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Look at the reality we are in. Think hard who is rewarded more. God can't be a worship hungry narcissist, it must be another psyche-type of deity.
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Religion
- "“Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria: Parent Reports on 1655 Possible Cases,” found that children who suddenly adopted transgender identities in adolescence skewed heavily female and frequently had preexisting mental health issues."
- "The paper found evidence that youth experiencing ROGD were involved in transgender social media groups and peer groups. It also found that youth with mental health problems were more likely to have socially and medically transitioned than those without."
- "Transgender gun owners, some of whom have armed themselves out of fear of a “genocide” of transgender people, have flocked to the 5,600-member r/transguns subreddit forum, sharing photos of themselves with rifles and tactical gear and discussing plans to defend themselves from “transphobia,”"
- "R/transguns users widely believe that transgender people are at a heightened risk of violent persecution and must be armed to defend themselves, according to the subreddit’s top posts. Their beliefs echo the rhetoric of trans activists, who frequently suggest transgender people are the victims of widespread violent persecution and are assaulted and killed because of their gender identity."
- "Seven months after the academic journal PLOS ONE indicated plans to seek further expert assessment on a study focused on “rapid-onset gender dysphoria,” the journal has republished the research with a series of corrections and updates by the study’s author to address concerns raised in the journal’s reassessment."
- "The notice of republication from PLOS ONE states: “After publication of this article... questions were raised that prompted the journal to conduct a post-publication reassessment... involving senior members of the journal’s editorial team, two Academic Editors, a statistics reviewer, and an external expert reviewer."
- "A transgender psychologist who has helped hundreds of teens transition has warned that it has “gone too far” — and fears many are making life-changing decisions because it’s “trendy” and pushed on social media."
- "Anderson is so concerned, in fact, she said she is considering ending her own pioneering work helping teens transition.“I have these private thoughts: ‘This has gone too far. It’s going to get worse. I don’t want any part of it,’ ” she said."
- "A major scientific journal has retracted a study on the social contagion of transgenderism in young adults and adolescents after transgender activists demanded the outlet retract the article and fire the editor responsible."
- "On May 5, a group of five transgender activist groups, including the “Center for Applied Transgender Studies,” and many individuals published an open letter demanding the retraction of the study “Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria: Parent Reports on 1655 Possible Cases” and calling for the firing of the journal’s editor, Dr. Kenneth Zucker."
- "A prestigious U.S. medical journal retracted a study that claimed that “gender reassignment” procedures brought mental health benefits. This happened after its authors admitted that the study found “no advantage to surgery” and that those who have had “gender reassignment” surgery “were more likely to be treated for anxiety disorders.”"
- "Springer Nature is doubling down on its decision to retract a controversial paper about trans-identifying teens and their parents. Despite nearly 2,000 researchers and academics signing a letter in support of the article, Springer nonetheless decided to retract the paper without disciplining its editor."
- "As punishment, activists flung every insult and accusation — no matter how baseless or horrifying — at Bailey that they thought might squash his book and its insights."
- "Although Walsh never arrives at a satisfactory answer on what a woman is, he does shed light on transgenderism, which is effectively a modern-day cult. Its adherents preach a false gospel of salvation to vulnerable people who lack the reasoning or emotional capacity to resist. As part of their conversion, these converts are drawn away from their communities and brainwashed to hate their former selves—making them even more vulnerable to manipulation. By the end, they are so thoroughly deluded that they distrust everything and everyone and ultimately give up their lives to the cult."
The Cracks in the Edifice of Transgender Totalitarianism - Public Discourse (thepublicdiscourse.com)
- "This is especially true in cases of so-called Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria, in which previously normal teenagers (usually girls) suddenly announce their desire to transition to the opposite sex. It is readily apparent how a teenager struggling with severe or even common adolescent angst could be lured into such a group."
