September 26, 2005

Gerin oil (or Geriniol to give it its scientific name) is a powerful drug which acts directly on the central nervous system to produce a range of characteristic symptoms, often of an antisocial or self-damaging nature. Geriniol intoxication has been responsible for the most barbarous and violent events in history. Learn more about Gerin oil and how to avoid it's use.
posted by Chyren 18 years ago
  • No thanks, I quit. (religion)
  • Hooray for religion-bashing! Hooray for fish that like to swim in buckets and the people who love to love them!
  • El Dawkins rocks my world. His anger at religion is well-based and always well expressed. If he helps us see how stupid we are sometimes, then good on him.
  • Time to think outside the bucket. Nice post, Chy.
  • Would someone please inform me about the name "gerin oil"? If only we could separate idiotic actions from the religions whose names the idiots hide behind, the world would be a better, more tolerant place.
  • Skrik: "Gerin oil" and "geriniol" are anagrams of "religion."
  • Mixed gerin oil makes them pray (8). Also: Famous writer arranged Darwin dick rash (7,7).
  • Doctor in re-edited biop answered too quick! (6)
  • /slaps forehead. Thanks, pmdboi.
  • Kirk confused by first letter from Spock (5).
  • Sister is between one pound and a hundred (8)
  • W stands before his crazy Bible and shows off his muscles (10).
  • Wibbleflex: Brilliant! I'm still scratching my head over quidnunc's first two, though. Jamaican greeting vital, though a trifle eccentric, says website (12).
  • "If only we could separate idiotic actions from the religions whose names the idiots hide behind, the world would be a better, more tolerant place." I think that's impossible, that religion is the problem. And I'm including Wicca, Zen, Satanism, Santeria, etc. etc.; the "Abrahamic faiths" are the worst contemporary offenders, but in pre-Islamic Persia the Zoroastrians were beastly too. A lot of female genital mutilations in Africa, are done by believers in traditional "animist" religions, for example.
  • If only we could separate idiotic actions from the religions whose names the idiots hide behind, the world would be a better, more tolerant place. It's those idiots who are the major perps of intolerance, which leads to those atrocities. Intolerance of the intolerant isn't a contradiction, though it sounds like one when described in those terms. I wich I could figure out those puzzles. The only one I can get is the first, easy one by quidnunc.
  • Sure religion has a blotted record but what about all the other -isms? Isn't the real problem radical dogmatism? (communism --> gulag), (racism --> KKK), (sexism --> witch hunts).....
  • Look, Knickers, let's face facts.. believing in something like religion per se is really fucking stupid. ALL religions are really fucking stupid, so trying to separate the really stupid people from a religious faith is like trying to separate fish piss from the ocean. You're still left with a bloody lot of green water. I'm not saying spirituality is incompatible with intelligence, I'm saying religion is. Anyone who has ever had a *true* spiritual experience comes away saying more or less the same thing - you can't *know* what it really "is" or what it means, or what 'god' is; you can only glimpse it. Writing some word-version of your vision down for others is not only defeating the experience, it's making it more difficult for others to have one of their own.
  • Amen, brother!
  • Two knockouts for a chimp champ (4).
  • From the wikipedia article on Einstein: >Summarizing his religious beliefs, he once said: "My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind." >He also expressed admiration for Buddhism, which he said "has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: It transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural and the spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things, natural and spiritual, as a meaningful unity." Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater, shall we?
  • Look, Knickers, let's face facts.. believing in something like religion per se is really fucking stupid. Why is it that phrases like "let's face facts" are always followed by opinions?
  • I don't get those puzzly things. Am I an idiot?
  • Longstanding peeve of mine. Another guaranteed weasel prelude is The fact of the matter is.... Also This is obviously true:. Agreement within a confused knockout (4).
  • quidnunc: Aw, that's almost the exact one I had. Here are my two, though: Within anarchy, rent is cool, man (6) The gorilla came back twice, OK? (4) I was trying to work out one for Chyren involving "Virginity, without fail, ..." but it just didn't work. On preview: no, Koko, you're not. Look here for more info. Just keep in mind that your name is the answer to three of them so far. :)
  • It's how those wacky Brits do crossword puzzles, Kooko. In "Two knockouts for a chimp champ (4)", you are looking for a 4-letter word meaning "chimp champ" defined by "two knockouts" (i.e., KO + KO). When the clue has 'crazy', 'eccentric', 'confused', etc. in it, it means the letters are rearranged.
