Are you an atheist? (2 Viewers)

[Vassago]

Yes. I tend to use Eostre as the Goddess name and Ostara for the holiday. *shrug* Just the way I was taught, I suppose.

Gotcha. I thought you were stating she didn't exist, and then stating you celebrated her holiday.

The problem with communication via text alone is you only receive 10% of the actual message. You're missing tone and body language which can cause the wrong words to be emphasized.

 

[amberkei]

Gotcha. I thought you were stating she didn't exist, and then stating you celebrated her holiday.

The problem with communication via text alone is you only receive 10% of the actual message. You're missing tone and body language which can cause the wrong words to be emphasized.

There's a great deal of debate as to whether or not any ancient peoples actually celebrated her, and to what extent she is wound up with the other mother/fertility goddesses. I think there's a fascinating set of questions around the meta-myths. Isthar/Eostre/Freya - are they similar because cultures tend to fill the same roles with the stories of their gods? Is there some sort of progenitor Goddess from whom these stories diverged? (Like an evolutionary tree - what is the common ancestor?) How much were the mucked up by the (primarily Christian) historians who wrote them down?

(I consider myself an agnostic Pagan - Not particularly convinced that there are any gods, but I identify with the culture and celebrations of the Neo-Pagans. I celebrate Ostara as the Spring Equinox, but deal much with the gods and goddesses. That's why this thread drew my curiosity.)

 

[Dayton]

An interesting conversation. Thank you for bringing it to the table Alisa.

Sadly, enough I am from the states, and I have witnessed the brain washing religion in the states brings us. Just watch fox news for a few moments and you'll see it in action.

This is actually why I'm trying to move to the UK. (If you know of any UK construction companies that are hiring estimators and construction managers from the US let me know )

That being said, I'm actually buddhist in practice. Which, can be considered more of a philosphy than a religion.

As far as the afterlife goes and all that jazz. I consider it a possiblity, due to the law of conservation of energy.

Just consider for a moment how much energy the human consious contains. Where does that go when a human dies? It must be converted to something else, possibly though and evolutionary process or not. OR! Nothing at all could happen.

Just food for thought.

 

[ColinEssex]

This is actually why I'm trying to move to the UK. (If you know of any UK construction companies that are hiring estimators and construction managers from the US let me know )

We are already full up with EU hopefuls trying to earn a living in the UK taking British jobs. Those that can't, scrounge on benefits and get free housing despite paying zero tax.

Col

 

[Dayton]

We are already full up with EU hopefuls trying to earn a living in the UK taking British jobs. Those that can't, scrounge on benefits and get free housing despite paying zero tax.

Col

Alrighty. Won't mention it again. Can feel the venom in that statement from here.

 

[ColinEssex]

Alrighty. Won't mention it again. Can feel the venom in that statement from here.

No venom, just stating facts.

There is massive resentment (not all British, but a rising swell) at too many foreigners coming here draining our resources, like schools, hospitals, housing etc.

Col

 

[MrsGorilla]

Clubbed like a baby seal.

Lol! Sorry, but that made me laugh.

 

[Dick7Access]

Lol! Sorry, but that made me laugh.

That reminded me of this woman that got mad at me this morning. She sad that she bought a whole case of cat food and now her cat wouldn't eat it. I said simple, kill the cat and get another one, and if that one wouldn't eat it, get another. Keep repeating that process. Eventuality you will get one that will eat it. Problem solved. Now she's mad at me. Just can't please some people.

 

[Big Pat]

Colin....In what sense are they "British" jobs? You mean vacancies that happen to arise in Britain should be reserved for British people? Would you define British people as holders of a British passport? Or those born in Britain? Or some other mechanism?

 

[scott-atkinson]

We are already full up with EU hopefuls trying to earn a living in the UK taking British jobs. Those that can't, scrounge on benefits and get free housing despite paying zero tax.

Col

Col,

I usually agree with you on most things, but on this I do not.

The majority of the migrant scroungers are from outside of the EU, from the African and Asian states, the majority of EU migrants, are hard working individuals who come to the UK to earn 5 times more than they can in their own countries simply by doing the Minimum wage jobs that Lazy English people won't get off their asses and do.

If our Government forced the Idle in our society into work, then immigration would naturally reduce as the jobs would not be available, but whilst we are content to let these people live off benefits then the Migrants will come.

 

[scott-atkinson]

No venom, just stating facts.

There is massive resentment (not all British, but a rising swell) at too many foreigners coming here draining our resources, like schools, hospitals, housing etc.

Col

Most of this resentment is from the very British people who will not get off their asses and work and find it much easier to blame somebody else for it.

The average hardworking British person knows that the majority of EU migrants work and pay their taxes and have actually helped our economy grow.

