Greetings from the Philippines!

Zanarkand
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Greetings from the Philippines!

 

Hi Rational Responders, I am an atheist named John, i am currently 18 years of age and i am from the Philippines.

I have frequented this site when ive discovered it about a month ago and ive never been so fully satisfied with my life and well-being in general ever since. I know most users here are from the western side, and i would like to think that you have friends you personally know that are atheist.

That is very different here in my country. Religion is very rampant here. Atheism here is so rare that i am the only one that i know identified as one. I do not have any friends or acquaintance that share the same world view as i do. This is even difficult knowing that there are so many denominations of religion here that every 20-50 meters or so (that close) you will definitely come across a church of some sort.

there is even a nearby corner here where the catholic, lds, jehovahs witnesses, and protestant churches are so packed it looks life a chain of fast food stores.

I can say that i am formerly baptized catholic since birth to the age of 15, since the death of my mom that year we became born-again christians and as i dive deep in that religion i find myself amused seeing people vomiting, seeing people hallucinating and shouting and crying like theres no tomorrow.

I became and atheist when i was 17 and have not attended any church ever since.

going to a church here in the philippines is just like going to a mall or eating in popular food chains. it is so common that my friends even prefer going to churches just to look for good looking girls to date.

 

 

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Welcome to the forum, John! 

Welcome to the forum, John!

 

Our revels now are ended. These our actors, | As I foretold you, were all spirits, and | Are melted into air, into thin air; | And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, | The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, | The solemn temples, the great globe itself, - Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, | And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, | Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff | As dreams are made on, and our little life | Is rounded with a sleep. - Shakespeare


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Welcome.  Have fun here.

Welcome.  Have fun here.


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Welcome John!

Welcome John!

Slowly building a blog at ~

http://obsidianwords.wordpress.com/


B166ER
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From another newb...

Welcome to the forums!

Zanarkand wrote:
i would like to think that you have friends you personally know that are atheist.

Yeah, that's funny since ALL my friends and family are atheists, or agnostic at least. Most religious people don't like me for some reason... Probably since I can't keep my mouth shut and religious folks rarely like to hear what I have to say.

Zanarkand wrote:
That is very different here in my country. Religion is very rampant here.

Dude, I know ALL about religion being rampant... I live in the U.S. Need I say more? Or does this help:

Zanarkand wrote:
Atheism here is so rare that i am the only one that i know identified as one. I do not have any friends or acquaintance that share the same world view as i do.

I'm really sad to hear that.

Well, if the only fellow atheists you have to talk freely with and laugh and vent your frustrations with are us, then talk and laugh and vent to your heart's content!  Just because your fellow atheists are not physically standing next to you, just know that there are many of us, and we do support you in your dealing with the superstitious crazies.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! Just remember that.

 

"This may shock you, but not everything in the bible is true." The only true statement ever to be uttered by Jean Chauvinism, sociopathic emotional terrorist.
"A Boss in Heaven is the best excuse for a boss on earth, therefore If God did exist, he would have to be abolished." Mikhail Bakunin
"The means in which you take,
dictate the ends in which you find yourself."
"Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government! Supreme leadership derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony!"
No Gods, No Masters!


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i wish you well, too

Because i joined next to you, i read your filipino story, and actually it seemed quite sincere, i am sure you are moving in the direction you are because you are moving away from what is false. i really wish you well too. i'm sure there are many other atheist who will show you ome friendship and kindness. i also think you have suffered in your life, but i'm glad you say that the recent times have been good. i would say, stick by your theist friends, because they obviously need someone like you!

dreems


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Zanarkand wrote: there is

Zanarkand wrote:

 

there is even a nearby corner here where the catholic, lds, jehovahs witnesses, and protestant churches are so packed it looks life a chain of fast food stores.

 

Isn't that funny, and they would all tell you they are right.  Infact each of these crab in the bucket churches has a group of followers who will tell you the same. 

Zanarkan wrote:

going to a church here in the philippines is just like going to a mall or eating in popular food chains. it is so common that my friends even prefer going to churches just to look for good looking girls to date.

 

 

That's because most of your friends probably don't really believe, or don't even care enough to think hard about whether they believe or not.  Religion to them is a social thing, a thing that brings them together, a norm and people generally like to follow the norm.  Why would they jeapordize their relationship and connections by questioning their faith or think critically about the teachings in the bible.  Just think, the more of them their are, the smarter and stronger that makes you in comparison.

