Random Thoughts Thread

[J T]

I don't drink alcohol and I don't eat meat. I'm a real hoot at barbecues.

[Cronozilla]

grilled potatoes are amazing.

[jp1]

Veggie skewers and portabella burger ftw.

[AmishSamurai]

I don't drink alcohol and I don't eat meat. I'm a real hoot at barbecues.

I'm trying to minimize meat in my diet and love veggie recipes. I'm the person who will share with the vegetarian so they don' t feel left out.

Veggie skewers and portabella burger ftw.

I really really want to try and do a portabella burger

[fastbilly1]

I don't drink alcohol and I don't eat meat. I'm a real hoot at barbecues.

Come to one of my summer pool parties, you can pick fresh vegetables and we will grill them on the veggie only grill. One of my wife's best friends is on a strict diet due to illness and cant eat meat, so we have a second grill for grilling vegetables only (it was the primary grill until we upgraded). Typically it is our corn in husk grill.

[Ack]

I don't drink alcohol and I don't eat meat. I'm a real hoot at barbecues.

Come to one of my summer pool parties, you can pick fresh vegetables and we will grill them on the veggie only grill. One of my wife's best friends is on a strict diet due to illness and cant eat meat, so we have a second grill for grilling vegetables only (it was the primary grill until we upgraded). Typically it is our corn in husk grill.

Get some squash and zucchini on that grill with the corn, and I may just pop up too. I love a good grilled squash.

[fastbilly1]

I don't drink alcohol and I don't eat meat. I'm a real hoot at barbecues.

Come to one of my summer pool parties, you can pick fresh vegetables and we will grill them on the veggie only grill. One of my wife's best friends is on a strict diet due to illness and cant eat meat, so we have a second grill for grilling vegetables only (it was the primary grill until we upgraded). Typically it is our corn in husk grill.

Get some squash and zucchini on that grill with the corn, and I may just pop up too. I love a good grilled squash.

We had zucchini's last year as long as my fore arm. Some got sliced up and cooked others cooked whole. We typically turn squash into noodles.

[jp1]

Ok, so due to Mike's thread and what has already been brought up there I have a question for you agnostics and/or atheists. What is the point of being active in the non-belief of something?

Take for instance the tooth fairy. There may be an entire forum somewhere dedicated to believers of the tooth fairy. I don't believe in the tooth fairy and as such, I do not care how unfounded or incredible I believe their thought process is. If they are happy to believe the tooth fairy exists, I am happy to leave it at that. Furthermore, why is it that so many of you get offensive or defensive when people question your beliefs, or lack thereof, but feel so completely free to jump in on those who do not share them?

Now, this isn't an attack or an attempt at argument. I really would love to understand the motivation. I can't stress this enough because I know there will be backlash, YOU SHOULD KNOW IF THIS DOESN'T PERTAIN TO YOU. If you are open to discussions about your beliefs or lack thereof, if you are respectful of others beliefs or lack thereof, if you have the intention of coming to a better understanding with someone through your discussion because you want to know them better as a person, I'm not talking to you.

If your sole motivation is to disprove or discredit the beliefs that are as ingrained in someone else as your beliefs are to you, then what the hell is the point? Truthfully ask yourself if there is any intention at all...and if so, is it a worthwhile cause.

I don't see the problem with Mike's idea for a thread like that, of course I wouldn't sharing what I'm sure are some of the same beliefs, but if for some reason I could not understand the motivation for said thread to exist, I still wouldn't care that it does. I simply wouldn't partake in the discussion if my feelings were this strong.

If for instance the agnostic or atheist sect of these boards (what seems to be the majority) wanted a thread to discuss how their beliefs or lack of beliefs affected their daily lives or the thoughts and feelings they brought about, I wouldn't feel obliged to object to it. I know this isn't true of all Christians, but it seems to hold fairly true on these boards...so what gives? Why not have the thread? It's all a fairy tale to you anyway, and so are the stories in the video games you love and talk about. Nobody is judging you for that.

Dave, I know you are all about healthy debate, I know you would be respectful, I know that your intentions would be to have a discussion and that your own beliefs could be critiqued as well. In short, I'm not speaking to you with this.

In fact, I'm not talking to anyone in general....other than the fact that there is backlash at all over the thread. Or that Mike (and others) feel uncomfortable to talk freely about their beliefs because they might be met with judgement. Like Ack said, if everyone else gets a free, safe environment, why not the religious folks too? Is it really too much to ask? I have never, nor will I ever push my beliefs on anyone here, nor will I judge the lifestyles of others even if they conflict with my beliefs or my religion, in large part because judgment itself conflicts even greater with my personal beliefs. And, in no small part because this is everyone's world, I just get the privilege to share in it.

[Hobie-wan]

I promise I'm trying to be non confrontational in my reply. I can remove if people feel I'm not. *shrug*

Ok, so due to Mike's thread and what has already been brought up there I have a question for you agnostics and/or atheists. What is the point of being active in the non-belief of something?

I like to think I am a rational person that thinks logically most of the time. Sometimes I fail at this, but we all fail at things sometimes. I too think that if someone is happy with their beliefs and not hurting others, then good for them. As an atheist myself, I tend to not discuss religion with others and leave them to it unless they bring it up first. I'd say most atheists and agnostics I know well are the same. Now maybe I might say something in relation to evolution in conversation, so I suppose that could be bringing up my "anti-faith" or something. But I wouldn't call myself active in it. By and large those that are of some faith or other specifically broadcast it to others which leads to discussions, such at Mike's thread. I may be wrong but I don't remember any threads specifically started for people to talk about atheism or evolution recently.

I can get along with religious people fine most of the time as most want to be good people and live a happy life like I do. If someone religious brings up something that I perceive as misguided and illogical or harmful to certain other groups of people, then I might try to convince them of my atheist point of view or otherwise point out what I feel is logical. I do not visit an atheist church as I drive by many theist churches as I drive around. I do not receive tax breaks as an atheist like churches do. I carry legal tender in my pocket and wallet daily that reads "In God We Trust" even though I personally do not. When I was a young child and we recited the pledge of allegiance every morning, I skipped over "one nation under God" from some point in second grade on once I had a better understanding as opposed to just miming as I was told.

So I personally don't go out of my way to be "active in the non-belief of something", but those of faith often try to be active with me in some form on a daily basis, even if simply by osmosis.

Take for instance the tooth fairy. There may be an entire forum somewhere dedicated to believers of the tooth fairy. I don't believe in the tooth fairy and as such, I do not care how unfounded or incredible I believe their thought process is. If they are happy to believe the tooth fairy exists, I am happy to leave it at that. Furthermore, why is it that so many of you get offensive or defensive when people question your beliefs, or lack thereof, but feel so completely free to jump in on those who do not share them?

Unless there's some underground movement I'm unaware of, belief in the Tooth Fairy has no major repercussions on people's livelihood beyond children possibly receiving small amounts of money or trinkets in exchange for lost teeth. The fact that discrimination and other horrible things have, and continue to be done in the name of various religions of the world does tend to put atheists on the boisterous side when engaged in discussion though.

[dsheinem]

When I was a young child and we recited the pledge of allegiance every morning, I skipped over "one nation under God" from some point in second grade on once I had a better understanding as opposed to just miming as I was told.

I've told my son to feel free to opt out of the daily pledge recitation in school until he at least understands what it means and can decide if he agrees to it. What nonsense that they have kindergarteners reciting it daily! He doesn't know what half the words mean!

I expect a call from the school at some point.