PS and Moda, Thanks for giving it a whirl.  The important thing, from my perspective, is not to agree or disagree with what I gave as an example (I just whipped it together in a couple of minutes).  The important thing is to go through the process, with your answers to your questions, until you get ...

Mountaineer, To me, the "why" of anything that doesn't contain motivations is essentially "how?"  For instance, if you say "why does a rock fall?"  I'd say "gravity."  If you said "how is it that a rock falls?"  I'd also say "gravity."  Wh...

The only presuppositions I really think I'm making is that I exist on this earth, and there are an infinite number of other truths I could believe, so I have to accept certain systems as the best way of developing truths beyond that. The systems I try to use, logic and the scientific method, haven'...

dualstow wrote: Please enjoy this feel-good video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbs6eMxa5ds

... Mountaineer

What you are missing, moda, is Revelation. Absolutely. Good folks on here like Mountaineer try to convince you of the power of what they think are reasonable arguments but Jesus said "Unless a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God". Either something happens on the inside or i...

Satan's Angelic Disguises Excerpt: There’s something of a corrective needed to the popular view of Satan today.  He will try first of all to convince people to deny his existence.  After all, there’s no need to be on guard against something that’s not real.  In the words of French poet Charles Baud...

What you are missing, moda, is Revelation. I agree with PS.  Moda, in my opinion you are missing "revelation" and are not receptive to deeply understanding what that means.  I also sense that you try to use the Scientific Method (or logic, if you prefer) outside the boundaries for which i...

You have definitly been hanging with Christians that have a different understanding than I do.  For us LCMS dudes, Scripture interprets Scripture, not me interpreting it.  So, with that understanding, you are arguing with God, not me.  I just try, unsuccessfully much or most of the time, to tell yo...

You have definitly been hanging with Christians that have a different understanding than I do.  For us LCMS dudes, Scripture interprets Scripture, not me interpreting it.  So, with that understanding, you are arguing with God, not me.  I just try, unsuccessfully much or most of the time, to tell you...

BTW, Mountaineer... I really hope my banter about who we allow in isn't rubbing you the wrong way.  If I'm going to hell then I'm going to hell.  Nothing wrong with truth-telling, and if I AM going to hell, I should be grateful to folks like you trying your darnedest to prevent it :). I just think ...

"Do you believe that humans who do not share your religious beliefs are necessarily going to spend the afterlife in eternal punishment, suffering, or discomfort?" If they answer that question "Yes."  No thank you.  You don't get to come here. Not that I don't want you here, Moun...

This sounds similar to "Police Action" run wild. It has come out how the government forced Yahoo to turn over online data to the NSA surveillance program known as PRISM.  A “civil contempt”? ruling would have fined the company $250,000 a day.  Every week Yahoo refused to comply the fine wo...

Haha... well I do love me some slick Willy.  I'll defend his honor. (phrasing) Defend the "Black Hawk" downs with a Tomahawk?  :o ... Mountaineer I do believe anything short of total war is inherently nebulous in terms of the moral and functional implications of action or inaction.  I rea...

moda0306 wrote: Haha... well I do love me some slick Willy.  I'll defend his honor.

(phrasing)

Defend the "Black Hawk" downs with a Tomahawk? 

... Mountaineer

moda0306 wrote: Weren't Reagan & Carter also doing a lot of tinkering in the Middle East?  Was Clinton really that much of a step forward in that regard?

Forward?  That reveals your mindset. 

... Mountaineer

Moda,

Re. your original post.  I admire and respect you for sharing where you were coming from.  It takes courage to make yourself vulnerable, and, an ethical honorable person to humbly accept the feedback you got, which you did.  Kudos!

... Mountaineer

If you care to elaborate on how I could improve how I structure my arguments, address issues with others' arguments, or address people generally, I'd love to hear any suggestions you have. Fewer words! :D I struggle with this myself at times, but it really does help to try to keep it concise. For w...

And all this time I thought it was "foofoo".  :P From the Urban Dictionary: Foofoo Adjective used to describe anything that is just a little to frilly, fancy, or "upper crust". Things that are foofoo might also be a bit on the delicate side, or too elegant by half, or even offens...

From the Urban Dictionary: tl;dr Literally, "Too long; didn't read" Said whenever a nerd makes a post that is too long to bother reading. "omg you postwench. i can only say one thing in response - tl;dr" "tl;dr...why dont you give up on your unabridged edition of War and Pea...

I personally believe a main reason (probably not the only reason) the US evolved into a culture that values honesty and safety in commerce is because it was founded in a large part by people seeking religious freedom, i.e. they had a relatively strong religious background, mainly Christian, with it...

For me, a person with "balls" tells people things that they don't want to hear. Ooh, ooh, let me have a go! This sounds like fun. - Property is a social construct. - God is a comforting fantasy. - It is both natural and unavoidable that the strong prey upon the weak. - Beautiful people ha...

It's not about government regulation; it's about a culture that values honesty and safety in commerce. If they passed that law in China, it would be widely ignored and the appropriate officials simply bought off. It's not the law itself that grants those very real and tangible benefits to Americans...

Would it not be a refreshing change to have a politician with balls, whether you agree with the message or not?  Not going to happen, but we can dream.

https://www.billwhittle.com/speaking/da ... m-beach-fl

... Mountaineer

MangoMan wrote:

MangoMan wrote: Also, the dental care there is awful.

amazing what time-lapse photography can accomplish 

That is just plain NASTY!

... Mountaineer

I am allergic to most sunscreens and burn relatively easily, so I wear long sleaves and a Tilly hat.  I also use a product (recommended and sold by my dermatologist) formulated with micronized zinc oxide and octinoxate on my nose if I am going to be outside in the sun for more than a half hour or s...