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BevoAbyss

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  1. indeed. It's called "Planet of the Apes." A devolutionary future society in which the science/evolution-denying apes rule the humans. The 1968 film masterpiece saw it coming, symbolically. Nuclear apocalypse or intellectual collapse, the effect is the same. Crash! Apes in charge.
  2. Spot on. 100%. The proliferation of guns and social fears parallels the proliferation of screens and social media. The proliferation of firing bullets mirrors the proliferation of everyone firing off posts, tweets, and updates. For many, the fear and rage builds as each post they don't like on social media feels like an info-bullet to their brain, triggering cognitive overload and cultural warriors.
  3. Correction: Abbott's a fascist. The Texas government is led by fascists and theocrats. At least according to any dictionary not tossed out of the school libraries.
  4. Yet, that's exactly what you are doing. Gaslighting, apologia. The doublethink is staggering. And even inventing my thoughts on Constantine's dream! Lulz. Adios, dude.
  5. I've read 1491 and Guns, Germs, and Steel. Indeed, the historical patterns in 1491 and Guns, Germs, and Steel do reveal humanity's greed and barbarism toward fellow humans. But, that does not change or excuse the facts of what happened in Texas, especially since the conquering Christians claim to be about peace and love. The Euro-Christians running the state in the mid-1800s approved and unleashed an ethnic cleansing (or genocide) program upon the Indigenous Peoples occupying the territories that became "Texas." The territories were colonized and conquered via mass killings, as happened in the rest of America. Those are facts. (Roma's post above is spot on.) To excuse the Christian-led atrocities in Texas is nothing less than the usual "but what about ______" hypocrisy and apologia. Especially since the Christians (and all religions) loudly claim the mantle of peace in the wake of their barbarism. I grew up in Texas and often heard Christians/Evangelicals/Fundamentalists proudly boast that Texas and America were "God's Country." Of course, that can only mean their all-knowing, all-loving God approved of a genocide against tens of millions of other humans across America. So much for the "peace" and "love" of their fellow humans. So much for a loving God. Yet, this staggering hypocrisy damn near gets a free pass across Texas and America and in Surly. Christianity's historical record is clear: colonize, conquer, convert (those left alive). Peace only comes after the blood bath. True in America, true in Texas.
  6. I recall the main arguments, but not all the details and battles covered. Not a particularly well-written book (IMHO), but very scholarly. 400-500 pages, small font. I think it came out in hard cover in early 2000s. I had the book about 10-12 years ago, but did not have time to read it all. Life gets in the way. So much to read, so little time!
  7. Not for the Indigenous peoples in "Texas." The genocide/ethnic cleansing was already underway by the rifle-toting Euro-Christian colonizers/conquerers as they stole the lands that became Texas. To make way for all those supposedly "peaceful" Christians we keep hearing about, at least according to the preachers, propagandists, and true believers.
  8. What's really sad is the little belief system of religion still exists, in the 21st century universe of NASA, Hubble, evolution, and a vast, awe-inspiring cosmology. What's really sad is the failure of secular education to convey on a wide-scale the scientific universe as a source of wonder, meaning, existential truth, our origins, and the ultimate ground for universal human rights. What's really sad is these fact-free fables and commandments are being shoved down the throats of many Americans. That's the real hostility at play—creating a violent 21st century fascist theocracy. What's really sad is Texas is ground zero for all this madness.
  9. In 20-25 years on the current timeline, Psycho Jr. will be an officer and triggerman in the CYPB firing squads and militias. Purifying the streets and neighborhoods of the American metropolis. (CYPB = Christian Youth Purity Brigades). They're coming. They're telegraphing it far and wide. Believe them. They don't care how many die to create their Holy America, as we see with the mass shootings. Ultraviolence!