  • Oops! Koko!11!1
  • It's a stern vet - Mr Knickerbocker? (12)
  • So, goetter and rocket, rather than debate the statement that belief in religion is not rational, you fall to picking at nits in semantics. This, in fact, is typical of you both.
  • Agreement within a confused knockout (4) Shouldn't that be "Agreement within a knockout (4)" ?
  • So, goetter and rocket, rather than debate the statement that belief in religion is not rational, you fall to picking at nits in semantics. This, in fact, is typical of you both. Can you please add me to this.. I feel left out now.
  • rather than debate the statement that belief in religion is not rational It's a shame because I really felt that you could have gone somewhere with that debate this time and world peace was just around the corner.
  • Lie back, note the clever monkey (5).
  • Yeah pmdboi, Chy is tricky. Wolof suggested anagramming "cry + hen" in a jest once, but I'm not too sure about how to make something reasonably easy (I'm pretty crap at these, and it shows) ... Nice monkey is confused if kitsch (4,4) Seperate groups formed after picking out nits in semantics (5) Teams!
  • This, in fact, is typical of you both. Heh. heh. heh.
  • Oh jesus I fucked that up.
  • quidnunc, I did manage to make one for Chyren... it just didn't involve anagramming.
  • The monkey laughs - a self motivated individual doesn't need God initially (7)
  • No, I saw pmd - and you are far better at this than me (as is wibbleflex). You're probably both being helped by that Jesus bastard.
  • Humans fear death. Believing in 'everlasting life' is nicer than worms feasting on your rapidly decomposing eyes. Humans fear their self-awareness. A big, helpful and in some cases unpredictably violent god goes a long way toward creating a sense of structure and unity. Also, just throwing this into the mix because I find it such a perfect example of human frailty: St. Augustine promoted the notion of original sin because he couldn't control his erections (you can look that up). Since he had no control, it must be someone else's fault (Eve's, I believe). We are all tainted by this sin because it has been passed down through generations by sperm. Humans like this theory because it helps them understand why 'bad things happen to good people'. I like it because it's such a confused-guy thing.
  • Thanks pmdboi. I'm not even going to attempt one of my own today (brain is all pudding-ish). Who wants to play Hungry Hungry Hippos?
  • It's easier to set them than solve the fuckers.
  • >Humans fear death... Humans fear their self-awareness... Humans also like to play 'MY beliefs are smart, YOUR beliefs are stupid'.
  • Demand explanation after false shot is treasured by children (7).
  • Somehow I feel that rhyming Cockney slang and religious texts are related. Solve for x.
  • Confused - then stab at commentator (4,3,3).
  • "Oh jesus I fucked that up." Ironic.
  • Ringo's predecessor - stroke reversed last word of last album before Werner Erhard's seminar (8)
  • Fido eats mashed veggies in becoming pyjama model (8)
  • First Pope, to his friends, the most superior fellow (8).
  • Less than religion, per se, I think it's absolutist, inflexible thinking that is the root of so many problems. Just happens to be that religion is particularly fertile ground for absolutism. Politics brings about many similar "my team versus their team" artificial dichotomies. But in this thread, the absolutists just happen to be absolutely of the opinion that belief in a religion equates with stupidity.
  • why is it that I get most other word puzzles, but these baffle me utterly? Is there a place that has brit-style crosswords for dolts?
  • OK, so some of these clues have me puzzled as well. I set up a page on the wiki that has all of the solutions that I know so far, and question marks where I don't. Feel free to fill in the blanks if you know what goes there.
  • Less than religion, per se, I think it's absolutist, inflexible thinking that is the root of so many problems. Just happens to be that religion is particularly fertile ground for absolutism. Politics brings about many similar "my team versus their team" artificial dichotomies. But in this thread, the absolutists just happen to be absolutely of the opinion that belief in a religion equates with stupidity. Bingo. This just in; "Religion can cause problems" Holy shit! I had no idea! How have they been keeping this from us?!
