Comments by Richard Morgan

Comment #147291 by Richard Morgan on March 20, 2008 at 5:44 am

Well, well, well...
It's always fascinating to return to this thread( no, I didn't say "site", I said "thread" because it seems to be a self-sustaining entity!) and observe what I've been missing. This time it's :
David Robertson;
Latin, and
Socks!

NB Brian English - I would personally miss you a lot if you went away.

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

152. Fleabytes

Comment #146982 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 4:03 pm

Brian English

I am the most important person that's ever existed.

When i think that for millions of years, the Universe was fined-tuned in order to avoid your existence.
What went wrong?
What went so dreadfully wrong?
Oh, Hal, thou shouldst be living at this hour...

153. Fleabytes

Comment #146917 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 2:51 pm

Steve Zara

according to John G. Cramers' transactional interpretation of quantum mechanics, the past is a negotiation with the future.

You're talking like my ex-wife's lawyer again...

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

154. Fleabytes

Comment #146477 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 5:57 am

Paula Kirby

http://www.sexinchrist.com/

Spoof or serious? Really - how could you possibly be sure?

Well thank you for the sexiest link on RD.Net.
So my wife, who doesn't speak much English, walks by the computer and asks me "What does "fisting" mean? Is this your serious debate?"
Get outta that!

155. Religion 'linked to happy life'

Comment #146468 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 5:48 am

Gordy:

(Caipirinha)
Cedida pelas cachaÃ§as: Lua cheia, Meia Lua e Paladar.

- 2 doses de cachaÃ§a
- 1/2 limÃ£o Taiti
- 2 colheres de chÃ¡ de aÃ§Ãºcar
Amasse o limÃ£o e o aÃ§Ãºcar em um copo, acrescente a cachaÃ§a
e sirva com gelo.

156. Fleabytes

Comment #146456 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 5:34 am

epeeist - believe it or not, there really are Christians who consider that without penetration, there in no "sexual relation". Witness the young unmarried Christian couples who get up to all sorts of shenanigans, but she remains a "virgin because he hasn't actually poked his thingummy inside her.
So they would say with complete honesty, "No, we have not had sexual relations."
Not only do you get Virgin births, but also non-sexual orgasms in Christianity.
And don't ask me how I know!

A quick, off-topic request : if your are addressing your remarks to me, could you call me "RichardM" or somesuch, so that the real Richard doesn't think you'e being rude to him.
We thank you in advance for that.
And all the fish.

157. Fleabytes

Comment #146451 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 5:22 am

_J_

Welcome to Fantasy Richard Dawkins Debates. Gentlepersons, start your speculation.

Great idea!
I made this sort of suggestion a while back, but there were no takers in those days.
Since religion's strongest points are the emotional ones, I imagine he would avoid science, philosophy, reason and Brazilian coffee and sex.
He would go out of his way to make sure that the magisteria don't overlap whilst giving the opposite impression.
He would try to appear as more "human" than Richard, thus more "in touch" with human reality "which can't be measured in a laboratory".
What do the rest of you think?
And don't forget - if you can't at least start to guess at what he might say, that probably means that you are not very well placed to argue with him.
(Except for Diacanu, of course, who can swear with the same ease at any and every one. More power to yer elbow, but don't expect to get invited to a Queen's garden party any time soon!)

158. Fleabytes

Comment #146438 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 4:53 am

Quetzy-baby : Thanks for the report. I found myself reading it with the same sort of guilty glee I used to have reading the News of the World "when nobody was looking". Shame on me.

I have little doubt that in a debate Richard Dawkins would Rip. Him. Apart.

Don't be so sure about that. Chameleons and all that. He'd probably know how adapt his approach.
Wouldn't make him right, though..
At least, I think it wouldn't.....

159. Religion 'linked to happy life'

Comment #146390 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 3:11 am

Gordy - wise counsel, as usual. Thank you for being there. I invite to partake of a caipirinha on Ipanema beach ( my favourite ).

