Sorry to hear that Emo.  At least you won't have to do that again, unless you get a third set of teeth like some freaks.

Have you tried using a blender to mash your food?  When my brother had some work done he couldn't open his jaw so naturally he was also starving.  I picked up a good blender so he could blend entire meals.  I'll never forget him laughing (high on his meds) as he threw a steak in the blender.  I think he added mashed potatoes milk and vodka in there too.  I don't know if it was good but it looked drinkable consistancy wise.  You might need a spoon and not a straw though.

emofag


Yeah I just had 4 wisdom teeth removed because my body is putting out teeth as if though I had the larger jaw/cranium of my primate ancestors.

And god does this shit hurt, 2 of the teeth were the type where they just pull em out in 2 minutes, the other 2 were FULL GROWN teeth stuck under my gum and crushing my 2nd set of lower molars, so they had to OPEN my gum up, shatter the tooth, pull it out in pieces and stitch my gums & the inside of my cheek back together, my lower jaw looks like I have Cancer right now.

I'm also starving, scared as shit to eat as when I last attempted it felt like someone was splitting my jaw apart. 

Two words: Instant noodles. While not great, they're better than most other options. I lived off them for a few days, and afterwards moved onto solids. The dentist had said no solids for a week but I was so sick of eating mush that I decided a little pain/blood would be worth it to eat proper food.

I had my wisdom teeth removed a year and a half ago. All four were compacted, and all had to be shattered and taken out the hard way. I didn't find the overall experience too bad though. I was completely out for the entire operation and the painkillers they gave me were fun.

Getting wisdom teeth out is fucking sweet if you get the gas stuff.

I was sedated during the surgery but it's when I got home that they started to hurt, the pain pills are ok but cause me a stomach ache and make me feel like I want to vomit.

Pussies. I had mine cut out and was eating a fucking burger after the surgery.

mastachefbkw


Pussies. I had mine cut out and was eating a fucking burger after the surgery.

What a hero. I mean, still drowzy from the shit they put you down with and with Tylenol 3's. Youre a real man

I actually still have the painkillers.

Ouch, thankfully I've never had to have my wisdom teeth pulled, or crushed, or shattered, or oblitereated or whatever other painful way dentists and maxfax surgeons can think up in their sadistic little minds!


Regarding the previous stuff, I think its easy to believe that someone is just stupid or delusional or self-indulgent, if they believe something different to what you know to be 'fact'.  Especially if its religion.  The way I see it is that I dont think anyone really knows a lot in this universe - we only know our little universe, as far as we can sense.  The universe could be wrapped in a sock for all I know. 

I dont ascribe to the notion that god is human-like, with human emotions and a big white beard, who can be malevolent or kind decisions or force his creations to be good or evil.  In my mind, god is a logical entitiy which needs to exist in order to make all our relative measures absolute, including both our subjective values of 'good' and 'evil'.  When quantum scientists like Stephen Hawking talk about the universal theory of everything (that they haven't yet worked out) - what do they mean?  Some say its total nothingness, some say its something absolute.

But then again who said other realities need to be logical at all - just because our little part is to us, doesn't mean logic needs to exist everywhere.  Maybe logic is the 11th dimension and there is a 12th.

Of course I believe in the way science explains our world.  I studied human biology too, so I know the basics about genetics, human development, etc.  Being a doc of course I see a tonne of flaws with human design - ie diseases.  Hundreds of ways the body can fuck up and kill itself.  Like where some people's immune systems think their own body is attacking them and embark on destroying themselves - its retarded.

I agree the human body is far from perfect.  Its not a delusion of perfection that makes me believe the universe has been designed rather than merely caused.  Its everything - including the imperfections.  Rather than just products of evolution and genetics - I think the human body as well as everything else in the universe is a work of art.  Ok so the eye has developed in a very specific way over millenia, but that whole process is amazing to me, so abstract.  It didn't have to be this way.  Physics didn't have to exist, nor did music.  We could have just been dots that float around a dot-less timeless space.  How boring would that be!

The more I study about diseases and how the body reacts to defend itself or destroy itself, just makes me more wonderous.


As for the videos you posted agent - I think the first one refuting evolution is obviously retarded.  But then I cant take the guy in the other two vids seriously either.  He's obviously got an agenda, he comes to conclusions that are debatable but he's already made up his mind, he can't pronounce pythagoras, and he assumes the quran is a science textbook.  Its not.

At the end of the day - philosophy and religion is one mans own journey - he shouldn't force it on someone else or judge them for believing something different.  Quranic verses btw...  That in a way is what I respect the most, no matter what someone believes.