  10. I've known this for 30+ years. It is pointless to engage in debates over Sky God v. Big Telescope or Spiritual Human v. Evolved Human. Utterly pointless. However well-intentioned (or not), various people, friends, and writers always do the following: Put words in my mouth, or draw invalid inferences from what I said, or conflate concepts, or willfully deny logic and evidence, or offer "but, what about this," or deploy doublethink, or see the Sky God in every tiny gap in a theory or a sentence I utter or write. Meanwhile, no one has ever proved Genesis 1:1. Never. No Sky God in sight, not even in a Hubble Deep Field image. That's in contrast to what's been proven by Big Telescopes. Indeed, Taylor is right in Planet of the Apes, "It's a madhouse" on Planet Earth. So I rarely ever debate all this with anyone, anywhere, not even with girlfriends (no pics) over the years (never had desire to get married and have kids). Yet, I still get drawn in sometimes, as on this thread. My bad. Apologies for any lack of clarity in my posts. Specking of madhouses, when the hell is UT football gonna win anything of significance? As in a National Title?
  11. I fail to see how turning away from the very evolutionary things that clearly separate humanity from the apes — namely, our science, reason, logic, aesthetics, to name a few things that we developed — is the path away from the apes. How is the belief in an unseen, never seen, never heard from God (who does not a damn thing to improve life on Planet Earth) any better than apes? It's not and history has shown that time and time again. You posted a pic of a chimp, apparently suggesting that grasping our evolution origins is counter to humanity. Lulz. This pic from the original Planet of the Apes (1968) captures the essential attitude and worldview of religion toward science, logic, evidence, or anything that refutes their beliefs. And, to offer the obligatory quote from the astronaut Taylor (played by Charlton Heston): "There has to be something better than man out there. Has to be." The failure of basic science education in this country is astonishing. It's no wonder MAGA-GQP are so powerful. We're in the middle of an epic intellectual/educational collapse and a huge swath of America is literally devolving right before our eyes. Taylor's also right about something else: "It's a madhouse!
  12. With all due respect: just because you are not informed on the subject does not mean it is "gibberish." Apparently, you know nothing of the revolutionary work of the great Jane Goodall — perhaps the most important primatologist of the 20th century. Here's a quote from Wikipedia: "Then suddenly we found that chimpanzees could be brutal—that they, like us, had a darker side to their nature. .... Her findings revolutionised contemporary knowledge of chimpanzee behaviour and were further evidence of the social similarities between humans and chimpanzees, albeit in a much darker manner." For a more detailed explanation of Goodall's findings, here is a screen capture from Wikipedia. . Note the clear examples of tribalism, violence, dominance, ganging up (feeling superior?) on a solitary monkey and killing it, etc.
  13. Sorry, but you are conflating, while denying it. Conflating an evidence-and-logic-based critique of religion with the desire/willingness to suppress religion via the state. That's a non sequitur. Just because I embrace a scientific outlook and call out the fascist theocracy emerging right before our eyes, it does not follow that I advocate the state suppress religion or Christianity. I have never said or written that anywhere, here or elsewhere. Never. All I ask is the First Amendment be upheld, which mandates a separation of church and state. It's very simple. MAGA-GQP are ignoring that part of the First Amendment, while shoving their Ten Commandments down the throat of secular America — in the name of religious freedom and unscientific medieval idiocy (Re: overturning Roe). Your accusation is one that has long been popular in conservative and religious circles. It's the old Commie straw-man assertion — godless liberals and commies gonna take my Bible and AR-15. Lulz. You have not refuted anything I said, just hurled insults (the Keaton meme) and hackneyed accusations. This is my final reply to you. Adios.