- "Perhaps transgenderism is better described as a form of “social contagion.” This term refers to “the spread of ideas, feelings and, some think, neuroses through a community or group by suggestion, gossip, imitation, etc.” The explosion of cases of gender dysphoria, previously an exceedingly rare condition, over the last few years has coincided with a meteoric increase in sympathetic attention to the topic in regular and social media—thus suggesting social contagion. Parents whose children “come out” as transgender when their friends do certainly agree with this explanation.""
- "Knowles pretends to claim transgenderism and transgender people are two different things, and he was careful to use the “ism.” He said, “There can be no middle way in dealing with transgenderism. It is all or nothing.”"
Michael Knowles is not wrong:
"The problem with transgenderism is that it isn't true. The problem with transgenderism is that it puts forward a delusional vision of human nature that denies the reality and importance of sexual difference and complementarity. The problem with transgenderism is that its acceptance at any level necessarily entails the complete destruction of women's bathrooms, women's sports, all of the specific rights and spaces that women currently enjoy.There can be no middle way in dealing with transgenderism. It is all or nothing. If transgenderism is true, if men really can become women, then it's true for everybody of all ages. If transgenderism is false as it is, if men really can't become women as they cannot, then it's false for everybody too. And if it's false, then we should not indulge it. Especially since that indulgence requires taking away the rights and customs of so many people.If it is false, then for the good of society and especially for the good of the poor people who have fallen prey to this confusion, transgenderism must be eradicated from public life entirely. The whole preposterous ideology at every level."
Discuss.
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Current events
How does one know if one understands reality correctly?
In this forum, I encourage you to share your understanding and knowledge you have obtained that is relevant to the nature of knowledge itself.
We will cover the following questions to get started, but please feel free to ask new ones related to the topic:
- How does one know if the knowledge they have obtained is accurate with reality?
- How can one measure the accuracy of an idea in alignment with reality?
Please use the following guidelines to productively participate in the forum:
- Be open-minded and curious. Do not dismiss or ignore answers that challenge your reality or beliefs. Try to embrace them as opportunities to learn and grow. Try to approach them with logical, critical, and professional minds, and seek to understand the evidence and reasoning behind them.
- Be empathetic and respectful. Do not judge or ridicule other people’s perspectives or experiences. Try to comprehend their viewpoints and appreciate their contributions to the larger and more intricate reality. Try to see how different perspectives can form a more complex and complete picture of the world.
- Be honest and responsible. Always prioritize speaking the truth and avoid making definitive claims when uncertain. Use qualifiers like "about," "I saw," "I think," or "I believe" to convey information accurately. Be clear about the source of your knowledge when sharing with others. This fosters a truthful and respectful environment for discussions.
- Be relevant and on-topic. Do not deviate from the main topic of the forum. Do not post irrelevant or off-topic comments and links that aren't productive to the questions being discussed.
- Be constructive and creative. Do not simply criticize or reject other people’s ideas. Try to offer positive feedback, suggestions, or alternatives.
- Be clear and concise. Try to use clear and simple language as much as possible. To have effective communication it is necessary to speak understandably.
I hope everyone enjoys this forum.
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Philosophy
Most of my debates from here on out will be about the Bible or similar content. I created a forum because like the title says, this will be a series of mine with no signs of stopping.
The forum is also so those interested can contact me ahead of time. Reasons could be: a specific topic for debate, debate alterations, or the like.
I am not into debates in which the title is in itself a trap. These arguments are made to increase my knowledge of Biblical content and opposing views.
Again, if you are interested and have a specific topic, let me know.
If there is low activity on this forum then I my debates will simply be "Bible Is True" or something like that to give Con the full capability to attack however they like.
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Religion
Thank you, President Eisgruber, for that kind introduction. Members of the faculty; distinguished guests; family members and friends of the graduates; and you, the 2022 graduating class of Princeton University. It is a pleasure and an honor to be your Class Day speaker, and it is exciting for me to share this fun and celebratory day with you.
I have had the privilege of delivering remarks at a number of graduation exercises over the years. More often than not, I have referred to my own graduation from college many years ago and drawn certain analogies between myself and the students. to illustrate that in the common landmark of college graduation, we likely had shared feelings and common experiences. Clearly, in one respect that does not readily apply to your Class.