Oh and VX - when it comes to the hijab, I know a female friend from university, who converted from being essentially a secular admant atheist to Islam - she knew what she was missing, when she decided to wear a headscarf.  And I was as surprised as anyone else.  I wouldn't force it on any girl, and if I was a girl I dunno if I would be able to make the same sacrifices.

ps. im not getting into the conversation about if I was a hot girl what I would do... :S


....Long post sorry

tl;dr

Heh, thanks chef didn't think anyone would.

He's obviously got an agenda, he comes to conclusions that are debatable but he's already made up his mind, he can't pronounce pythagoras, and he assumes the quran is a science textbook. Its not.

His agenda only goes as far as the argument.  It's hardly as bad as someone going on television to sell their religion.  At least he's not asking for money.  I wouldn't call it an agenda, that's a really harsh word to use for that guy.  He's not unusual on Youtube.  People go online to make argumentative videos all the time.  It's one of the best things about Youtube.  I don't care if he can't pronounce Pythagoras.  It's a name and you forgot to capitalize it, that doesn't take anything away from what you said.  I listen to Muslims who mispronounce English words all the time, it doesn't matter.  As long as you use the word correctly that's all that matters, and even if you misuse a word this rarely compromises your entire argument.  I don't make presumptions on intelligence based on charisma or language skills.  We have geniuses that are mute.  I don't even presume that intelligence is the deciding factor either.  I don't look at the most intelligent people and decide that the smartest people are the only ones that are correct.  You can understand the problem this would pose.

I agree that the videos were not the best.  I brought these up in a haste to encourage discussion.  They weren't meant to be the beginning and end of the debate.  The eye thing was specifically directed at Dan who didn't see how the eye could have evolved at all.  I'm a bit disappointed though that you haven't refuted anything from the last two videos.

I've watched dozens of videos where muslims answer questions that people from all backgrounds bring them.  Muslims, Atheists, Christians, fucking Buddhists... If you want to watch a muslim ask a boring question look at the ones that were asked from Muslims.  This is not a Muslim thing.  Everyone is always less critical of the ideas they're subscribed to.  If you're like myself and want to see an interesting answer watch the responses to questions asked by Atheists or Christians.  These are the biggest opponents to Islam so they ask the toughest questions. 

One guy asked what proof do muslims have to suggests Muhammad spoke to an Angel.  Even if you substitute "Angel" for "Allah", the question remains the same.  A completely reasonable question.  Islam isn't only a philosophical document, it sells itself as a historical document.  The Quran also makes scientific claims and believe me I know this doesn't make it a scientific document.  They claim specific events occurred in history as does the Christian Bible.  Normally when historical events are said to have occurred they come with sufficient evidence to back these claims.  Outside of the Quran there is no evidence to support any of the crucial historical or scientific claims. 

Watching him try to answer that question was typical of how he answered all the tough questions.  He started his answer with a smug grin and then preceded to rationalize his way to the next question.  He completely dodged the question and provided nothing relevant or sufficient to support his argument.  At least he didn't ignor the question all together or filed false DMCA claims against a person for quoting the Quran.  I have respect for anyone interested in open discussion.          

Oh heh, I was joking about the Pythagoras bit, sorry - didn't make that clear.  I felt like being unfunny as I was watching Never Mind the Buzzcocks on TV.    Course he doesn't have to be able to pronounce it to make a valid point.

Id still use the word agenda though, although I probably just mean bias.

To answer his statements (as they weren't really questions), which are 1) the earth is spherical, not egg shaped and people knew that for ages - and 2) human embryonic development goes seed, clot, flesh, bones rather than seed, clot, bones, flesh and again people knew that for ages.

So 1) he even concedes himself the poles of the earth are flattened and 2) technically its seed, bunch of cells, gut tube, nerves/spine, limbs etc.  to be pedantic 'clot as in blood' as he puts it would come later when the circulation is established. 

But again the quran is not a science textbook - it merely asserts the idea that humans dont just materialise from ether, but develop in an amazing way that people may not realise. 

Then of course the greek thinking civilisation did come up with a lot of this stuff a long time before.  Just because they did, doesn't make it any less interesting.  I dont really agree with some muslims who claim that the science parts of the quran are there to prove where the text may have come from.

The book is designed more to be a thought-provoker even to the most illiterate person, and in that way its great it has aspects of science, philosophy, history, mathematics, peotry and art so it might appeal to different types of people who think in different ways.

The obvious problem is that many arabic words are very complex in meaning - often meaning several different things in English.  So English translations although necessary so that many people in the world can read it, you're never gonna get the full picture.  Personally I can read arabic but dont understand it so even I have that problem.


But of course you're right in saying the best people to ask questions are often the people who dont agree with you.

mastachefbkw


Pussies. I had mine cut out and was eating a fucking burger after the surgery.

Are you sure you had them cut out? It would break open the stitches if you did that and you'd be eating more blood than burger.

