July 30, 2021 by makagutu

On human intelligence or lack of it

I cant recall who it was that said he is displeased by anyone who doubts that we are intelligent or who compares our intelligence to that of other animals. Though I like what Plutarch wrote

For I do not believe there is such difference between beast and beast, in point of reason and understanding and memory, as between man and man.
Plutarch

but the most relevant to this post is

The man from Mars who saw how men suffered in the last war and how frantically they are preparing for the next war, which they know will be worse, would come to the conclusion that he was looking at the denizens of a lunatic asylum.
Norman Thomas, 1935

I just finished reading AC Grayling’s An enquiry on war where he reviews many topics around war such as what causes war, justifications for it, future of war and such. My contention and I think Grayling would agree is that as long as our nation states continue to build arsenal in preparation for war, we cannot claim to be intelligent. In a world where there is starvation, homelessness, disease, poverty, it is insanity to keep spending trillions of dollars on armaments. It is madness. Blind folly.

Maybe some day war will end and until that day, we must remember that man is only capable of being intelligent but may not be intelligent, yet.

July 29, 2021 by makagutu

Very interesting study

What you eat or rather the microbiome of your gut affects your mental health.

July 27, 2021 by makagutu

where to search for truth and other stories

I know you have been wondering where your search for truth should begin. I have the answer for you, even you Jeff. The whole truth and nothing else is to be found in the bible. Every other book is fiction. And wait, this is big. In fact, we can prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that every word in the Bible is true. I want proof that the ass spoke with Balaam. Barry, like you, I wonder if these people believe what they write.

I didn’t know Imagine by the Beatles is Atheist National Anthem- that is, I didn’t know there is a nation of Atheists. But it does seem some unhinged fellow took umbrage with the song because a version of it was played at the Japan 2020 Olympics Opening ceremony. Even the comments on that site are unhinged.

Americans must be at a loss where there is polarization at home. I got the answer. It is in sex/ sexuality. The nation has accepted the atheist view of sexuality and it is wrecking havoc. You should adopt the Mormon view or the Islamic view. This will help heal the rifts in the nation sooner than you can say sex.

But the best is this 2013 article from AIG on the flood. The good fellows at AIG say of the gods in the Epic of Gilgamesh that they are

capricious, cowardly, and dependent upon humans for either worship or nourishment. Because the gods cannot “tune out” human noise, they have to seek ways to reduce human population

forgetting that the god of the bible destroys the tower of Babel because it can’t tune out human noise, chases the first family out of Eden because they have become like the gods, and is dependent on human worship. There are laws/ commands and punishments for worshiping other gods among other things. Maybe the good fellow didn’t read those parts.

They tell us the story of Noah bears internal consistency. How many pairs of birds boarded the Ark? I will wait.

I like how the writers dismiss the similarities between the Epic of Gilgamesh and Noah’s flood by saying the 300 year gap between when they were written means they were all written close to the actual flood.

The best part is this

Moreover, the rest of Scripture considers the events of Genesis 6–9 to be factual history. For example, the writer of 1 Chronicles records Noah as being the ancestor of Abraham (1 Chronicles 1:4, 1:27). Jesus mentions Noah as a real historical person and the Flood as a real historical event (Matthew 24:37–39). Luke includes Noah in the genealogy of Christ (Luke 3:36), while Peter twice mentions that Noah built the Ark and was one of only eight people saved (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5).

How do you know the bible is true? Because the bible says in this part that it’s claim in an earlier chapter is true. Jesus whose historicity is doubtful is called upon to support Noah whose historicity is even more doubtful. I love these fellows at AIG.

Have a great week everyone.

July 24, 2021 by makagutu

Olympics

Most of you, except Ark know that the Olympic games are on in Japan. I didn’t watch the opening ceremony yesterday but I have heard it was glorious. Again for Ark’s sake, these games were put off for a whole year due to covid and there are very few spectators if any at the games and me wonders whether a non rich country would have managed to host the games without revenue from ticket sales.

I found myself watching two sports; Brazil vs Netherlands women football ( replay) I don’t know how it ended so don’t ask me. The second was weightlifting again the women trials or whatever they are called and man, don’t they lift heavy stones. And while at it I checked Wikipedia on the sport and a fellow lifted 256kg (?) At Rio Olympics and that’s amazing. The heaviest I have lifted that high is a spoon full of rice and it was a struggle.

So all the best to all the athletes participating in the games. I await to see Simone Biles wow the audience and the world stage.

A sporty weekend to you all and a great Olympics to all.

July 23, 2021 by makagutu

Flat earth

This is just me asking questions. I am on a break from braining.

I would want a flat earther to explain a few things to us/me

Is the moon also flat? What’s the thickness of the disc?
Are there other planets in this conception & what are their shapes? Are they flat discs?
Do flat earthers think there are other galaxies?
What’s the relationship between flat earthers and a 6k old earth?
Does the age of the earth affect that of the universe or are earth and universe synonymous?
Is the sun equally flat?
Since the earth is flat, is it bounded at the edges with a wall or a high-rise fence like the one on the US southern border? If someone fell off this border, where would they go?
Can we go under the disc/ plate that is the earth and how deep would that have to be?
Were mountains, valleys and other such features created at the same time when the earth was being created flat to keep us from getting bored from unending flatness?
On a flat earth, do we have different altitudes or that’s scientists lying to us about some place being at a lower elevation?

No, I don’t mean to stump a flat earther, I just would like to get a better understanding of where you are coming from. Maybe I can become a flat earther, who knows 🤔

July 18, 2021 by makagutu

Weekend pics

This warning is right in the restaurant. I guess you should have a mask while you eat

A few days of no rain and it is all dust

July 16, 2021 by makagutu

Godless grifters

I think I like the title of this article. And maybe the author is right.

If you want to have a hero, choose a dead one.
Mak

And that is only if you must have a hero or icon. Once they are dead, it is unlikely they can create new scandals and all. And you are likely aware of all the shit that or most of the not politically correct things they said about a certain class of human beings. Living heroes or those who have such icons will be left always disappointed that their icons can be racist, sexist, dumb or something gross and it is so with the fellows in the article linked above.

What are you thoughts on the article.