The profound ways COVID-19 has disrupted your student years are unprecedented. Viewing the situation from my vantage point at the National Institutes of Health and as a member of the White House COVID Response Team, I have a sincere and heartfelt message to each of you. Years from now, as you recall your experience here at Princeton over the past 2- and one-half years, it will be clear that COVID left an indelible mark on you and your entire generation. Having said that, I am in awe of you all since each of you deserves enormous credit and respect for your extraordinary adaptability, resilience, and dedication to learning, completing your studies, and graduating despite immense difficulties and uncertainties.
Now truth be told, when I think back on my own graduation from college, I cannot remember a word of what the commencement speaker said. And so, years from now I do not expect you to remember what I say. But in the next few minutes, I hope to kindle in you some thoughts.
First:
Expect the unexpected. This is an enduring issue that continues to confront me to this day. Planning one’s path in life is something we all do to a greater or lesser degree. You already have done that to some extent by having chosen Princeton for your undergraduate education. However, in my own experience, some of the most impactful events and directions in my life have been completely unanticipated and unplanned. You are at a period in your lives of virtually unlimited potential and so please keep a completely open mind and do not shy away from dreaming impossible dreams and seizing unanticipated opportunities.
Let me describe an example of such a completely unanticipated challenge and opportunity that profoundly impacted the direction of my career and my entire life.
After graduating from medical school and following years of residency and fellowship training, I began a journey in 1972 as a young clinical investigator at the National Institutes of Health. Over the next nine years, I progressed to what many considered a very successful, safe, and comfortable career in investigative medicine. My future seemed settled. Then, in June 1981 — 41 years ago next month — my life took a turn. I remember quite clearly sitting in my NIH office reading in a CDC report about a handful of cases of an unusual pneumonia among gay men in Los Angeles. A month later, 26 additional cases among gay men from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City, not only with this unusual pneumonia but also other rare infections and cancer, were described in a second CDC report. We did not realize it at the time, but we were witnessing the evolution of one of the worse public health scourges in recent memory – the HIV/AIDS pandemic. I became totally engrossed in and fascinated by this mysterious new disease that did not yet have a name or an etiologic agent. I am still not sure what drove me to do this, but I decided right then and there to make an abrupt turn in the direction of my career, abandon my other research pursuits and investigate the pathogenesis of this mysterious disease. My mentors were horrified and insisted that I was making a career-ending mistake and that this disease would amount to nothing. However, the subsequent emergence of the AIDS pandemic, and my decision to pivot and devote my efforts to this unexpected public health challenge transformed my professional career, if not my entire life, and put me on the path that I am on to this very day.
Now, obviously, not every opportunity or challenge you encounter will influence your careers or your lives or be as dramatic as a mysterious infectious disease outbreak. However, please believe me that you will confront the same types of unpredictable events that I have experienced, regardless of what directions your careers or lives take. And so, expect the unexpected, and stay heads up for an unanticipated opportunity should it present itself. Of course, listen to advice of others who care about you, but at the end of the day, go with your own gut. It can be rewarding, exciting and potentially career- and life-altering.
Next -
The Failings in Our Society.
Our country’s experience with COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on one of the great failings in our society: the lack of health equity. As a physician, I feel that I must highlight this for you today. COVID-19 has exposed longstanding inequities that have undermined the physical, social, economic, and emotional health of racial and ethnic minorities. Many members of minority groups are at increased risk of COVID-19 simply because the jobs they have as essential workers do not allow them to isolate from social activity. More importantly, when people in minority groups are infected with the coronavirus, they have a much greater likelihood of developing a severe consequence due to elevated rates of underlying conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and chronic lung disease, among others, that lead to an increased risk of hospitalization and death.
Very few of these conditions are racially determined. Almost all relate to social determinants of health experienced since birth, including the limited availability of a healthful diet, substandard housing, the lack of access to health care, and tragically, the restrictions and pressures experienced to this day because of the undeniable racism that persists in our society.