 

Welcome to the forum.

Ever ate Balute?


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NoMoreCrazyPeople

NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:

That's because most of your friends probably don't really believe, or don't even care enough to think hard about whether they believe or not.  Religion to them is a social thing, a thing that brings them together, a norm and people generally like to follow the norm.  Why would they jeapordize their relationship and connections by questioning their faith or think critically about the teachings in the bible.  Just think, the more of them their are, the smarter and stronger that makes you in comparison.

Yes. I think they dont really believe or dont care enough. they just do.

NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:

Welcome to the forum.

Ever ate Balute?

have you eaten one? its common here in the phil

and yes it is common to see total nutjobs for religion here

Not only can water float a boat, It can sink it also.


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dreems wrote:Because i

dreems wrote:

Because i joined next to you, i read your filipino story, and actually it seemed quite sincere, i am sure you are moving in the direction you are because you are moving away from what is false. i really wish you well too. i'm sure there are many other atheist who will show you ome friendship and kindness. i also think you have suffered in your life, but i'm glad you say that the recent times have been good. i would say, stick by your theist friends, because they obviously need someone like you!

dreems

i think i still am a closet atheist. it is very hard for me to reveal it at my age. almost all of my relatives are very religious. they will defenitely think that im some kind of a rebel or militant if i did speak up. its really tough here

Not only can water float a boat, It can sink it also.


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B166ER wrote:I'm really sad

B166ER wrote:

I'm really sad to hear that.

Well, if the only fellow atheists you have to talk freely with and laugh and vent your frustrations with are us, then talk and laugh and vent to your heart's content!  Just because your fellow atheists are not physically standing next to you, just know that there are many of us, and we do support you in your dealing with the superstitious crazies.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!! Just remember that.

thanks. hope my English skills is enough for you guys to understand haha

Not only can water float a boat, It can sink it also.


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Zanarkand wrote:i think i

Zanarkand wrote:
i think i still am a closet atheist. it is very hard for me to reveal it at my age. almost all of my relatives are very religious. they will defenitely think that im some kind of a rebel or militant if i did speak up. its really tough here

I agree, and I actually think you should try to keep your atheism a secret, at least until you are moving away or are essentially independent. In these types of situations, I think that's usually best. It will be hard to pretend that you're a Christian when you think everyone around you is crazy, but revealing your atheism can be social suicide.

Quote:
thanks. hope my English skills is enough for you guys to understand haha

Your English is fine. You already have better spelling and grammar than a lot of the drive-by theists. 

Our revels now are ended. These our actors, | As I foretold you, were all spirits, and | Are melted into air, into thin air; | And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, | The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces, | The solemn temples, the great globe itself, - Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, | And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, | Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff | As dreams are made on, and our little life | Is rounded with a sleep. - Shakespeare


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Zanarkand

Zanarkand wrote:

NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:

Welcome to the forum.

Ever ate Balute?

have you eaten one? its common here in the phil

 

I ate a couple ballute eggs camping after alote of tequila I won't turn down a dare.  Alote of my friends were phillippino in highschool.  We go camping every year, I bring my 5-7 close friends and they bring about 145 friends and family and reserve 14 campsites and take over the block, thats how they role. 

 

 


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butterbattle wrote:I agree,

butterbattle wrote:

I agree, and I actually think you should try to keep your atheism a secret, at least until you are moving away or are essentially independent. In these types of situations, I think that's usually best. It will be hard to pretend that you're a Christian when you think everyone around you is crazy, but revealing your atheism can be social suicide.

thats the only thing preventing me from speaking up about my atheism. my dad is totally crazy about their jebus and if i even speak ill of it him. nahhh.

butterbattle wrote:

Your English is fine. You already have better spelling and grammar than a lot of the drive-by theists. 

wow thanks.

 

Oh by the way, i have a big brother. and i think he too, is a closet atheist. we dont talk much about religion but he always make fun of it and thou he still attend christian church he doesnt really like speaking in tounges and listening to the pastors expletive. the local pastor here gets new cars every month or so! wonder why no ones complainin!

Not only can water float a boat, It can sink it also.


