalent of a gold star on a school work assignment. I could sneer at my slower siblings for I was daddy's boy.

Anyway, this susceptibility to praise is something we deal with from salesmen, suitors, and any one of a hundred flatterers throughout our life and depending on our world view are either suspicious or open to it from the world around. I think suspicions are learned or earned but there is likely a genetic disposition individuals have that contributes to our bias. After all, in some instances suspicions are lifesaving but in others they are unwarranted and keep us from accepting help from the unselfish good Samaritan.

It is the transference from chasing parental praise to acting in support of a stranger's whim or request that I find myself pondering. While I do believe that the human species evolved with a trait for mutual cooperation we also learn that giving something for nothing leaves us poorer in the exchange. And confidence men gain our trust by employing the phenomenon evildave describes.

That is, a confidence man gets us to perform a little unselfish act, maybe a small series, before tricking us out of our possession. "Can you give me the time?", "Would you let me use your pen?", "Please sign this petition.", lead up to "Give me all your money." I think cults employ this confidence game eliciting behavior and lavishing praise to great effectiveness.

And that brings me back to the idea of transference. Many parents deploy a watchful angel or god into the psychological world of the growing child. At a very young age we are taught that the angel or god becomes happy when we do good deeds for others and becomes sad when we are bad. It takes a few times getting burned before we realize the appropriate balance between making our angel happy and not being played for a fool.

I guess I'm suggesting some undercurrents that I believe are in play during the performance of the "thoughtless" helpful act. But I really can't be sure how much is genetics, training, or superstition.

[evildave]

Originally posted by Atlas
The way he tells it she was. When he got back there he saw her standing alone screaming, it stopped him cold, and then he was jumped.

Lesson learned: Recruit help from the bar/pub before charging into the dark alley.

[Atlas]

I just revisited wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontological_argument) and figured I should add Nonexistence to the list of things stronger than God.

Necessary Nonexistence

It can be argued that nonexistence is greater and more perfect than existence. The elements of existence are asymmetric and interact because of their imperfections. If they were perfect they would be static. Nonexistence is boundless, timeless, omnipresent, simple, etc. Existence is defined by its limitations. Furthermore, for any number of things that exists, one can imagine twice as many that do not exist, or the set of all sets of them, etc.

Another rationale is attributed to Melbourne philosopher Douglas Gasking (1911-1994), one component of his proof of the nonexistence of God:

1) The creation of the world is the most marvelous achievement imaginable.
2) The merit of an achievement is the product of (a) its intrinsic quality, and (b) the ability of its creator.
3) The greater the disability (or handicap) of the creator, the more impressive the achievement.
4) The most formidable handicap for a creator would be non-existence.
5) Therefore if we suppose that the universe is the product of an existent creator we can conceive a greater being — namely, one who created everything while not existing.
6) Therefore God does not exist.

[BillyJoe]

Double post

[BillyJoe]

Atlas,

Originally posted by Atlas
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
BillyJoe: Hey, what's this about "dark heart"!!!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm sure it's a projection of mine from our last go-around where, in my opinion, you showed little caring for, and marked ambivalence toward, the destruction of hypothetical people. :p . But it was actually out of concern for someone called BillyJoe, if you remember. Only a "dark heart" would sentence BillyJoe to a lifetime of competing with BillyJoe for the attentions of BillyJoe's wife. ;)

Originally posted by Atlas
I've done a little rethinking here. I do believe that there is some training we get growing up. When training puppies (I've never had one) one school denies harsh physical discipline and trains by means of praise and treats when the correct behavior appears by chance. Some child rearing methodologies also deny spanking and striking the child in favor of less physical punishment but employ the praise and reward technique to elicit "right" behavior. Pavlov's dog?

Originally posted by Atlas
In other words, lavish praise is a real positive reinforcement for human beings and we may, in fact, chase it. I grew up in a family of 12 and when we were very young if my dad wanted a beer from the fridge or an ash tray or the TV guide several of us might jump at his request. Now it may have been that we thought we might get into his good graces, he was a severe disciplinarian and ruled with an iron hand, wooden stick and leather belt. But I don't think that was it entirely. We expected praise. To be given a pat on the head, and be called good boy or daddy's boy was the equivalent of a gold star on a school work assignment. I could sneer at my slower siblings for I was daddy's boy. Question is....Who was Pavlov, and who was the dog?

Family of twelve, hey. I am from a family of 9, which I think was already 4 too many. But I suppose it prepared us for the rough and tumble.

