As I read your kind words, Saltpetre, they turned that red colour you see when you exceed the word limit… as I blushed. That it felt like an infarction lasted less than a second. The embarrassment phase that followed has lasted longer, because I know how far short of those ideals I fall. Somehow you've identified a number of my top ten behaviour goals. Also included is "leaving the world better than I found it" – this one's slow going as, on the whole, the world is acting like it doesn't want me to.

Regardless of whether I agreed with the opinion I quickly discovered the OLO commenters I most enjoyed always showed wit, or were reasoned, or were constructive and helpful, or helped me learn something new, or made me think from a new perspective. The very best often combined these traits in a single post complete with a personal 'tone of voice', which gave me examples to aim towards.

Although I've been trying to emphasise helpfulness recently, there's much work to do on clarity when even compliments seem not well received. In a mere three words, "tree of lief", one under god created two lexical puns, three homophonic puns, a visual joke and three allegorical references; to atheists, to science and to god. I was genuinely impressed at the achievement and think it's the best single-phrase I've read on OLO.

If you reread your posts, Saltpetre. I have no doubt you will find evidence that your self-criticism is too harsh.

Crabsy… exactly what I was thinking.

Plus, the eternal internal battle between our emotional and rational brains for control of our single ego gets projected onto our perception of the world, our reaction to it and our thoughts about it. The emotional and rational are not mutually exclusive but when they are confused together on topics like 'spiritual atheism' the conversation is also necessarily confusing.

One under god… I'm going to need time to think about how best to respond to your last post. My previous efforts are obviously inadequate.

Please be reassured that I am NOT having a go at you. It's because I know you would NOT lie or deceive that I'm trying to help with scientific accuracy, where necessary. When there are factual errors people will pick on those instead of thinking about the good/god aspects you want them to realise.

wn quote/....""I'm going to need time to think about how best to respond to your last post.""

clearly if your correct in your presumption
that im totally wrong about everything i say about evolution
this shouldnt take too long

'"My previous efforts are obviously inadequate.""

dont put yourself down
i live and breath evolutions laws
for you you got a be lief in athiestic non belief in god

thus you need
the crutch...a belief
in a science THEORY provides

""I am NOT having a go at you."'

you said i know nothing of the topic

""I know you would NOT lie or deceive""
im huh-man as well...i know as a cetainty it is god that done it
just as i know for a certainty..science dont know how it happend either

""I'm trying to help with scientific accuracy,..where necessary.""

as you cant find other things to add
then clearly the nessesaty is errant..
more based on faith/hope..than actual/factual proof

i have the same thing
when i refute christ 'doing miracles'

""When there are factual errors""

thats a good phrase..in lue of proof?

there are factual errors
but you cant say which....[lol]

""people will pick on those""

even if they dont egsist

""instead of thinking about
the good/god aspects you want them to realise.""

if i wish to have them think good
is as easy as giving good to begin with
sasdly...many having FAITH [belief]..in science
have been decieved..but dont know enough about the topic to know it

""the eternal internal battle
between our emotional and rational brains
for control of our single ego..gets projected onto our perception of the world,..*our reaction to it..*and our thoughts about it.""

as others have said
you have a way with cutting through the spin
when your talking about stuff you know...[the known knowns]
but with the unknown unknowns..you need to take it on faith/hunch or your cosen lief

""The emotional and rational
are not mutually exclusive""

partly right...one affects the other
just like spirit affects material

science MUST BE only the facts
not emotion..but TOTALLY rational..

and able to be concensously rationalised...
where the facts are UN_CERTAIN

but where total consencous isnt..
yet fictions are accepted as 'fact'
there lies emotion..*not rationality..!

""but when they are confused together
on topics like 'spiritual atheism'..the conversation is also necessarily confusing.""

not really

think of it like this

there are those..with 'faith'...be-lief...
IN there not being a god..

yet still strive to be a good person
or believe in other things of spirit

i was a spiritual athiest..
untill i realised im really
just a leaf..and that if gods tree is refected in me

im little more than what i could be
...if i didnt fully know the lief in me
is the only real evolution within me...

[sorry havnt got
the word skills to convey the mind imagry..within me
into the words..that project my inner being..to the outside..of me]

One under god, I'm concerned that we are being disrespectful of other posters who were sharing as well as starting other lines of discussion…

If you would like to take our exchanges to a general discussion thread I will engage with you there.

At least I won't have the guilt of feeling I'm contributing to inadvertent hijacking of this thread; plus, on a positive note, others may wish the opportunity to contribute to talking about their relationships with god and with science?

dear wm
you stated here*

that im completly wrong
re what im saying about evolution

i stated here..tell me where im wrong..!

then instead of saying where
you write this

""One under god, I'm concerned
that we are being disrespectful of other posters""

me too
here you are on THIS topic
satying im wrong

i say STATE where im wrong
HERE....on this topic where you said i was wrong
you claim disrespect..in lue of presenting facts

worse...you accuse me of being disrespectfull...
to those.."" who were sharing..as well as starting*..other lines of discussion…""

well my beloved other
this is FINISHING...""..other lines of..*THIS discussion'

""If you would like to take our exchanges
to a general discussion thread I will engage with you there.""

I SIMPLY WANT YOU TO STATE HERE
what you began here..by saying HERE..that i lie

instead of pointing out ...HERE
you say go over there...lol

where i need yet again RESTATE..
what was put here

then you will find
some other excuse..THERE

you REFUSE to present your case here
where you chose to begin it

instead comeup with the likes of this

""At least I won't have the guilt
of feeling I'm contributing to inadvertent hijacking of this thread;""

mate this toopic has gone over 45 pages
it nearly finnished a few times

it couldnt be highjacked further
by SUPPLYING FACT where you ACCUSE me of fiction

but you go on with excuses
..""plus, on a positive note,
others may wish the opportunity to contribute
to talking about their relationships with god and with science?""

ok
so win tell me
how is this evolution thing work
[you say im wrong]..so tell me is evolution a noun..or an adjective?

is it method...or means..or watching/recording/observing..or what

you said im wrong..
then refuse to say wrong..*about what specificly

im *not saying..your wrong
only saying PROOVE IT..here*...now*

*silence refutes your claim