  14. Sawbonz, you are probably a nice guy and someone to have a drink with and talk about these topics. I know I have done that zillions of times. But with all due respect, this "both sides" claim is misguided. Sorry, but time's up for the apologia, the denialism, the enabling, the equalizing, etc. Time's up for #bothsides On Negating the Difference Between Religion and Atheism Religion depends on this. That's the attempt to negate the empirical differences between the evidence-free Sky God myth (that's faith) and the galaxies of evidence for Darwin, Hubble, and the sciences of evolutionary biology, genetics, astrophysics, cosmology, etc. Powered by incredible technologies (telescopes, microscopes, etc), all empirical evidence points unequivocally toward humans being one of millions of life forms that emerged and evolved on a tiny planet, orbiting a flaming ball of hydrogen, all in a vast, majestic, awe-inspiring, and expanding universe of two trillion galaxies stretching across 100 billion light years. Every human (and life form) on this planet is made of elements born in exploding stars, an empirical fact discovered in 1957. And every human shares 99..5% of the same DNA. Those are empirical facts. That can only mean we are one species sharing one planet. So far, the human species — in its curiosity and creativity — is the only species on our planet to figure this out about the surrounding universe and life on Earth. And most of the humans on Planet Earth remain in denial, unwittingly clinging to their primate origins which they deny exist! The virulent hatreds and claims to supremacy seen in religion (and society at large) are from our primate origins!. Faith is the total belief in God despite the absence of evidence. Atheism is the total absence of belief in any God. But that does not mean I believe in nothing. Science (along with art, philosophy) provides the foundation for a secular worldview grounded in evidence and our true origins in the universe. As for our destiny, that remains to be seen..... If all humans would accept our evolutionary origins as a single species on a tiny planet, then maybe — just maybe — we could slowly start to get along, live peacefully, share the benefits of our creativity and compassion, and protect the ecosystems of Planet Earth, upon which all life depends. But that ain't happening anytime soon. One key reason is because religion is the fount of Alt-Fact Culture. About State-Imposed Atheism Speaking for myself, I am not advocating state-imposed atheism. You are correct Sawbonz: that will never work, as history has shown. Neither will state-imposed religion, which also happens to ignore the first line of the First Amendment, at least in America. But that fact is denied by MAGA-GQP and all the others in favor state-imposed religion. And state-imposed violent religion is coming to America, far and wide. #TenCommandments. TLDR: Don't conflate a secular worldview (informed by art, science, and secular philosophy) with the fact-free idiocy spewing from MAGA-GQP.
  15. Looks like the holy New York Times is busy pimping celebrity fascism and theocracy, again. Under the guise of "objective" and "responsible" journalism (#bothsides) for consumption by the liberal elite. Any of y'all think the so-called "liberal" media is gonna save us from fascism and theocracy, y'all better think again. The Times is exactly what Orwell warned us about. Doublethink for the Party Elite.
  16. That's the million dollar question. How? One thing for certain. It ain't coming from the media, corporations, academia, or the Democrats. Biden? AOC? Too much Catholicism. Too much Christianity. Too much of America is utterly brainwashed into believing religion is a force for good, conveniently cherry-picking from the Bible, while ignoring the horror stories in the Bible and the atrocities committed by religions all over the world. Just read some of the comments above. It's all a bunch of narcissistic delusion in the belief that their personal destiny is ordained by the Creator of a universe with two trillion galaxies stretching across 100 billion light years. Lulz. But how can religion's political takeover be stopped or at least halted? I guess, somehow, the 30-35% of Americans who are non-religious need to organize on local, national, and international scales. And they need to have a platform and manifesto, just for starters. If it is not too late. But maybe the non-religious are too apathetic because consumer society offers endless distractions....
  17. MAGA-GQP is full-on coming for every group they hate: coming for the women, coming for POC, for LGBTQIA+, for doctors and nurses, for K-12 educators, librarians.... And now they're coming for the professors. And they will come for the scientists, artists, and atheists and non-believers. These idiots would love to bring UT to its knees, bowing before the MAGA Bible thumpers. If you think that is not part of the plan, you ain't paying attention. Hell, they've a got an evangelical running the Civitas Institute with a $6 million budget. Last time I looked, almost everyone on he board has some kind of Christian background. Secular Texas and Secular America are in big fucking trouble. MAGA-GQP are bent upon shoving the Ten Commandments right down everyone's throats. And the media and Democrats are hardly doing a thing to stop them.
  18. "God" says it's legal. The Bible trumps the Bill of Rights. That's it. That's the entire argument. All the rest is gaslighting and propaganda. From "United We Stand" to the "Tea Party" to MAGA, the GQP goal has always been a fascist theocracy. ALWAYS! They are building it right before our eyes. The Ten Commandments are being shoved down the throats of secular America.
  19. Nah. More like zero nuance. By any dictionary definition, MAGA-GQP is a fascist theocratic party seeking to rule through violence, intimidation, and Biblical law. They are led by a malevolent, ignorant, orange-faced fascist buffoon, a con man cult leader who tried to overturn an election. MAGA-GQP are openly and brazenly attacking women, Blacks, immigrants, LGTQIA+, BLM protestors, doctors, nurses, educators, librarians, election workers, scientists, vaccines, medicines, and so on. More than 95K are dead from Covid in Texas. There are mass shootings galore. MAGA-GQP is enabling mass death. Given all of the above, Abbott got re-elected easily. There is no f*cking nuance!