160. Religion 'linked to happy life'

Comment #146383 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 2:57 am

I believe it was one of the Marx family who said "Religion is the Prozac of the people."
No?
Oh, I thought it was.
Still, it's a question that bothers me a little ; as long as you're not slitting throats, is it really (EDIT : always) preferable to be right but unhappy, rather than wrong and happy?
(And, please, spare me the "Get yourself a life and/or a cup of tea : face the facts and adjust your life accordingly." Of course I've thought about that!!!)

irate_atheist

....a drunk is happier than a sober man.

Of course.
< snidery > I've noticed that there's a lot of talk here about the merits of John Barleycorn and his relatives...< / snidery >

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

161. Fleabytes

Comment #146350 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 1:44 am

Bonjour tout le monde!
I'm just starting my third cup of coffee (Brazilian "Cafuso").
I just wanted to say that I was more than trifle disappointed to discover that a thread of this standing could degenerate into frivolities about tea.
I take this business of combating the fleas very, very seriously.
Tea, indeed!
Coffee, I could have understood, but tea...?
I don't love you any the less, of course...
Mas preciso do "cafezinho"
(OK - I've finished showing off for the day. Nice to see you all up and spitting playfullyÂ§)

162. 'Anonymous' takes anti-Scientology to the streets

Comment #146333 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 1:06 am

MUSIC NEWS

Due to the number of requests that I have had for the music I created to accompany an excerpt from The Lava Lizard's Tale, I have uploaded an MP3 of "Fingerprints ï¿½" past time" into a second stand-alone player on the Fleabytes Myspace.
This composition my be downloaded by:
1) Rationalists
and / or
Welsh persons, and / or
Musically gifted Lava Lizards.

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

163. Writer Arthur C Clarke dies at 90

Comment #146330 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 12:54 am

164. First 'Rule' Of Evolution Suggests That Life Is Destined To Become More Complex

Comment #146328 by Richard Morgan on March 19, 2008 at 12:51 am

165. Are the 'New Atheists' avoiding the 'real arguments'?

Comment #146299 by Richard Morgan on March 18, 2008 at 10:29 pm

MUSIC NEWS

Due to the number of requests that I have had for the music I created to accompany an excerpt from The Lava Lizard's Tale, I have uploaded an MP3 of "Fingerprints â€" past time" into a second stand-alone player on the Fleabytes Myspace.
This composition my be downloaded by:
1) Rationalists
and / or
Welsh persons, and / or
Musically gifted Lava Lizards.

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

166. Religion 'linked to happy life'

Comment #146298 by Richard Morgan on March 18, 2008 at 10:28 pm

167. Atheists claim censorship by billboard company

Comment #146297 by Richard Morgan on March 18, 2008 at 10:27 pm

168. Fleabytes

Comment #146296 by Richard Morgan on March 18, 2008 at 10:27 pm

169. Fleabytes

Comment #146274 by Richard Morgan on March 18, 2008 at 9:31 pm

Goldy :

Then, of course, there's the Welsh... ;-D

That's amazing! I didn't know you raised herds of Welshmen down there! How do they compare with sheep?
Bryan English : is your sister free this week-end?

170. Fleabytes

Comment #145950 by Richard Morgan on March 18, 2008 at 11:50 am

Well, I don't know what sort of compliment that is : I suggest that Pathfinder is God, and people deduce that it's me.
I'm sorry, guys, but this is not going to help my psychoanalysis : I spent my childhood being ignored, and now you're all going to prove that I don't exist!
I cry out to the Universe : "Is there no Justice?"
(Richard Dawkins, voice off, sotto voce "Well, actually, no, there isn't.")
(Loud voice from al-rawandi : "Get yourself a life.")
(Soothing voice from Steve Zara, "...my money is safe.")
(Slurred voice from irate_atheist, "I'll drink to that!")
(Stage directions from Diacanu, *Raises left leg to a 45Â° angle, noisily expels impure methane gas.*)
(Dr Benway, insistent, in a rsisng pitch, "Never, never, never, never, never, never...")
(Cartomancer, from behind a ceiling-high pile of *****Cola cans, "Burrrrp.")
(Clearthinker: "And you call me a liar!")