Let us promise ourselves that our “corporate memory” of the tragic reality of the inequities experienced with COVID-19 does not fade after we return to our new normal. It will take a decades-long commitment for society to address these disparities. I strongly urge you to be part of that commitment. Together we must find the strength, wisdom, ingenuity, and empathy to address these entrenched elements of injustice, manifested in so many subtle and overt ways, and work with all our might to remedy the cultural disease of racism, just as we fight the viral disease of COVID-19.
Which brings me to my next point of discussion:
Public service and social responsibility. I sincerely believe that regardless of our career paths, we cannot look the other way from pressing societal issues. There are many communities in our own country and globally that are challenged by poverty, drug abuse, violence, inadequate education, discrimination, and despair. Some of you may devote your future careers and lives to directly addressing these societal issues. Understandably, most of you will not. In this regard, public service does not necessarily mean a profession or avocation devoted entirely to public service. One can incorporate elements of public service into your lives regardless of your career choice. This might require your exercising a quality which is my next point of discussion.
Leadership. You are graduating from an extraordinary institution. The very fact that you were chosen to be part of this outstanding Princeton class in my mind puts something of a burden of responsibility upon at least some of you to assume leadership roles in our society. It does not necessarily have to be designated leadership. Leadership can take many forms, including the quiet and subtle leadership of example.
Which brings me to my next issue.
Our Divided Nation. I have spent my entire professional career in Washington, D.C., as a scientist, a physician, and a public health official. Although that career path is fundamentally devoid of politics in the classic sense, being in Washington has allowed me to experience first-hand the intensity of the divisiveness in our nation.
What troubles me is that differences of opinion or ideology have in certain situations been reflected by egregious distortions of reality. Sadly, elements of our society have grown increasingly inured to a cacophony of falsehoods and lies that often stand largely unchallenged, ominously leading to an insidious acceptance of what I call the “normalization of untruths.”
We see this happen daily, with falsehoods propagated through a range of information platforms by a spectrum of people, including, sad to say, certain elected officials in positions of power. Yet, the outrage and dissent against this alarming trend has been muted and mild.
If you take away nothing else from what I say today, I appeal to you, please remember this: It is our collective responsibility not to shrug our shoulders and sink to a tacit acceptance of the normalization of untruths. Because if we do, lies become dominant and reality is distorted. And then truth means nothing, integrity means nothing, facts mean nothing.
This is how a society deteriorates into a way of life where veracity becomes subservient to propaganda rather than being upheld as our guiding principle.
Seek and listen to opinions that differ from your own. But apply your abilities to critically analyze and examine, which you have honed here at Princeton, to discern and challenge weak assertions built on untruths. As future leaders in our society, we are counting on you for that.
In closing, I have been speaking to you over the past few minutes about the serious issues that we are facing in our current world. And so, putting this serious business aside for a moment, I want to close with a reminder about the joyousness of life and what a bright future you all have. Allow yourselves to cultivate this joy as much as you do your professional accomplishments. Find your source of joy and happiness and fully embrace it. And think upon your future as that stated by the American Political Theorist John H. Schaar: “The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made, and the activity of making them changes both the maker and the destination”
Congratulations to you, to your families, and to your loved ones. Good luck and God bless you.
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Israel are not innocent. People need to stop assuming they're just innocent victims defending their so-called homeland. They ripped apart a community and slaughtered many against the wishes of 6 Islamic cultures/nations/peoples to declare that as their homeland, with assistance from US and UK. They have since killed many, minors included and not always in retaliation AT ALL. I can positively tell you they had no fucking genuine reason to kill and make homeless the recent Palestinians they have so far other than sheer arrogance and abuse of power over what was never their capital (Jerusalem) until Trump stuck his nose in to say 'fuck you' to Palestine and Iran.
