Lacessit

Guilt and sin are the coercive instruments religions use to cement their claims to a higher morality. If you can explain to me how a new-born babe has a "fallen nature", I'm all ears.

There's some law that says I have to be the same age as my GF? A pathetic attempt at trolling.

Let's be clear, I am not defending the hustlers who are trying to scam you. I am questioning your copying of them. To the detriment of other expats who are not dishonest. When you scam someone, do you have a divining rod or crystal ball that tells you whether they are a hustler, or an honest person? Or do you opine every Thai here is a scammer, so it's open season on all of them? Maybe your actions will have consequences, maybe not. You obviously did not understand what I meant by turf encroachment. I have no interest in wasting my time explaining any further. Have a nice life cheating other people - while it lasts.

You obviously don't read the Murdoch press in Australia when elections roll around, please point me to when they have ever failed to support the Liberal-National coalition in the editorials.

One can argue there are both religious people and atheists who do evil, as well as good. Socialism does have values of fairness and equality, although those are perverted by some leaders. Australia has had a number of socialist governments, which historically have been much more progressive and kind than the conservative ones. It always amuses me when Americans start frothing at the mouth at the mere mention of socialism, as if it is evil incarnate. They are blissfully unaware one of the pillars of their society possesses many socialist features. It's called the US military.

In my only experience with a publishing company, I found myself correcting the spelling mistakes proofreaders had inserted into my original text. IME programmers are equally capable of making mistakes, therefore I have no interest in the systems you espouse.

What I am saying is one can develop moral and ethical values without the involvement of religion. You seem reluctant to accept that point of view. There are plenty of people who lead law-abiding and moral lives without ever setting foot in a church, synagogue, mosque, or temple. They may have done it as part of the brainwashing many children are subject to. My assessment of the Australian PM is based on the outcome of a Royal Commission. Multiple individuals have been referred under seal to various government bodies for civil and criminal proceedings. Based on the remarks of the Commissioner, there is little doubt the former PM will be among them. https://theconversation.com/robodebt-royal-commissioner-makes-multiple-referrals-for-prosecution-condemning-scheme-as-crude-and-cruel-209318 The question of abortion is a thorny one. The Roman Catholic Church regards it as a mortal sin, I understand abortion is permitted under Muslim law up until a certain number of weeks after conception. As a male, I don't presume to tell a woman what she should do with her body. Bringing a child into the world with no hope of quality of life IMO is not rational.

Give most of it to family and friends, I have everything I need. I would fly business class, that's it.

I hypothesize Muslims are so busy steeping themselves in religious dogma, so they can go on pilgrimage to Mecca, that there's not much room for other forms of learning.

In Australia, we got Robodebt. The Prime Minister of Australia was the architect of that scheme, which caused several people to commit suicide. It was basically war upon the poor. Said Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, is a devout Pentacostal Christion. In Afghanistan, explain to me how prohibiting the education of women enhances any of the values you mention. You are laboring under the delusion humility, compassion, kindness, honesty and the importance of truth are the exclusive preserve of religions. They are not, and there is ample evidence of that being the case. You want truth? Celibacy in priests has nothing to do with enhanced holiness or moral authority. It was formulated by the Catholic Church to protect church property from inheritance claims. Any psychiatrist will tell you when natural human sex drives are suppressed, it is statistically inevitable a proportion of persons under interdict will develop perversions. There are quite a few examples before the courts, of senior church officials who covered up for priests who were sex offenders, by shifting them between parishes. In Russia, the Orthodox Church supports the genocide of Ukrainians. How do you reconcile that with religious values?

My Thai GF is 23 years younger than me. If she was no longer with me, for whatever reason, I very much doubt I would have any desire to develop a new relationship. I am open-minded on the age gap. When I was a callow youth, an older woman gave me a great sex education.

Some of us do not need religion for a sense of stability, or as a moral compass. Given what has been happening, the claim to the latter is very shaky, if not ridiculous.

The appeal of religion partly rests on belief there is an afterlife, and therefore purpose. Many people cannot accept the concept this life may be all there is. Kerry Packer many years ago suffered an extensive cardiac arrest, and was successfully resuscitated. He said to his son afterwards: " I've been to the other side, and there is nothing there". When I have an anaesthetic, there is nothing there either. Perhaps Buddhists have the best handle on what happens after death, Nirvana, a state of nothingness. Although I do balk at the intervening concept of repeated reincarnations.

Thrombosis occurs due to immobility for extended periods, quite common on an aircraft. You can move around from your recliner or couch any time you want.

From what you are posting, IMO you are already crippled - mentally. Your pals probably won't be your pals any longer when you are encroaching on their turf.

Valid point concerning Thais. It's like Vegemite for Australians, we are brought up on it. You can add salt to taste, there is no peer-reviewed research showing normal salt levels do anything to elevate blood pressure. I don't regard my diet as restrictive. There are plenty of variations, such as multiple types of cheeses. I also vary the spices accompanying the food. I agree exercise is important as complementary to diet.

Since your thread is on a bird jag, here are some Australian natives that will eat out of my hand. Gloved, they can draw blood otherwise.

There is no such thing as good rice, it is still high carbohydrate. As are all grains. Forget the glycemic index, this is the diet that got me from 93 kg to 78 kg, and reduced my hbA1C to non-diabetic levels. I eat until full. 1/ Meat of any description. Eggs. 2/ Vegetables - broccoli, green beans, cauliflower, cabbage, tomato. 3/ Fruit - strawberry, blueberry, apple. 4/ Almonds 5/ Dairy - cheese and yoghurt, unsweetened. Skim milk is not diet, it is actually rich in lactose. NO processed foods. NO sugar. NOTHING that grows underground. If your partner must drink alcohol, spirits such as whisky and rum only.

Trap it and drown it instead. IIRC, one Australian state or local council has decreed all domestic cats are to be kept indoors, open season on the ones found outside. Cats are natural predators. Perhaps the herons have been reading the OP's posts on ASEAN, and realise he is too busy to harm them.

Two routes out of diabetes itself - pharmaceuticals, or strict food and exercise discipline. Because the OP's partner is diabetic, healing will be quite slow. IMO the risk of complication may outweigh any benefit.

So, there are three deist religions who advocate killing of non-believers. Oscar Schindler got a free pass. Thanks for confirming religion is a form of mental illness.

Mostly I get Like or Laugh icons from "somebody". Almost every post I make, I doubt I am that likeable or witty. Very occasionally I'll get a Sad or Confused. If the OP is getting predominantly Confused icons, it's presumably for a reason. Somebody must be a busy lad, he/she/it is usually first to add an emoticon on my posts.

Show me where the Talmud instructs Jews to kill Christians and Muslims.

IMO a religion which instructs its followers to kill all unbelievers is not "slightly different". Read the Koran.

I think you'll find religions have far more ignorant people. 50% of Americans still believe in angels. Every religion teaches its followers they are the best one. You cite one name as an example of "many"? Where did you learn statistics?