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NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:I

NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:

I ate a couple ballute eggs camping after alote of tequila I won't turn down a dare. 

hows the taste? haha.

so there are filipino migrants also there. wow. im pretty sure they are all religious. or not?

Not only can water float a boat, It can sink it also.


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Well, maybe instead you

Well, maybe instead you should just try and keep your integrity, be someone who asks questions, tries to be true to themself, and find close friends who will understand you - stay afloat!


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I recently started messing

I recently started messing around on facebook, curious I started checking into people I went to school with. I went to 3 different high schools so, obviously I didn't make many lasting friendships in school. I note however that I have found not one single person yet who claims to be an atheist, of whom I went to school with. It is rough, the few friends I have are christian, all but one of them will make the concession of not mentioning jesus or god in every other sentence. They all know about my unbelief, but we still have some fun together.

 It's rough though if I sit and think too hard on it, these people believe in a magic know it all in the sky. But I'm gettin' by just fine. It would be nice to know some rational people irl. So you are not alone at least in the position you are in.

Faith is the word but next to that snugged up closely "lie's" the want.
"By simple common sense I don't believe in god, in none."-Charlie Chaplin


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Zanarkand

Zanarkand wrote:

NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:

I ate a couple ballute eggs camping after alote of tequila I won't turn down a dare. 

hows the taste? haha.

 

They taste fine, the liquid tastes like salty chicken soup broth and the fetus tastes like an egg.  The only thing I had a hard time with was the crunch.  You could feel all the little feathers and tiny bones crunch in your mouth.

Zanarkand wrote:

so there are filipino migrants also there. wow. im pretty sure they are all religious. or not?

  I live in Vancouver, we have massive asian and east indian populations.  As far as religious, well most my phillippino friends would probably claim to be catholic in some way.  Many of them went to a catholic school.  The thing is (and this is only from my observations) they aren't "religious" atall.  Religion is just something the've all been around and if asked they would say catholic.  I make music with alote of these guys, one time we were laying down a track smoking some weed ofcourse and a freestyler "Phiz" (lyrics full of swear words)didn't partake like he usually did.  I asked him why he said he was fasting/cleansing or something for the church.  I don't know exactly what that means but he wasn't smoking weed or drinking (and other things) for a couple months or something.  About 4 months later we were all camping again and their he was taking shrooms and E (These camping trips are more like raves in the nightime with all their dj equipment.)  So I think to myself, he was fasting/cleansing to be like Jesus, and know he's doing shrooms and E.  Why does he contradict himself so blatanly and quickly?  Because trying to be like Jesus had nothing to do with it.  He was trying to please the group.  Their were other people he hangs around with at the recording session who were probably fasting too and he didn't want to disapoint them.  In the end they're just a group like any other group, some religious some not and they all drink, do drugs occasionally, and have plenty of sex before marriage like any group in their 20's.  Catholisism doesn't seem to play any real factor in their life.

 

 


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Hey, Welcome!We don't seem

Hey, Welcome!

We don't seem to have a lot of Filipinos here in Australia, despite being so close, thanks to the restrictive immigration laws we had for much of the 20th century, but it has being growing fairly rapidly since those laws we relaxed.

Although it seems the bulk of them settle in Victoria, our southern-most mainland state, a few thousand kilometers away from where I live, in Brisbane. 

In my vicinity we have a lot of Vietnamese, originally from refugees fleeing the war there. We also have a significant presence of people from India, including one guy I met behind the counter at a gas station late at night, who confided to me that he was an atheist, no doubt encouraged by noticing the book I was holding - it was one of the big four, I don't remember now which one.

Where he came from, he said, it was the muslims that were the biggest problem.

 

Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality

"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris

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robj101 wrote:I went to 3

robj101 wrote:

I went to 3 different high schools so, obviously I didn't make many lasting friendships in school. I note however that I have found not one single person yet who claims to be an atheist, of whom I went to school with.

I went to 3 different schools too. And found the same result. All total nut jobs

robj101 wrote:

 It's rough though if I sit and think too hard on it, these people believe in a magic know it all in the sky. But I'm gettin' by just fine. It would be nice to know some rational people irl. So you are not alone at least in the position you are in.

Its sometimes hard to talk to my friends nowadays. Because since realizing the truth i find it hard to have a conversation with them without their clouded judgment. I mean come on they believe in the unbelievable!

