@JasperLoy Why bother at all?

@Mitch Because one should make an honest attempt to find truth?

like even after I explicitly say I am not a christian they still try to convince me God is not real or not worth beliving in or that Christianity is not good for me

Hello~ Im not a christian so ur not getting anywhere lol

@KitFox What if it is not hogwash? What if it is balderdash or malarky?

@Zoe That is a characteric trait of the chatters in this room, lol

uh no

@KitFox most pastor's are not like that.

@Mitch Well, I suppose it comes out the same.

@Mitch I know.

I am not sure whether I need to take TOEFL to apply to those schools, I will find out when the time comes.

@JasperLoy Here I'll channel @Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 and say that's idiotic because there's no truth there.

@Zoe Yeah, God is separate from Christian.

Like uhm... idk I could be discussing God and matters of religion (chrstianity or not) and the atheist would try his hardest to disprove religion and God like... get out dude, stop being oppressive

Muslims... well, I've had Muslims friends, classmates, strangers, they can be generally good.... but can be extremely rude too

@KitFox Some Gods are separate but (at least) one is not.

They seem to be fond of scolding others in their own language

@Zoe So all this time you're not talking about the Christian God? Then which one are you talking about?

@Zoe You don't sound like a typical SG somehow, lol

For buddhist, I find it hard to worship an image or a porcelain carving

Oppressive. You mean like, condemning you to Hell and calling you a sinner?

@Mitch If I talk about God, it would be the God of Israel/Christian God.

@Zoe Ah but do you know what Buddhism is all about? Again, don't listen to the ignorant people around you

@KitFox Oppressive like trying to get his way even when I explicitly say I am not christian

I see.

!!define oppression

@KitFox oppression The exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner.

@JasperLoy Neither do I believe in reincarnation. No dude, i dont wanna live on this earth again.

@Zoe Ah, but do you really know what rebirth is about? You need not be on this earth, lol

Interesting choice of words.

@Zoe If you feel I'm trying to oppress you, then I apologize. I was trying to engage you on what I think are important problems in Christianity. I thought that since you were still exploring Christianity, now would be a good time to point the problems out, so that you can do your own research and avoid wasting years of your life.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 You spend so much time discussing random fairytales!

@Zoe It is actually precisely because you don't wanna live on this earth again that you need Buddhism lol

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I am exploring and I do believe there are problems. I keep saying I don't approve of many things. And I am doing my own research and discernment.

@Zoe OK, good good.

@JasperLoy Tell me what's buddhism?

@Zoe And yet you are starting with the base assumption that there is a god. You should take a step back and question that.

buddhist scared me abt seven levels of hell that i dont want any part of that

@Cerberus So many people believe in them.

@Zoe I can't in this chat. But I recommend you read one book: In the Buddha's Words by Bhikkhu Bodhi, just one book.

ugh. Jasper, you're not helping.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 And I did say I only know there is a God because of miracles. Miracles that I also admit can be attributed to chance and random. And God. I am very open about many things and not closed off just because one or two things seem off about this God.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Doesn't make them any less random and boring!

Well, I believe in certain parts of Buddhism though I am not Buddhist for now, lol

It could be the ultimate truth, could be.

@Zoe In that case read "The Demon-Haunted World" by Carl Sagan.

@JasperLoy Same for me with christianity

I am not dismissing Buddhism like other religions, it is in a special class

At least Zoe seems like a friendly person.

ooh I know about Demons

@Zoe I'm trying to save you the trouble. Christianity is false. You're welcome.

*save your soul

@Zoe Demons aren't real. That's the point of the book.

@Cerberus Souls aren't real either.

I would say this. Either Buddhism is the truth, or no religion is truth. That's my input

That causes me more trouble because then being the logical and open person that I am, would go and find out about it even more.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Then why care about hers?

@Cerberus I don't care about her soul. I care about her because she's a person. Just like I care about you.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Awwww

I care about LG, lol.

Haha aww indeed.

But LG does not care about me, lol.

@Zoe I really am trying to help, not oppress :)

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 You sound very unctuous and Christian now.

Not that I don't like it.

@JasperLoy Lou Gherig?

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Nah, it's my secret, lol

@Cerberus Christians are ordered by Jesus to love everyone. Atheists simply acknowledge that we are all we have, so it behooves us to work together.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I know but I think you should just accept that I wanna learn about the truth(s) before I decide which is the truth. It's just like if u spoonfeed answers to a student they will never learn. They need the a ha! moment to actually digest the teaching. At least as teacher, that much I know.

@JasperLoy I know, you're just trying to be mysterious.

It behooves us, I see.

@Zoe Well, I did try to provide lots of evidence to back up my claim that Christianity is rubbish.

Ah, the mysterious orient.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Well, I like to say such things because there is no other outlet to express my one-sided emotions...

@JasperLoy you could write angsty poems.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 which is akin to spoonfeeding a student

@Zoe Have you taught in an actual school before?

@Zoe Not exactly. I expect you to consider the evidence, weigh it, decide if it's good or not, and if it supports the claim. There's also lots more evidence out there that I didn't include.

You never know, I may one day be a no-God person. But that day is most likely not today

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Thats exactly what students dont do

@Zoe I gave up Christianity long ago. I am half-giving up Buddhism now, but only half.

@Zoe We shall pray for that day to come!

@JasperLoy Nah, I prefer small group or one to one

@Cerberus Castiel would tell you that prayer is a sign of faith.

