Iun

To be honest, my response can be summed up as "You utterly heartless bastard, you're just as bad as the god-botherers except you're only offering the comfort of cold, hard truth instead of the cheering lies." That'll have to do

In the developed world I don't see much of a problem having 3-5 children - provided that you have the means yourself to take care of them. I had a friend when I was 18 who was the eldest of 8: her mother lived in a council house with 8 children by 6 different men. The mother was younger than 40 at the time, had never had a full time job. The friend began the same cycle - three children, three different guys, council flat... that was at the time I lost touch with her. If you're capable of bringing them up decently, with a chance to better themselves, then sure, have 100. But don't put the strain on the rest of us. The developing world and China in particular is a bigger and more complex mess: here in China, having a girl is considered bad luck, and they are more likely to abort females (although it's illegal to identify the sex of the child before birth) than males. The result is that there's an imbalance of something like 1.25 males to every 1 female. Additionally, male children are supposed to be responsible for the care of their parents. Therefore there are families who will try and have as many babies as possibly until they "get" a boy. Which is one reason for the "One Child" policy, which is a good idea in teory, but the wealthy are able to circumvent it. They are also able to circumvent school admissions via bribery and get their children into the best free schools in the cities. Essentially it keeps the poor stupid and poor by denying them equal access to education. That said, sometimes the policy is enforced ruthlessly: 7-month old foetuses are aborted and then either left to die or killed in hospitals on the order of government officials.

Can you spoilertag how to get the Princess theme? I love the roccoco style, but I've only managed to get two pieces. The mermaid theme... oy, I've just not got the patience for all the tours anymore. Especially if it's just me doing it.

Alright, that's not something I feel a dude should say to another dude... Good work though! I'm not much of a fan of the gold furniture myself to be honest, but I suppose I'll have to collect more nuggets for the points value. :SADSMILEYFACE: Any advice on nugget collection?

Hey Goldmember, what was the prize for a pure gold house? A thingy dipped in gold?

I kinda have time for one or the other, not both :/ sorry. And I'd be uncomfortable writing "Utterly heartless bastard" so many time :P Shall we ask someone to moderate?

We're coming at this from absolutely different angles, Diageo. I cannot proceed any further without making remarks about your own beliefs that will be less than rude to you on a personal level. I don't think I'm willing to do that as it's offensive. However, I propose a two, three or four point debate, with my usual twist: take the opposing side. One of us begins with an opening point, then the other responds. The responder then make a point and the beginner of the debate responds and so on. up to a maximum of four individual points to respond to per person. I'd prefer two-point as it'll be easier on my workload. The motion is "Religion is unnecessary in modern society." I will take the pro side, as I would, as you can see, traditionally oppose the motion. You can oppose it as it's obvious that you would be for it. Why take a side contrary to your traditional standpoint? Because it opens the mind to the other side of the question, it truly puts your own position on trial as someone else has to make the point you would normally make for you. We could argue our own default positions all day and get nowhere. Let's make this interesting. Are you game @Diageo?

1) What guaranteed benefit will humanity get from the elimination of religion? 2) How many people are dead because of causes linked directly to religion? I mean, literally some idiot says "I love the great and mighty Wumbadum and anyone who does not will be eliminated!" I'm not talking about those people who use religion as a pretext for violence. But those who are inspired by their "religion" to do violence because their god has told them to, for those whom violence is an act of faith. 3) And answer this - how do you bring comfort to the sick and the dying? The grieving and the aggrieved? How does your pseudo-religion of science make people feel better when they suffer? And again, not morphine or painkillers because that's just a mask. How do you truly take away the agony of human existence, and the coldness of the universe? Honestly, how is it that atheism proposes to make the world a better place? Take away religion and magically everyone is happier? Remove the comfort of faith and suddenly we are no longer burdened by concerns of what happens when we die? The thing is, I agree: the balance of evidence points against there being a supreme being or beings. But where I disagree is that people need to be robbed of their faith to satisfy your need for self-justification, in the way that some people use the blanket of the Sacrament to wrap themselves in the security of being surrounded by other people. Come on, what are you giving! Because you are taking a LOT away.

@Diageo Haven't you adequately proven to yourself that religion is bad? Or are you still on the fence? Who are you trying to convince? You must surely know that people ignore information that disagrees with their worldview - there have been numerous psychological studies in many areas of social interaction. So if you are trying to convince the religious nutjobs, it's not going to work. They are not going to give up on their beliefs. If these psychologists and doctors put half the effort into curing serious physical illnesses as they did disproving god, surely there would be no need for religion? All that is effectively being done is attacking the faith of others... frankly, if it brings them comfort, let them have it. Has it ever occurred to them that people - real people- need the blinkers on? They need to be convinced that the suffering and pain of this world has to be worth it because they'll be given a reward. Instead they are giving them cold science. "All this pain you are suffering from the tumour? Meaningless. When you're dead, you're dead. No-one is waiting for you on the other side with outstretched arms, the moment to moment agony will only be taken from you when your heart stops beating and your brain dies. Then...oblivion." There are more things in heaven and Earth, Diageo, that are dreamt of in your philosophy. And one of them is happiness. You can't measure it, but no-one has the right to take it away just for the sake of disproving religion.

Write it down, whatever it is. Set it as a reminder on your phone. It will help.

Do you? Good for you.

Yeah, I hate it when I run out of Repel.

Yeah, big whoop. I did that to a guy this morning. I had him by the throat with my collapsible police baton in the other hand, threatening to beat him for cutting in front of me in line then spitting on my shoes when I told him to wait in line like everybody else. All he could say was "oh, god... oh god... oh god..." It was obviously a relaxing religious experience as he pissed in his underwear as well. I did in a few seconds what this science guy probably took months to create. That clearly makes me more awesome than him and therefore King of the Atheists.

More information plz! @nightwolf Did you not try NHS Direct?

Registered, and @DahmerStu as well.

I will register you later Stu, you'd be more than welcome! Remember your etiquette: drop by any time the gates are open but with native fruits if you are unexpected! My gates are open, all!

Wha...? HIRED!

About 6pm China time - no probs, I'll open my gates then.

A twenty what?

@S\.C\.G. @allthepeopleivegotregisteredasfriends! I'm bored of going solo! How about some group action?!

FFS don't say "Kryptonite" otherwise they'll know that you are actually Superman. ...ah, shit,I just said it...

Goddammit, I NEEDED that replica lightsaber!

GRAH! Parents have just told me that they want to sell their house next year, terrible news! I love that house and I had fully intended to buy it from them when they sold, but this has come too soon. If they could wait until this time next year.... DAMMIT! Beautiful old place... 250 years old cottage with 4 beds, living room dining room, conservatory, 3 bathrooms, kitchen and surrounded by gardens. But apparently the farm about a quarter mile away has just gotten unbearable - glaring headlamps at night, tractors operating at all hours... AAAARRRRGGGHHH!!!

On the plus side, you're going to lose a lot of weight. Get some lemonade, stir it with a spoon 'til the bubbles are gone and drink that. It'll help rehydrate you.

You suck, and that makes me sad