Not only can water float a boat, It can sink it also.


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NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:The

NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:

The only thing I had a hard time with was the crunch. You could feel all the little feathers and tiny bones crunch in your mouth.

I find it hard too. Especially when the head is completely formed already @_@

NoMoreCrazyPeople wrote:

  I live in Vancouver, we have massive asian and east indian populations.  As far as religious, well most my phillippino friends would probably claim to be catholic in some way.  Many of them went to a catholic school.  The thing is (and this is only from my observations) they aren't "religious" atall.  Religion is just something the've all been around and if asked they would say catholic.  I make music with alote of these guys, one time we were laying down a track smoking some weed ofcourse and a freestyler "Phiz" (lyrics full of swear words)didn't partake like he usually did.  I asked him why he said he was fasting/cleansing or something for the church.  I don't know exactly what that means but he wasn't smoking weed or drinking (and other things) for a couple months or something.  About 4 months later we were all camping again and their he was taking shrooms and E (These camping trips are more like raves in the nightime with all their dj equipment.)  So I think to myself, he was fasting/cleansing to be like Jesus, and know he's doing shrooms and E.  Why does he contradict himself so blatanly and quickly?  Because trying to be like Jesus had nothing to do with it.  He was trying to please the group.  Their were other people he hangs around with at the recording session who were probably fasting too and he didn't want to disapoint them.  In the end they're just a group like any other group, some religious some not and they all drink, do drugs occasionally, and have plenty of sex before marriage like any group in their 20's.  Catholisism doesn't seem to play any real factor in their life.

Thats what i have always thought of. nowadays people are just trying to please the group. They are not entirely religious at all.

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I dont know much about

I dont know much about Australia, are there cities in the middle of your country? I think most of the cities there are near the shoreline. Is it not?

BobSpence1 wrote:

Where he came from, he said, it was the muslims that were the biggest problem.

Muslims are a problem here too. I even heard in some local news that the muslims killed a man just because he is holding a book entitled  the bible. It is even funny to note that the man they killed has a companion and they didnt killed him! because the book he is holding has a different title entitled "the holy book". aka the bible. they killed just because of a front page cover fortunate for the one with the different title!

 

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Yes, all our State capitals,

Yes, all our State capitals, which are the biggest cities in each state, are on the coast. 

There are a few moderate sized cities inland mainly in the more well-watered south-east corner, including our federal capital, Canberra.

But the center and the west, apart from a bit around the south-west corner, and the far tropical north, is pretty much desert.

Just 'down the road', as we say, from where I live in Brisbane, there is a new housing estate which seems to have been populated by a quite a few Muslims, probably refugees. It is still a bit disconcerting to encounter burkha clad women at the local supermarket, in among much more informally clad 'Australian' women, more appropriately dressed for a warm to hot climate, ie somewhat more skin exposed.

I actually see a range of dress, from not much more than a head scarf up to the full burkha.

I also see a number of families who look like they are from other parts of Africa, quite dark-skinned, but not muslim, to judge from their clothing.

We have quite a lot of Asians, apart from the Vietnamese. 

In fact there are some other shopping centers not far from where I live which are almost entirely Asian, at least in the small shops.

I was thinking last time I was waiting to catch a train into downtown at our local station, that 'caucasians' were very much in the minority on the platform.

As you might guess from my avatar picture, my background is very much northern European, especially Scottish.

I have absolutely no problem at all with peoples 'race', I enjoy the diversity. It is mainly some customs, such as the dress codes of Islamic women, I find a little disturbing.

Australia has come quite a way from the old 'White Australia' policy of restrictive immigration and 'citizenship' tests.

Even on matters of religion, we have relaxed, especially in my state of Queensland, which was regarded as the 'Deep North' by the rest of the country, by analogy with the Deep South of the US. One of our longer serving state Premiers, sort of equivalent to a US governor, was close to being a fundamentalist of some sort - I think he was Lutheran, and originally from New Zealand. At one point our Education minister was toying with the idea of introducing Creationism in some form into our government schools. Thankfully the generation that were 'rusted-on' supporters of those guys gradually died off, and we have had a series of at least nominally left-wing state governments elected, which has brought us back to some sort of balance.