Originally posted by Atlas
It is the transference from chasing parental praise to acting in support of a stranger's whim or request that I find myself pondering. While I do believe that the human species evolved with a trait for mutual cooperation we also learn that giving something for nothing leaves us poorer in the exchange. Mutual cooperation or mutual conditioning?

Originally posted by Atlas
And that brings me back to the idea of transference. Many parents deploy a watchful angel or god into the psychological world of the growing child. At a very young age we are taught that the angel or god becomes happy when we do good deeds for others and becomes sad when we are bad. It takes a few times getting burned before we realize the appropriate balance between making our angel happy and not being played for a fool. Ah, but it all seems such a game, doesn't it?

Originally posted by Atlas
I guess I'm suggesting some undercurrents that I believe are in play during the performance of the "thoughtless" helpful act. But I really can't be sure how much is genetics, training, or superstition. Yes, I understand and thanks for all that.
I do think I'll be keeping on my guard against those automatic responses. It's important for the survival of BillyJoe don't you think?

BillyJoe

[BillyJoe]

Originally posted by Atlas
1) The creation of the world is the most marvelous achievement imaginable.
2) The merit of an achievement is the product of (a) its intrinsic quality, and (b) the ability of its creator.
3) The greater the disability (or handicap) of the creator, the more impressive the achievement.
4) The most formidable handicap for a creator would be non-existence.
5) Therefore if we suppose that the universe is the product of an existent creator we can conceive a greater being — namely, one who created everything while not existing.
6) Therefore God does not exist. Number (1) is already untrue. Surely? Perhaps he lacks imagination?

[Atlas]

Originally posted by BillyJoe
Number (1) is already untrue. Surely? Perhaps he lacks imagination? They comment at the end of the argument that it would have been more appropriate had he interchanged 'world' with 'universe'.

[Atlas]

Originally posted by BillyJoe
Question is....Who was Pavlov, and who was the dog? Good question.

Family of twelve, hey. I am from a family of 9, which I think was already 4 too many. But I suppose it prepared us for the rough and tumble. So you were 5th? I was 4th. Rough and tumble, it was.

Mutual cooperation or mutual conditioning?You know I take it that the the activity of ants and bees exhibits the trait of mutual cooperation, but some do suggest we are more complicated than that. Gotta be both, huh?

Ah, but it all seems such a game, doesn't it? Yes it is.


I do think I'll be keeping on my guard against those automatic responses. It's important for the survival of BillyJoe don't you think? Absolutely. Who'd solve all the puzzles if you weren't around.

[BillyJoe]

Originally posted by Atlas
Who'd solve all the puzzles if you weren't around. zaayrdragon?

:D

We just met again on another thread....
and he still thinks he's right!!!

:D:D

Remember when he thought I was Ian's sock puppet.....
best laugh I'd had for a long time.

:D:D:D


BillyJoe
(Okay, I wouldn't pick on him if I didn't like him. :nope: )...:D

[Z]

Well, that would be because a) there is only one continuous, dynamic 'you'; b) a clone of you would not be you to you, and c) if you killed yourself, your clone wouldn't magically become 'you'.

But I digress - and I hate bringing up your losses like this, BJ. :D

[BillyJoe]

zaayrdragon,

I can't hide anywhere, can I?

Originally posted by zaayrdragon
a) there is only one continuous, dynamic 'you'; b) a clone of you would not be you to you, and c) if you killed yourself, your clone wouldn't magically become 'you'. Don't look now, but you've just brought up and covered yourself in all that "big mess" you weren't going to bring up. :D

(Just for the record, and I excuse your poor phraseology :cool: , I have never disagreed with (b) and (c) despite you saying that I must do so for my argument to hold. Which goes to show, your protestations to the contrary, that you still do not understand the argument. :nope: No you don't

BJ
(But let's drop it :D )

[Z]

Ahhh... our favorite subject, Bill. Perhaps we ought to dredge that old thread up, after all.

(At least you can discuss it fairly rationally...)

But, nay, I'd not want to embarrass you yet again... :D

Subject Dropped. (Until someone perfects hypercloning...)

[evildave]

So, does a Star Trek transporter teleport you, or kill & clone you? I'm still in the kill & clone camp.

[Z]

I'm sorry, that post is off-topic. I'll have to refrain from answering that I, too, am in the kill-and-clone camp as that would only derail the thread further, and instead post on-topic by saying that Star Trek is obviously stronger than God.

:D

[BillyJoe]

Well, we all agree then. :)
The question is what does this mean for BillyJoe, or zaayrdragon, or evildave? (I have given up using the asterisks).
Here there is room for disagreement through.....non-understanding. ;)

But, yeah, this is off-topic for me as well.

BillyJoe