  • That's not the point of the thread, the point of the thread is that religion *is* the problem. I mean, we're glad you're so wise and all, but it'd be nice if the cynical and worldly would get off their asses and do something about the problem instead of nodding their heads sagely. I bet you're really fun at parties. Oh, wait.. you are... :P
  • I'm up for the Hungry Hungry Hippos, if it's still on. But I donwanna be the pink hippo. I always get stuck with the pink hippo...
  • Fuxck the hippos.
  • I think the point of the thread is that in the core of religion is the potential for its own corruption and misuse. Religion is a metaproblem. People are *the* problem. Assholery and Jerkitude come in all stripes, religious and not.
  • Chy gets the pink hippo.
  • the point of the thread is that religion *is* the problem When evil people do evil things in the name of religion, it's not the religion that's to blame...it's the evil people themselves. They may (mis)use religion to justify their actions, but that's only a justification, not a cause. If the world were full of atheists, it would be no less murderous or unjust. It would just have more stores open on Sundays.
  • Monkeyfilter: Assholery and Jerkitude come in all stripes
  • By metaproblem I mean a manifestation, a symptom, a syndrome that grows around a bug in the human mind: the same mechanism by which we learn that planting seeds can make them grow, we have mis-learned that whatever dance we do while planting is also helpful. The upside of our learning mechanism is advancement and intuitive connection of seemingly disparate things into a cohesive and useful whole. The downside is superstition, and the intuitive connection of rightfully disparate things into a muddled, arbitrary, and destructive whole, but all supported by our learning mechanism's tendency toward confirmation bias.
  • I knew a guy who really believed that Eric Clapton was God.
  • MonkeyFilter: picking at nits in semantics
  • "When evil people do evil things in the name of religion, it's not the religion that's to blame...it's the evil people themselves." Ugh. Pure sophistry, given the texts that make up most religions are largely exhortations of tribalism and violence directed against 'the other' in the name of 'our god', whoever that happens to be at the time. I suppose you also say things like "guns don't kill people, people do"? Try "gas chambers don't kill people, nazis do" and parse it. Makes as much sense. A system designed for irrational purposes founded on irrational ideas cannot lead to rational results.
  • You see Sophistry on one hand, and I see a Straw Man on the other.
  • lemmy caught onto this long before dawkins.
  • So, Chyren, do you disagree with my opinion that an atheistic world would be no less murderous or unjust? I'd go further and say that if it was your personal brand of hateful and intolerant atheism, it would be far, far worse.
  • I mean, we're glad you're so wise and all, but it'd be nice if the cynical and worldly would get off their asses and do something about the problem instead of nodding their heads sagely I just shot a bishop. Happy? What have you done, o modest, non-cynical web warrior? Rocket...you only have opinions whereas chyren has facts. Give up. GIVE UP!
  • Someone call the marshal!
  • I just shot a bishop. Happy? What have you done, o modest, non-cynical web warrior? He was sarcastic and dismissive. On the internet. It's very important. I have never heard of those puzzles before. I am intrigued. Moreso than the usual blahblaheveryonebutmesucks.
  • Excuse me, is this the right room for an argument?
  • Are we playing hippos now or what?
  • Pete -- you want in on hippos? There's room for one more...
  • "... the texts that make up most religions are largely exhortations of tribalism and violence directed against 'the other' in the name of 'our god'..." most religions? largely? are we sure about that? I'm no scholar but I've read some Hindu and Buddhist texts that are quite free of such things. Some would say that Buddhism isn't religion in the same way the Abrahamic faiths are. I wonder if lumping all belief systems together is a bit too reductionist. The real question is, why do people believe what they do (or don't)? p.s. dibs on the blue hippo
  • I suppose you also say things like "guns don't kill people, people do"? Try "gas chambers don't kill people, nazis do" and parse it. Makes as much sense. Holy crap, I actually agree with Chyren. These do make exactly the same about of sense!
  • amount even...
  • People are just funny, I guess. This hippo game-do I have to wear anything special to play?
  • People are just funny, I guess. This hippo game-do I have to wear anything special to play?
  • Sorry. Got all eager.
  • Short officer beneath major french car (4,7). Tarzan's wife is just after cash (9). Lycanthrope missing two-thirds of toe takes in you and I (7).
  • Lycanthrope missing two-thirds of toe takes in you and I (7) There's one where the answer was easier then the puzzle ;)
  • ready .... go!!
  • It was a pretty poor effort (like all of 'em from me).