I think we still have a few weird cultish and fundy religious communities in the countryside around the southeast corner of the state, but overall, it now feels relatively open, especially as compared to parts of the US. At our worst, I don't think Australians generally ever got as 'hung-up' on religion as the US.

Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality

"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris

The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me

From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology


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BobSpence1 wrote:As you

BobSpence1 wrote:

As you might guess from my avatar picture, my background is very much northern European, especially Scottish.

You look tall sir i am only 5'6 and thats already tall by filipino height standards @__@ you will definitely be scolded by my aunt because of that shirt you are wearing. She attributes dragons to be the work of the devil it is even prohibited to be worn at church. funny right?

BobSpence1 wrote:

I have absolutely no problem at all with peoples 'race', I enjoy the diversity. It is mainly some customs, such as the dress codes of Islamic women, I find a little disturbing.

I find it disturbing too. I once have visited Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (because thats where my dad work) and thou i was 12 years old at that time i understood women there were so oppressed its like a curse to be born a woman. a bit exaggerated but you get the point.

BobSpence1 wrote:

At one point our Education minister was toying with the idea of introducing Creationism in some form into our government schools.

even my most religious friends find it ridiculous to accept creationism literally. 'twas a good thing our science books are still good even thou we are third world.

BobSpence1 wrote:

I think we still have a few weird cultish and fundy religious communities in the countryside around the southeast corner of the state, but overall, it now feels relatively open, especially as compared to parts of the US. At our worst, I don't think Australians generally ever got as 'hung-up' on religion as the US.

I dont really know the perfect definition of being a fundamentalist are these the crazy bigots?  I think the born-again christian church that i was once a member is a bit fundy.

ot: sorry for the english having a hard time choosing words lol

 

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Zanarkand wrote:BobSpence1

Zanarkand wrote:

BobSpence1 wrote:

As you might guess from my avatar picture, my background is very much northern European, especially Scottish.

You look tall sir i am only 5'6 and thats already tall by filipino height standards @__@ you will definitely be scolded by my aunt because of that shirt you are wearing. She attributes dragons to be the work of the devil it is even prohibited to be worn at church. funny right?

LOL. That's just the camera angle - it had my camera on a tripod, which was down a bit of a slope from where I was standing. I only a touch over  5' 7".

Quote:

BobSpence1 wrote:

I think we still have a few weird cultish and fundy religious communities in the countryside around the southeast corner of the state, but overall, it now feels relatively open, especially as compared to parts of the US. At our worst, I don't think Australians generally ever got as 'hung-up' on religion as the US.

I dont really know the perfect definition of being a fundamentalist are these the crazy bigots?  I think the born-again christian church that i was once a member is a bit fundy.

ot: sorry for the english having a hard time choosing words lol

I think some of them would fall into that category. 

I used to work in what was then our government-owned Telecoms company as an engineer, and there was another engineer at the same level who came from one of these communities about 50 miles west of the city. He seemed to swallow everything that came out of the 'Bible Belt' in the US, both religious and ultra right-wing politics like anti-gun control stuff, arguments against the 'ozone' problem which was then a hot subject like 'global-warming' today, and some fundy style religious views. He would come around to my office and show me these printed articles on these subjects, and ask me for comments.

Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality

"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris

The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me

From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology


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Zanarkand wrote:Hi Rational

Zanarkand wrote:


Hi Rational Responders, I am an atheist named John, i am currently 18 years of age and i am from the Philippines.

I have frequented this site when ive discovered it about a month ago and ive never been so fully satisfied with my life and well-being in general ever since. I know most users here are from the western side, and i would like to think that you have friends you personally know that are atheist.

That is very different here in my country. Religion is very rampant here. Atheism here is so rare that i am the only one that i know identified as one. I do not have any friends or acquaintance that share the same world view as i do. This is even difficult knowing that there are so many denominations of religion here that every 20-50 meters or so (that close) you will definitely come across a church of some sort.

there is even a nearby corner here where the catholic, lds, jehovahs witnesses, and protestant churches are so packed it looks life a chain of fast food stores.

I can say that i am formerly baptized catholic since birth to the age of 15, since the death of my mom that year we became born-again christians and as i dive deep in that religion i find myself amused seeing people vomiting, seeing people hallucinating and shouting and crying like theres no tomorrow.