You also should not for a single second think Israel is the only aggressor and issue at hand. Hamas are legally in charge of the Palestinians by brutal Mafia means of control. They throw PLO leaders off buildings if they don't cower to Hamas and are recruiting, brainwashing and blackmailing any detractors which includes teens and even young boys as well as pregnant women. Stop thinking when IDF sometimes do things it's never in proper defence. If you knew what Hamas does in terms of human shields and child/teen soldiers are and investigate most (not all, most) instances of IDF harming it's in retaliation and defensive maneuvers.
Hamas explicitly state they will never negotiate with nor recognise the existence of Israel as a state (as PLO used to say themselves but got blackmailed to stay true to when they considered alternatives).
Now, we have an ultra-conservative ruthless Netanyahu who also won't negotiate. This is getting worse and worse from both sides.
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Politics
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Politics
Moral Truth – The Problems with Moral Relativism
Problem 1: Moral relativism suffers from what is known as the reformer’s dilemma. If moral relativism is true, then societies cannot have moral reformers. Why? Moral reformers are members of a society that stand outside that society’s moral code and pronounce a need for reform and change in that code. For example, Corrie ten Boom risked her life to save Jews during the Holocaust. William Wilberforce sought the abolition of slavery in the late 18th century. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for civil rights in the U.S. If moral relativism is true, then these reformers were immoral. You see, if an act is right if and only if it is in keeping with a given society’s code, then the moral reformer himself is by definition an immoral person. Moral reformers must always be wrong because they go against the code of their society. But such a view is defective for we all know that real moral reform has taken place!
Problem 2: Moral relativists cannot improve their morality. Neither cultures nor individuals can improve their morality. The only thing they can do is change it. Think of what it means to improve something. Improvement means becoming better at something. But becoming better at something requires an external standard of comparison. To improve a society’s moral code means that the society changes its laws and values closer to an external ideal. If no such standard exists, then there is no way for the new standard to be better than the original; they can only be different. A society can abolish apartheid (racism) in favor of equality. A society can provide equal rights for women. It can guarantee freedom of speech and the press. But according to moral relativism, these are mere changes, not improvements. The Nazis used moral relativism as a defense for their crimes at the Nuremberg trials. The court condemned them because they said there is a law above culture.
Problem 3: Moral relativists cannot complain about the problem of evil. The problem of evil is one of the most commonly raised objections to the existence of God. Some of the great atheists— Bertrand Russell, David Hume, H.G. Wells— concluded on the basis of the evil and suffering in the world that the God of the Bible must not exist (genocide, child abuse, suicide bombings). The common argument is that if God was all-good and all-powerful he would deal with evil. But evil exists, so God must not. The force of this objection rests upon moral evil being real and some things being objectively wrong. But such a claim is peculiar if we understand the nature of evil. Evil is a perversion of good. There can be good without evil, but not evil without good. There can be right without wrong, but not wrong unless there is first right. If morality is ultimately a matter of personal tastes, like ice cream flavor, the argument against God’s existence based on evil vanishes. If evil is real, then so is absolute good, which means moral relativism is false.
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Philosophy
Well, that should be incendiary enough to get a discussion going on between Christians.
Basically I want you to put forth one argument as to why you believe the above to be false, and we'll try to flesh it out in an adversarial but fraternal manner.
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Religion
Lucifer is Jesus, if you go back to my threads such as this:
This:
This:
And This:
You will see the dates (especially of the latter 2) completely supercede his own. I have even evolved the theory far more, understanding that Lucifer/Jesus is also Allah and Samael as things progress, if Jesus and Lucifer really existed (so therefore, Islam wouldn't be entirely true but could be part of a true storyline).
I also notice that Satan is actually God of the Old Testament, something which Stephen fails to do. My theory also explains why Jesus was the enemy of the Devil but God himself/herself/itself is never actually held as the enemy of the Devil, during the New Testament at least.
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Religion
I think it may be to give Illuminati more control over us, since we now rely entirely on them for information and all our communication is now as barely any is in-person relative to before.
My God(dess) supports the cunning and smart ruling over the pressured and ticked. It's not fair, but it's how life is. Let us endure.
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Religion