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

171. Fleabytes

Comment #145887 by Richard Morgan on March 18, 2008 at 9:18 am

We don't know who Pathfinder is.
We have no reasonable explanation for him.
He just arrived, we know not from where.
His logic moves in mysterious ways.
Obviously, it's God.
Or at least the Holy Spirit.
There, that wasn't too hard was it?
Now at least we can seriously get down to proving he doesn't exist.

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

172. Fleabytes

Comment #145742 by Richard Morgan on March 18, 2008 at 4:36 am

Steve Zara

Yes, Richard M. You may remember her from performances of Alan Bennett plays.

Thank you for that reminder, Steve.
But actually, it was somebody else who asked you the question...
But if you just felt like talking to me,well, that's fine!
Any time.

173. Fleabytes

Comment #145706 by Richard Morgan on March 18, 2008 at 2:57 am

epeeist

I mean Quetz really is a monotheistic god

You're going to have to help me out here. Quetz is a "one-god" god". As opposed to other gods which are...,
Hang on a sec, if Quetz is the only one, then there aren't any oth...
But if there are polytheistic gods, then monotheistic ones can't exi...
But "monotheistic gods" is an oxymor...
As I was saying : HELP!

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

174. New Atheists Are Not Great

Comment #145675 by Richard Morgan on March 18, 2008 at 1:32 am

None of the atheistic alternatives has survived because reason just doesn't make a satisfying god.

I've got to agree with this wholeheartedly.
In fact, I'm not sure what would make a satisfying god! I can't even find satisfying Brazilian coffee in France (I have to have it mailed to me from Brazil). But I promise, when I've solved the coffee problem, I'll turn my attention to the whole question of filling in the blank in :
" ********* - the God who Gives Satisfaction."
And I hope I do better than the Stones.

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

175. Fleabytes

Comment #145653 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 11:02 pm

kaiserkriss -Sorry to disappoint you, but I am NOT "clairpenser". And no self-respecting French speaker would have dreamed up "clairpenser" as a translation of "clearthinker".
"Le Clair Penseur" is no better.
I would have used "Penseur Lucide" - in French, the adjective is nearly always after the noun. One interesting exception is, in fact "libre-penseur" - free-thinker

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

176. Two More Fleas

Comment #145422 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 3:01 pm

Comment #145403 by Calilasseia

Indeed, a remarkable post. Unfortunately, in order to fully appreciate it, I will have to save it and come back to it when I have mastered Lolspeak.
What?
Have I said something wrong?
Stop pushing me towards the door!
And I didn't bring a f***in' coat!

177. Fleabytes

Comment #145418 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 2:51 pm

Just look around you, at our young, at the depravitty and FILTH in human nature!

Well, I looked around me and saw my wife and my two sons.
Oh,and "Ugly Betty" on the television.
You fail. (I hope!)

178. Fleabytes

Comment #145406 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 2:42 pm

Steve Zara - I STAND REBUKD AN HANG MAH HED IN SHAIM
(Still can't work out where to put the circumflex accents...)

annabana Look what you have done to:

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

IZ YOR FOLT

179. Fleabytes

Comment #145364 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 2:08 pm

annabanana

o hai, srsly.

When theists do it, it's bad spelling and bad manners; when we do it, it's Lolcat.
Just wanted to be clear on that point.

(Just joking, Anna! rly srsly Joe King)
Steve Zara :

I don't know much about Paula, but I am sure she is not a Dalek (well, pretty sure).

Evidence, please.

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

180. Fleabytes

Comment #145307 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 1:19 pm

Pathfinder

I take grave exepttion to the idea we crawled out of the PRIMEVIL slime.

We didn't all make it all of the way out. Well, not on a permanent basis. Just brief forays to come and post on this site.

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

181. New Atheists Are Not Great

Comment #145305 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 1:16 pm

Silent Mike

al-rawandi

Please stop that. You'll give everybody here nightmares.

No, don't stop - it's not every day that we have eye-witnesses for miraculous events!