I became and atheist when i was 17 and have not attended any church ever since.

going to a church here in the philippines is just like going to a mall or eating in popular food chains. it is so common that my friends even prefer going to churches just to look for good looking girls to date.

Hello, there; nice to meet you!

I'm going to disagree with your assessment that intense fascination with "Chinese History" is a 'vice', though. I myself am INTENSELY fascinated with the Zhou, Qin, Han, Ming, and Manchu dynasties.

“A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of merit or skills amongst human beings, or are based upon factors beyond human control, for example luck or chance. Such a society is socially just because individuals are judged not by their gender, the colour of their skin or their religion, but according to their talents and willingness to work, or on what Martin Luther King called 'the content of their character'. By extension, social equality is unjust because it treats unequal individuals equally.” "Political Ideologies" by Andrew Heywood (2003)


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Kapkao wrote:Hello, there;

Kapkao wrote:

Hello, there; nice to meet you!

I'm going to disagree with your assessment that intense fascination with "Chinese History" is a 'vice', though. I myself am INTENSELY fascinated with the Zhou, Qin, Han, Ming, and Manchu dynasties.

I have read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms only online. The book is very elusive here in my place i cant find one in bookstores. I guess you can call it aspergers  without the negative syndromes. I said vice cause sometimes my friends get annoyed on why i talk so much about history in general they find me a lil bit weird and irrelevant. good thing tho' they like hearing facts about history to learn new information.

my favorite story btw whenever we talk about religion is on how

God killed 42 children for making fun of a bald head!

they always get wow haha

 

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BobSpence1 wrote:LOL. That's

BobSpence1 wrote:

LOL. That's just the camera angle - it had my camera on a tripod, which was down a bit of a slope from where I was standing. I only a touch over  5' 7".

you sure are buffed sir!

BobSpence1 wrote:

I think some of them would fall into that category. 

I used to work in what was then our government-owned Telecoms company as an engineer, and there was another engineer at the same level who came from one of these communities about 50 miles west of the city. He seemed to swallow everything that came out of the 'Bible Belt' in the US, both religious and ultra right-wing politics like anti-gun control stuff, arguments against the 'ozone' problem which was then a hot subject like 'global-warming' today, and some fundy style religious views. He would come around to my office and show me these printed articles on these subjects, and ask me for comments.

my friend whom is an engineering student is also as fundy as anyone can ever get. hes an a** for benny hinn.

lol why would he show you printed articles is he persuading you for conversion? whenever i encounter those i still entertain them as polite as i can be since well, im still a closet atheist!

when i browse these forums i am always alert if ever my aunt tries to sneak a look at the monitor. when she looks i always close the tab. she might see me browsing atheist sites!

 

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Zanarkand wrote:BobSpence1

Zanarkand wrote:

BobSpence1 wrote:

[I think some of them would fall into that category. 

I used to work in what was then our government-owned Telecoms company as an engineer, and there was another engineer at the same level who came from one of these communities about 50 miles west of the city. He seemed to swallow everything that came out of the 'Bible Belt' in the US, both religious and ultra right-wing politics like anti-gun control stuff, arguments against the 'ozone' problem which was then a hot subject like 'global-warming' today, and some fundy style religious views. He would come around to my office and show me these printed articles on these subjects, and ask me for comments.

my friend whom is an engineering student is also as fundy as anyone can ever get. hes an a** for benny hinn.

lol why would he show you printed articles is he persuading you for conversion? whenever i encounter those i still entertain them as polite as i can be since well, im still a closet atheist!

when i browse these forums i am always alert if ever my aunt tries to sneak a look at the monitor. when she looks i always close the tab. she might see me browsing atheist sites!

The articles he showed me were about the non-religious right-wing issues, such as articles attacking the ozone-hole 'theories', I think he wanted my opinion of them 'scientifically'. I don't recall him ever trying to 'convert' me, and I never brought it up.

I remember when our workgroup attended a weekend 'workshop' training break, and  he asked some strange questions, made some odd responses to the instructors, all clearly based on his beliefs. One of them approached me, knowing that I worked in the same area, and asked about him. They also found him a little 'strange'.

He objected when they wanted us to try some yoga-style exercises, because he saw it as partaking in a pagan religious practice.