 

[Brianwarnock]

Most of this resentment is from the very British people who will not get off their asses and work and find it much easier to blame somebody else for it.

The average hardworking British person knows that the majority of EU migrants work and pay their taxes and have actually helped our economy grow.

I wonder how you know all this!

it helps explain why UKIP is gaining voters, oops I think I've got that wrong.

They are of course better off working for buttons here than not working back home, but it does drive down wages, but I suppose if you are in a decently paid job that is not going to worry you.

Brian

 

[scott-atkinson]

I wonder how you know all this!

it helps explain why UKIP is gaining voters, oops I think I've got that wrong.

They are of course better off working for buttons here than not working back home, but it does drive down wages, but I suppose if you are in a decently paid job that is not going to worry you.

Brian

Brian,

I know this because I keep my ears and eyes open..

UKIP is gaining momentum because there is a distinct lack of diversity from the main parties, gone are the days of Labour being the socialists, the Tories, the Capitalists, and the Liberals, ... well liberal, they are all pretty much the same now..

The UKIP is different therefore they are gaining votes...

The television and newspapers are full of people blaming immigration for the benefits issues, and it is usually the people on benefits are part time work that are the protagonists...

As I have stated before, my girlfriend is Polish, she works as a Manager on a farm and has lived in the UK since Poland joined the EU some 18 years ago, she employs eastern Europeans on her farm they earn above the minimum wage, some of them are seasonal workers, she has tried employing British workers but they have more often then not let her down by either refusing to do the more menial or hard graft tasks, or by simply not turning up for work... The eastern Europeans work hard and are thankful for the work..

I was in Romania two weeks ago attending a friends wedding, yes the Bride and Groom are both Romanian and yes they both work in the UK, they, from across Europe planned their wedding in every detail themselves whilst working sometimes 50 - 60 hours a week in the UK, I cannot imagine the average Brit doing all that...

 

[pr2-eugin]

The majority of the migrant scroungers are from outside of the EU, from the African and Asian states,

Scott, I think you are wrong with this statement by a huge margin. I am not sure where you got this, but based on the UK Home Office immigration law, people outside EU, who are here to work cannot be on the benefit system until they become naturalized citizens. Which would take a minimum of 10 years.

Getting work permit is not an easy task as you think. Their minimum wage should be more than the average pay for a British/EU individual. They have restricted work, nothing to very little benefit. The very little is NHS, Police, Fire etc. Not the housing, children, single parent etc. which normally is what comes to mind when benefits are considered.

The only scroungers who can use the benefit system from the mentioned few places are people who come into the country under the Asylum category. These people will never take away your jobs, trust me ! This is mainly because they have found a sweet flavor of the benefit system that they can exploit.

Here is where the immigration laws need to be properly enforced. Stopping well qualified professionals who are genuinely seeking employment to bump up the economy, pay into the services offered by GB, over people who seek mainly benefits is absurd.

the majority of EU migrants, are hard working individuals who come to the UK to earn 5 times more than they can in their own countries simply by doing the Minimum wage jobs that Lazy English people won't get off their asses and do.

Not just people in EU. I would say; in general people outside the UK are hardworking.

I am glad you have seen the problem here. If the British folk get up and do the jobs that are available to do, then there would be no need for immigrants to come into the country and "do them for you". No let me rephrase "take your jobs, that you did not want to do in the first place".

 

[scott-atkinson]

So the scroungers would be the people of color? Africans and Asians and they do not work as hard?

I obviously meant asylum seekers, the majority of these are from Asian and African states, including the Middle East under the Asian category.

Who do you think all those people are trying to hide under trucks and in containers in France, they certainly are not legitimate EU migrants.

 

[Brianwarnock]

I obviously meant asylum seekers, the majority of these are from Asian and African states, including the Middle East under the Asian category.

.

So why not just say asylum seekers?
Why is any further qualification necessary?
Is there by any chance a bias towards East Europeans in your views?

Brian

 

[Dayton]

Alrighty! Pulling back the reigns seeing as I started this little argument with my wistful hope of one day being a citizen of the UK.

Thank you for the interesting perspective though. I don't wish to cause any amenity between people.

 

[ColinEssex]

So the scroungers would be the people of color? Africans and Asians and they do not work as hard?

I thought all people were "of colour". Are you singling out just Africans and Asians?

Col

 

[ColinEssex]

Alrighty! Pulling back the reigns seeing as I started this little argument with my wistful hope of one day being a citizen of the UK.

It would be interesting to know your reasoning why you consider the UK to be better to live in and be a citizen of, rather than the USA.

Col

 

[ColinEssex]

We agree to disagree.

No we don't.
Sometimes we apologise for things we say, unless one is from the USA where it's ok to accuse someone of having a mental condition with no qualification to diagnose such complex conditions.

I'm led to believe that person has now left the forums.

Col