182. New Atheists Are Not Great

Comment #145293 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 1:08 pm

al-rawandi

The guy slept with Ann Coulter.

There are some people who are lucky ebough to be able to go to sleep in the most trying circumstances.
I certainly think it's preferable to staying awake with her.

http://www.myspace.com/fleabytes

183. Fleabytes

Comment #145286 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 1:02 pm

Pathfinder

C'mon guys I am a bit apalled at this hoobris.

If you can't stand the heat, kitchens do have doors, you know.

184. Fleabytes

Comment #145265 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 12:37 pm

mikejswalker : The Bible says - "Can any good thing come out of Rossendale?" (I'm not 100% certain that the KJV mentions Rossendale, but earlier versions etc etc).
Well, with your appearance here we have the answer to that question : a huge YES!
As regards your recent posts, all I can add is "Me too."
When I read Paula's explanation, I felt like a wishy-washy wimp. Because I am constitutionally incapable of despising anybody.
This, I realise is not a quality.Wars are not won, and dictatorships are not overthrown by people like me.
But just as there are many types of gods, many varieties if theists, so are the rest of us a motley crew.
And, frankly, I wouldn't wish it to be any other way.
al-rawandi and Steve Zara, Diacanu and Paula Kirby, mikejswalker and irate_atheist..
I would like to steal Shakespeare's words and say of this site :

the elements
So mix'd in it that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world 'This is a thread!'

185. Fleabytes

Comment #145261 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 12:32 pm

Geoff - you're a gentleman!
Although I had very little to do with the Welsh success, I still felt very happy about the results.
And your comment prolongs my pleasure.

186. Fleabytes

Comment #144964 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 5:37 am

Steve Zara

Maybe we should introduce the idea of atheist Saints, ensuring that they get praise and lots of lovely feasting while they are still alive.

Brilliant idea.
Send me your birthday dates and I'll work out a Calendar.
But I don't think that we can dispense with the need for atheist miracles before proceeding with beatification.
I will personally take care of verifying the evidence of the miracles, and accord Sainthood only to worthy atheists.
Proof of an atheist miracle would be, for example:
Not praying to get rich, and staying poor;
Not praying to be healed, and remaining sick (medical certificates required for this one);
Turning wine into water, but uniquely by adding water until only homoeopathic quantities of wine remain (residents of the Bordeaux region are disqualified from claiming this miracle for obvious reasons);
having a premonitory dream about an earthquake or a tsunami, at least ONE WEEK AFTER the event.
Staying dead for at least an entire weekend after dying.
Becoming pregnant by having sex.
Over to you!

187. Fleabytes

Comment #144926 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 4:02 am

Steve Zara :

Change is inevitable. As the seasons progress, so does headgear.

A Time for Everything

1 To every hat there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 It sucks.

188. Two More Fleas

Comment #144904 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 2:54 am

frderik

the Purple Teapot circling the sun is not imaginary, it is real! What's more, the intelligent Teapot created the universe.

More unfounded drivel from a fundamentalist Purple Teapotter!"

Official statement issued by: The Reformed United Congregation of Multi-coloured Kettles.

189. Fleabytes

Comment #144899 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 2:47 am

Paula

But there's always next time.

I just hope that you're not going to regret that public promise one day.
Do you have a Myspace or anything like it? A blog, perhaps?
A little site, uniquely Paulakirbyan would bring joy to many a lost atheist soul.
(Not mine, of course, I'm speaking for all the others...)

190. The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing

Comment #144897 by Richard Morgan on March 17, 2008 at 2:43 am

DamnedAtheist

This will likely be my first introduction to many of the listed contributors as I am an uneducated oaf, hopefully this will soon be remedied.

Good on yer, mate!
Soon you'll be a truly educated oaf - and thus, in good company here!
Read on!

191. The Great Tantra Challenge

Comment #144839 by Richard Morgan on March 16, 2008 at 8:44 pm

Goldy - sorry, I'd forgotten you lived in NZ.
Talking about the use of the f*** word - do you give lessons?