@Zoe As long as you go into it with your eyes open, I guess that's fine. Though it distresses me when I see Christians (usually it's Christians) do things like take risks because "it's in god's hands" or discount their current life for their afterlife (which doesn't exist)

@Zoe Naaah it's a very irreligious prayer. With lots of curse words.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Cultural Christians. Don't like them.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 For me, it might exist, lol

@Cerberus I'm going to sacrifice a pigeon to hasten its arrival!

@JasperLoy spoiler alert: it doesn't. lol.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 It will happen when dead pigeons fly, huh?

@Cerberus I dunno. I read somewhere that gods like blood.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Well, we can't be sure of that, lol

Maybe not sacrifice the messenger if you want it to happen soon.

Oh you guys, making me feel all fuzzy inside.

@JasperLoy we can be

But I have to go, I have a (second) date!

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Only you not me lol

@Cerberus Good luck, have a good time XXX

Thanks! We'll see.

@JasperLoy The only logical position is to demand evidence FOR the existence of an afterlife.

Proving the dead? Wow

@Cerberus Have fun! Don't do anything I wouldn't do.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Erm, he might, lol

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 That is nothing!

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 That might be difficult...I'll try not to do too much that God forbade.

@Cerberus Geezis

@Zoe What are you saying, that there's nothing I wouldn't do? There are lots of things. Like, I wouldn't go to a church, and pray, on a 2nd date.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Yea, and Cerb wouldn't do that either.

@JasperLoy Hello.

Church prayer is strictly for 3rd date and later.

@ParthKohli When was the picture taken?

@Zoe You seem to know a lot about him, lol

@JasperLoy I mean, even I won't do that.

@JasperLoy It's been five months.

@Zoe OK. Some of us here actually know some secrets of some others here in this chat...

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 This is an obscene metaphor in Dutch, seriously.

I think also in English?

@JasperLoy Are you trying to imply that I need to tell a secret?

Bai!

@Cerberus lol, really?

@Zoe No no, we only tell secrets after we know each other for a longer time. I have been chatting for about three years here I think lol

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Well, to "leave the church before singing" is...let's say a means of (risky) contraception.

@JasperLoy That's good to know. Or else it would really be like a cult.

It's very easy to imitate Jasper, lol.

@Zoe I have many secrets, lol

@Cerberus awesome.

@JasperLoy So does God. OH.

And it's a very mainstream expression.

Okay, bye!! I'm running late.

poof

@Zoe May I ask how old you are?

@JasperLoy Yes you may

@ParthKohli No imitation is allowed

@Zoe How old are you?

@JasperLoy I've no idea, how old am I?

@Zoe WTF!

@JasperLoy No, that can't be right.

Is this shit still going on?

@Zoe Don't worry - just give us your birth certificate and we'll work out your age for you.

@ParthKohli But it's in a safe at my parent's place and I don't live there anymore. How can I get it out?

I think it was 9 plus 5 plus 1 or something?

or was it plus 2 and plus 8?

@Cerberus Your manner of leaving is so . . . umm . . . gay.

@Robusto I think that's why he has a second date.

@Zoe Not sure what point you're making.

@Robusto Me neither.

you made six

But any who, I'm gonna get outta here, boyz. See ya when I see ya.

You will see me in your dreams lol

@JasperLoy You forgot the comma, lol

@ParthKohli It is optional lol

The comma is optional but the "lol" is not?

The lol is another way to write the period lol

So . . the . is another way to write the . .

@Zoe I'm confused...so you're saying you believe in many of the things the Christian bible says and you believe in God, the Christian god, and in the same manner that Christians do. But you are not Christian?

@Mitch I am also confused, but we should drop that topic

@Robusto Your move man...come up with an alternative. We could do joke day. Or politics. or Star Wars vs Star Trek.

Or Jasper vs Justin

@RegDwigнt Mind nuking english.stackexchange.com/users/77490/user77490?

aww :-)

My littlest said "It's so cute" in about the cutest way possible.

:D

What's a philomath? He uses that as if it is a well known word.

math lover?

It's a lover of knowledge, not necessarily math.

Just as a polymath is someone who is good at multiple areas of learning.

brag?

Ask @Cerberus: mathematics comes from the Greek and has to do with learning.

@JohanLarsson Huh?

are you a polymath?

Well, I don't know. I'm good at multiple things. Languages, music, programming, history, and other things I can't think of just this second.

@Robusto It is actually (I assume) "lover of human knowledge" or "lover of learning about humans", from phil- (love), anthro- (humans), and -math (learning). It's an obvious neologism though, so give it whatever meaning you want.

@TheodoreBroda How is that different from what I said?

@Robusto You merely said "lover of knowledge".

@TheodoreBroda You said the same thing only pleonastically.

!!define pleonastically

@JohanLarsson pleonastically In a pleonastic manner.

meh

!!define pleonasm

@Robusto pleonasm (uncountable, rhetoric) Redundancy in wording.

@Robusto The affix "anthro-" is far from superfluous.

I like Bierce's definition better:

@TheodoreBroda You're thinking of something else. I was saying what philomath means, not the poster's obvious portmanteau.

@Robusto Ah. My mistake.

Is "pleonastically superfluous rendundancy" a supererogatorily redundant pleonasm?

"Sure," he said laconically.

Can it be correct to use no space after comma? for a short enumeration, for example this stuff is good for cpu,memory, while this other stuff is good for foo,bar,wux

for differentiating it visually from other commas, with space, that separate ideas

looks wrong to me but I don't know comma

But i want to change grammar! :p , ok, let's stay classic this time though

Not sure my litteral writing style is good, I overuse nested brackets (like that (or that))

@cc No.

!!sad.jpg

@cc Were you trying to invoke me? Use the !!/help command to learn more.