What was a little sad was when he got laid off in a 'down-sizing' of the company, he phoned me and asked if I could give him some sort of reference for his job hunting, but I honestly could not see how I could say anything really positive about him. Apart from his religiously views, I was genuinely not impressed with his intelligence in general.

Boy, having to worry about your aunt getting upset if she catches you browsing these sites must be a real hassle. Would she be more or less worried about you visiting any other kinds of site, say, porn sites? Just curious how seriously she regards lack of belief.

Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality

"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris

The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me

From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology


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BobSpence1 wrote:Apart from

BobSpence1 wrote:

Apart from his religiously views, I was genuinely not impressed with his intelligence in general.

I guess I can say that the Philippines is a "hot-bed" for these type of individuals.

BobSpence1 wrote:

Boy, having to worry about your aunt getting upset if she catches you browsing these sites must be a real hassle. Would she be more or less worried about you visiting any other kinds of site, say, porn sites? Just curious how seriously she regards lack of belief.

Well she is the ultimate restrictor i know, much more than god! She restricts us from watching television shows or listening to music that doesnt attribute itself to god or jesus because she says they are all works of the devil. I always remember adam sandlers mom in the film "The WaterBoy" whenever my aunt says things like that.

Its a good thing in the next weeks or so my aunt will be moving in my grandmas house and ill get the freedom that i want. I need all the intellectual juices that have been taken away from me

Not only can water float a boat, It can sink it also.


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Welcome! 

Welcome!

 

Everything makes more sense now that I've stopped believing.


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asian history sounds cool

anythin in particular that interests u about asian history? i know u are from the filipines, but are you ethnically chinese? and (jus being nosey) are you from the south - cos i know there are problems in mindanou if thats how u spell it ... btw although i dont know much about oriental culture, theres something i love about it ...


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Zanarkand wrote:I have read

Zanarkand wrote:

I have read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms only online. The book is very elusive here in my place i cant find one in bookstores. I guess you can call it aspergers  without the negative syndromes. I said vice cause sometimes my friends get annoyed on why i talk so much about history in general they find me a lil bit weird and irrelevant. good thing tho' they like hearing facts about history to learn new information.

my favorite story btw whenever we talk about religion is on how

God killed 42 children for making fun of a bald head!

they always get wow haha 

hehe... my incredibly intellectually gifted theist teacher in most of high would get annoyed on me trying to make an atheist out of her.

“A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of merit or skills amongst human beings, or are based upon factors beyond human control, for example luck or chance. Such a society is socially just because individuals are judged not by their gender, the colour of their skin or their religion, but according to their talents and willingness to work, or on what Martin Luther King called 'the content of their character'. By extension, social equality is unjust because it treats unequal individuals equally.” "Political Ideologies" by Andrew Heywood (2003)


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dreems wrote:anythin in

dreems wrote:

anythin in particular that interests u about asian history? i know u are from the filipines, but are you ethnically chinese? and (jus being nosey) are you from the south - cos i know there are problems in mindanou if thats how u spell it ... btw although i dont know much about oriental culture, theres something i love about it ...

yes i am keenly interested in of course, my own philippine history. i also get a kick from japanese and korean history aside from my chinese favorite. I love talking to chinese people here because yes, i am not chinese and they get amazed when i know so much about their history. I am part filipino and part spanish.

I am from Luzon ( north ) and the stigma here is that the (south) mindanao is really dangerous ad frightening. Mindanao is the hotspot for militant islam people.

Not only can water float a boat, It can sink it also.


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There was a filmed segment

There was a filmed segment on one of our TV current-affairs programs here last week from a reporter in Mindanao, and it was frightening. I was thinking of asking you about it myself.

We have had some interesting documentaries on China broadcast recently on our local TV. There was a fascinating series about the Great Wall, which I have seen personally both near Beijing, and in the far western end, where it has eroded to little more than a chain of mounds of compacted earth where the main towers would have been.

I also visited the famous Entombed Warriors at Xian. China is indeed a vast and fascinating place, with a rich history.

 

Favorite oxymorons: Gospel Truth, Rational Supernaturalist, Business Ethics, Christian Morality

"Theology is now little more than a branch of human ignorance. Indeed, it is ignorance with wings." - Sam Harris

The path to Truth lies via careful study of reality, not the dreams of our fallible minds - me

From the sublime to the ridiculous: Science -> Philosophy -> Theology