  • I suppose you also say things like "guns don't kill people, people do"? Try "gas chambers don't kill people, nazis do" and parse it. Makes as much sense. Not just religion that's a scourge on our nation... heavy metal music makes teenagers kill!
  • My hippo, while hungry, is doing a Gaultier show, and therefore will be snorty snorty hippo in the bathroom.
  • no blue hippo!? But I believed there was a blue hippo! This is gonna take some time to get over. Why does baby Jesus hate the blue hippos?
  • Is a false analogy a trick of the Sophists? Cause if so, the gas-chamber-Nazi line is itself sophistry. Rocket88 speaks the truth (in this thread).
  • Oh, and GTA3 is from the devil... no wait... it's bad... just like the devil... if he existed... which he can't... because - you know - religion is a load of crap... and all that.
  • Friend from a simple spaceship sounds like he's eaten twice (8) GO HOME QUIDNUNC
  • And, does this mean I can order a gas chamber?
  • Two fat ladies on a salad leaf
  • Rocket's comment was nowhere near sophistry. But equating religion with a weapon... now that was one of the most unabashed straw man arguments I've seen in a long time.
  • I bet you're really fun at parties. I think you're confusing me with a stripper. But if I was a stripper, I would blame it on Britney Spears and the continuing erosion of moral standards by the Satanists who control The Media.
  • I'm pretty sure there is a way to make some money out of this stripper/opiate of the masses/weapon thing. And the sperm story was real, darn it.
  • This juvenile Roman begs for a pound, now (3,8,3) Like it isn't obvious.
  • When evil people do evil things in the name of religion, it's not the religion that's to blame...it's the evil people themselves. I suppose then, that when good people do good things in the name of religion, it's not the religion that's to credit... it's the good people themselves. Right? I have a hard time with the suggestion that an elaborate system of rules, stories, etc. that has as its stated purpose the moral guidance of its subscribers (as do most religions, I would say) has absolutely no effect on the behaviour of said subscribers. I certainly can't believe it only has positive effects.
  • What if god is evil?
  • Why are people always so anxious to defend Buddhism it's religion-bashing time? C'mon, let's toss it on the pyre with the rest and fire that baby up!
  • I suppose then, that when good people do good things in the name of religion, it's not the religion that's to credit... it's the good people themselves. Right? Right.
  • ...it's the evil people themselves. I would only add those who aren't evil so much as blind followers. Ignorance and blind, unquestioning fealty can be just as deadly. Yes, the evil ones pulling the strings are most to blame, but I think you have to blame those who followed and did not question as well.
  • What's all this about Geritol?
  • "do you disagree with my opinion that an atheistic world would be no less murderous or unjust? I'd go further and say that if it was your personal brand of hateful and intolerant atheism, it would be far, far worse." Firstly, I'm not an atheist. As to the thing about a world without religion, it would certainly be violent and unjust, because we're human. But, without falling into the trap of speculating on something that can't be proven either way, I would argue it would be less so. You would not have pogroms, jihads and crusades, witch-trials and exorcisms. You would instead be calling these things what they really are; hate crimes, mass-murder and lynchings. Religion makes these things much easier to organise, don'tcha know. Again, because you seem not to be able to perceive large woody things for masses of leavy things, I differentiate between spirituality and religion. You can have the former without the latter, and the latter seems often very happily to exclude the former. Religion is, when you get down to it, conformity.
  • Henry Cowell drunk, missing low el.
  • STFU hippy
  • Well put, Chyren, well put. (3,2)
  • Religion makes these things much easier to organise, don'tcha know. And therein lies the problem. Religion, or some other form of social control (see Jim Jones, Communism, your high school yearbook) is present wherever there are humans. We are an organizing animal. You can, however, choose to not be a dick.
  • I guess we'll have to define religion a little better. In the context of the original article, I take it to mean any belief in a higher power. In fact, to quote the article: "Beliefs that have no basis in fact...against evidence from the real world." Then again, I disagree with the article. I have no problem with anyone believing what they want to believe, be they religious, spiritual, or otherwise. Sure, religion can be used to coerce some people into doing things we see as wrong...even evil, but so can money, sex, and plain old secular brainwashing. Religion is something you percieve to be behind many of the problems in the world, but that's only because so much of the world's population *is* religious, it only stands to reason that a large percentage of the evildoers are also religious. Correlation does not imply causation, as I'm sure you know. It certainly can be a powerful tool for controlling large groups of people, but, from what I know of humans, that may be a good thing. As a wise man once said: "If God didn't exist, it would be necessary to invent him."