192. The atheist delusion

Comment #144837 by Richard Morgan on March 16, 2008 at 8:40 pm

SPS

...J.Maynard Keynes...the most wickedest of men

How the heck can you take seriously anyone capable of saying "the most wickedest"?

193. The Great Tantra Challenge

Comment #144834 by Richard Morgan on March 16, 2008 at 8:33 pm

Goldy

Richard, I notice a large increase in the frequency of the word fuck (and it's derivatives) in your posts.

Three reasons for this:
1. I've been reading too many threads on RDNet.
2. I've just finished reading "I am Charlotte Simmons" by Tom Wolfe, and
3. I am quite seriously thinking of organising an RDNet knees-up somewhere in Europe like Juan-les-Pins or Piraeus or Copacabana-on-Tyne or Llanymynech-under-Nurisht or somesuch, and I don't want to be considered as conversationally handicapped by my fellow RDNutters,oops, I mean RDNetters.
So, fuck you, Jimmy.
Or Goldy.
Shouldn't you be in bed, anyway?

194. Fleabytes

Comment #144811 by Richard Morgan on March 16, 2008 at 7:10 pm

Dr Benway - Cornwell not Cornwall. He's a well, a source of living water, etc etc, not a "wall" that makes good neighbours. Or is that fences?

195. The atheist delusion

Comment #144807 by Richard Morgan on March 16, 2008 at 7:07 pm

Dr Benway

I smell bullshit.

Means you're talking to the wrong end of the bull.

196. The Great Tantra Challenge

Comment #144804 by Richard Morgan on March 16, 2008 at 7:01 pm

Gmork

"Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead"

What a fuckin' coincidence. She must have the same students as I do. WTF - the same entire classes!

197. Fleabytes

Comment #144802 by Richard Morgan on March 16, 2008 at 6:58 pm

Dr Benway

Y'all are in rare form tonight.

Thank you for pointing out that it's rare. You sure know how to make a gal feel desirable.

198. Fleabytes

Comment #144798 by Richard Morgan on March 16, 2008 at 6:43 pm

_J_

Shit's shit whether it's got wings and a halo or not

Have you been eating too many baked beans again?

199. Are the 'New Atheists' avoiding the 'real arguments'?

Comment #144788 by Richard Morgan on March 16, 2008 at 6:22 pm

Goldy :

Need to see how omeprazole inhibits cyclophosphamide metabolism.

For crissake, man. Just fuckin' ask it!
Record its answer, then concentrate on serious stuff like posting here on RDNet.
Anyway, I always though that "Oh, me prazole!" was what a Mexican shouted when he got kicked in the goolies. No?

200. The Great Tantra Challenge

Comment #144784 by Richard Morgan on March 16, 2008 at 6:12 pm

Believing in God's healing powers doesn't require asking him to grow an amputated limb back, or recycle WeeFlea's brain. Faith means that God can make you happy with the one leg you have left or a brain that isn't firing on all cylinders.
Unfortunately, neither God nor magic can make you dead - for that, it takes brute force, cunning or technology.
Or genes that are not programmed to make you live forever. Selfish little bastards aren't they?
You let them live in your body for a few years, then when you've carried them around long enough for them to make other gene-carriers, it's "So long and thanks for all the fish" or whatever.
But what I like about us rationalists is that, even if Sanal Edamaruku had actually dropped dead at some point during the experiment, like for example, in the middle of an "Om lingalingalingalinga, kilikilikiliâ€¦." (once more with feeling), we cynical ol' sods would have said, "Yeah, well, it's just a fuckin' coincidence, because the guy had heart problems anyway. If it's not repeatable, it doesn't prove any-fucking-thing.
If he can do it on the entire Bolton Wanderers football team, in scientifically-controlled conditions, thern we might believe it."

And if he succeeded in doing that, we'd say, "He must have been cheating! It can't have been just the cabbalistic signs he was scrawling on his football polls coupon. Do it again, this time, with, say The Red Army Choir, or the Conservative Party."

And if he succeeded that, and so on, and so forth.
We are really a bunch of spoilsports, aren't we?
And I just love it!

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David Brooks

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