An individual who happens to be an Atheist may have an Agenda but Atheism itself has no Agenda.  Atheists get in arguments with eachother over this all the time.  I have the sentiment that Atheism is essentially useless in terms of conquest.  It only serves the people who call themselves Atheists.  Aside from refutting religion Atheism is an empty shell.  Most Atheists don't even care about religion.

Atheism is a futile enterprise.  Like a condom, it doesn't do anything other than block something that is disagreeable.  Either people use it or they don't.  Ultimately if religion disappeared it would lose all it's meaning as it wouldn't protect against anything.  Thus any agendas attached to Atheism would lose it's ride.  

My point is that Atheism isn't an alternative to religion any more than a condom is an alternative to HIV. 

Its interesting because many people seem like they are arguing Atheism as a religion ie a set of beliefs which drive their actions.  Not you, I know you just advocate rational thinking.  But the guy in the video kinda did.

The fact that he ends his video by saying, "I think I'll end by saying mission accomplished" sorta speaks that he did indeed have a mission.  Missionaries---> religion.

Some Atheists are trying very hard to convert people.  Which I find hilarious.  If you're an Atheist, and don't believe in an afterlife you shouldn't care about anything enough to want to convert people.  I don't have fantasies about the world being a better place if everyone was Atheist.  Everything has to do with class warfare, Atheism offers no solution to this fundamental problem.  Even with a secular world everything would still be shitty (not to mention pointless).  And frankly I don't care if the world improves.  I have no illusion of hope for the human race.  I want to see everything crash and burn.  Life is a big cosmic joke, when you understand this you gain true freedom.  I remain a personal optimist but the world is fucked and it will never get better.  The human race has no hope at all of long term survival and our downfall will be incredibly painful.  Actually what part of our existence hasn't been incredibly painful?  With all our so called morals and high technology the majority of the human race is still starving, we're worst than animals.  I'm just glade I've lived in an age where I get to witness these ideals completely fail in any practical test.  I want to see western civilization fold.  I want to see a return of violent anarchy.  If i wanted to start a religion it would be named Nihilism.  I expect nothing but the worst for society, because that is what we deserve.

I hope you guys do well and enjoy life.  I hope you don't get bogged down by the economy crashing and record levels of depression, but I want to see the masses panic. 

So I definitely don't want to convert anyone, even less if I thought it would help.

I just like killing time with these arguments.  Who knows, maybe someone can convince me that the human race is worth salvation.    

've never had to have my wisdom teeth pulled, or crushed, or shattered, or oblitereated or whatever other painful way dentists and maxfax surgeons can think up in their sadistic little minds!

I've had, in one medical visit, three prostate exams (one of which performed by a flamboyant homosexual medical intern), a catheter put half-way in place, with failed attempts to permeate an as-of-then-undefined blockage in my urethra, causing internal bleeding.  I was given laxatives, and a water pill, followed by local anesthetic, and razor-blades attached to the end of a catheter, slid a half-foot up my penis, to split a urethral-muscular stricture I'd gotten resulting from a fight. I spent two days in hospital, before coming home, sleeping off three restless nights with a bottle of Vicodin, before having to remove the catheter myself, two days later.

I win.

I have medical records to prove it.

You can all go home now with your pussy stories about medical pain.

Aaaagh, dont talk about penis pain - its one of those things that is too painful even to imagine!

My most painful experience was probably appendicitis which dragged on too long due to lack of theatre time and staff, and ended up perforating (bursting and leaking poo and pus into my abdomen...nice).  Felt like I'd been shot in the stomach...I couldn't bend forwards for a month.


Agent, I agree with most of that.  I probably have a slightly more optimistic outlook though.  I dunno if the human race deserves it, after all we're just another creature on the earth, and pretty dumb on the grand scale of things.  If an alien species came to earth that was a million times more capable than us, they would do nature programmes and analyse our selfindulgent, apathetic lifecycles. 

If we were more intelligent, then you could blame us, but like you  dont blame a kid for setting fire to your curtains, you can't really blame the human race for being the way it is.  Sure some of the consequences are much more terrible, but are they ever gonna go away?  Monkeys are also capable of social division and brutal murder - we're just as likely as them to suddenly turn around and say hmm lets not do that anymore.

That said, we do have the capcity for something greater - sparks of genius occasionally.  Shame it will never happen to the whole human race at the same time.  Until then, you just do what you can, and some brighter sparks in some corners of the world sometimes do more than we can - perhaps with futility but what the heck.  At least its interesting to talk about, heh.

If we were more intelligent, then you could blame us, but like you dont blame a kid for setting fire to your curtains, you can't really blame

I never believe in blame.  I'm a causal determinist, I don't even think choice exists.  Emotions and thought exist but where does free will fit in this picture?  What is free will based on?

It was just referring to what you said about the human race 'deserving' it.  I thought it implied blame.  But I get what you meant now.