  20. This is true ... plus the non-religious voters. Among GenZ, the non-religious are almost 50% (see circles). That is reason for some hope! Most of GenZ non-religious might already vote D, but it is nowhere enough in Texas. Sadly, "non-religious" could also mean they believe Ancient Aliens are our saviors and all kinds of idiot pseudoscience. The non-religious Texans (and Americans) need to organize politically, around the banner of philosophically fighting fascism and theocracy on all fronts. Plus, fighting for universal human rights grounded in science and human existence, affordable secular education via state schools, and sustainable policies/renewables to counter the climate catastrophe, etc. Front and center needs to be directly challenging religious claims to facts, history, moral supremacy, and ruling America. Citizens and voters need to know about the wall between church and state as stated at the very top of the First Amendment—even before religious freedom! Almost no one knows this. — Of course, all of these will trigger massive MAGA-GQP freakouts and all kinds of faslehoods and propaganda. Plus, the fossil fuel industry will jump in on any challenge to oil/gas by renewables ("Texans will lose jobs!"). One thing is certain, the Beto charismatic nice guy (leaving religion/fascism/theocracy off the table) is a proven losing strategy. Proven twice.
  21. Lulz this thread. I appreciate the sentiment. I really do. Texas has a blatant fascist theocracy running the state government, some local governments, and seizing power across the state. They are targeting women, POC, LGTQIA+, doctors, librarians, educators, university tenure system, while also attacking facts, knowledge, history, medicines, vaccines, science, and even reality, itself. When anyone believes the Creator of the universe — with two trillion galaxies stretching across 100 billion light years, etc. — has their back and promises eternal destiny for their "good" deeds on Earth, and no one challenges that fact-free claim, there there is no limit to the power they will seek and what they will do with that power. No limit. And this is gonna solved with a list of policy suggestions? Wow? The only "possible" solution is two part. —The 35% of America that is not religious needs to organize on a massive scale, but I do not see that happening. — Launch a philosophical war in which the real nature of MAGA-GQP is identified, critiqued, and blasted in public arenas. That means attacking/critiquing religion/evangelicalism, while defending science, defending overall evidence-based thinking in government and life, and defending universal human rights (as grounded in the science of evolution). That means saying clearly and loudly that local preacher doesn't know jack shit about women's medical rights and has no claims on anything else related to science or morality. And neither does that pompous Joel Osteen or any other megachurch prophet-entertainer. That means getting God is out of government, in accordance with the separation of church and state mandated by the First Amendment. And that wall of separation means God needs to be kicked out of the state universities, too. And none of this is gonna happen. Why. Because God and religion get a 100% free pass all across America. The media in Texas will not take on religion. Neither will any corporations or universities. When the fascist-theocrats seize total power, the university leaders and corporate CEOs may frown, but they will line up to do business and get tax funding and tax breaks. Proto-fascist Elon Musk has shown that. Now y'all can remain in denial, but religion and Christianity are the essential core foundation of MAGA-GQP fascism/theocracy. If that is left standing untouched, there is no way to win the battle. Sooner or later, they will come for the secularists, scientists, atheists, and various others. Just wait till they come for the telescopes and astronomy at the UT McDonald Observatory. It's coming. The seeds have been planted.... TLDR: Texas is being taken over by a fascist theocracy. It's too late for policy debates. Philosophical war is needed.
  22. I don't know how long Tennessee has been fucked up. But it is at least since the Texas Wishbone fucked up Tennessee 36-13 in the Cotton Bowl (January 1, 1969).
  23. Elon Musk is not a profound futurist, he's a proto fascist. If anything, Musk is a fascist of the near future—an idiot savant echoing the American intellectual collapse into a violent idiot world.
  24. Trump's presidency rates an F, as in Failed, Flunked, Fucked, and Fascist.
  25. Nah. Harlan Crow started out in the owner's box of the stadium he owns for the team he owns in the league he owns, thinking everything he owns is a grand slam.
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