  • It's interesting how so many different interpretations can come out of a statement. Some people think of Jesus as a revolutionary dissident type like Che Guevara. Others see him as a wimpy effeminate guy that walked around all the time in a nightie. The simple fact is: I'm right, you're all wrong.
  • Most of the worlds problems do not come from religion, but rather from the inability of people to discuss ideas and opinions without personally attacking their intellectual sparring partner.
  • MonkeyFilter: plain old secular brainwashing Someone wake up Gramma.
  • I'm an atheist. But I'll tell you right now, if you plan to convince the world that religion is not a good idea? You may want to consider packing a lunch. Ooo! Windmills!
  • As a wise man once said: "If God didn't exist, it would be necessary to invent him." And, as a wise woman said, about a year ago:"If there were no moneyjane, it would be necessary to invent her". I dunno about the former but I'm pretty sure the latter is real. (just reminded me of a wonderful old thread.)
  • Perhaps religion provides us with a convenient means of justifying our inevitable attrocities. Maybe we're just a belligerent, competitive and territorial species that hasn't yet evolved to the point where we can reliably coexist peacefully, whether god exists or not.
  • What if God was one of us?/ just a stranger on the bus/ trying to make his way home/ nobody calling on the phone/ 'cept the Pope maybe in Rome
  • All this talk of false idols is nothing but a charade. He will come and save us all.
  • "You can, however, choose to not be a dick." Oh, come now. Life would be much less fun without my dick.
  • I mean being a dick. Ahem.
  • Young James is sent after a medic just before midnight (9) Obnoxius one is filled with mixed vegetable (8) Confuse Jay with me, anyone? (9) I'm certain that Quid, Wibbleflex, pmdboi, et al are all much better at this than I am... I like logic puzzles but for some reason was never as good at the anagrams.
  • Anagrams suck.
  • That's because you're a sinner who's going to burn for all eternity. Sinner.
  • Down with anagrams! Up with hippos!
  • Pu uroy Phiop!
  • This is as good a time as any for me to remind you all to beware rectal leeches.
  • So, no butt sex with hippos, then. *crosses off list*
  • Let's not be too hasty.
  • So, barring religion, people would find another banner to gather under to be dicks. Hell, they do that even with religion- see nazis, various racist groups, any war motivated by radical nationalism and/or political idealogy, the gap between the poor and the rich and the struggles motivated by that gap, etc. Religion sure is a popular one these days though when it comes to gathering support for mass murder and oppression, so you can hardly blame the people who don't like it. To be fair, I don't think we much care for any of the other causes I listed up there either. I know I don't. There's nothing wrong with spirituality in any form, but you can be spiritual without listening to a cleric/priest/minister telling you to hate/bomb/condemn other people.
  • ". . . that thou didst blow thine enemies to tiny bits . . . in thy mercy."
  • Whoosh! That'd be yer Irrational Design.
  • smallish bear, What's wrong with struggling to adress the gaps between rich and poor?
  • When I had my spiritual experience on November 5th 1986, 'God' informed me that no one could ever know what was really going on, but "everything is going according to plan". The only other thing I remember of the message is that "there should be no priest or vicar or pope; no barrier between god and man." And the moon danced in the heavens, ribs bared to the starlight.
  • Well, when I had my spiritual experience on November 6th 1986, 'God' told me, "get this! This guy, Chyren? I just told him that 'everything's going according to plan', or some shit! Man, I thought he was gonna shit his pants! Then I stole his weed and I'm all, 'dude, we totally smoked that already, you should go get some more', and he's like, 'but you're God, you can just make some more'. So then I got all big and loud and I go, 'YOU DARE TO DOUBT MY GREAT PLAN??' and he got all scared and ran off and then I smoked the rest of his weed and made it with his old lady." He didn't say anything about vicars though. Then he passed out on my couch.
  • *Wipes guffaw residue from surrounding area*
  • When I had my spiritual experience I was just really happy that she didn't get pregnant.
  • Nothing inside wild dog from Senegal (5) Irons front of festival outfit (3) Not quite rich before loot taken back (15) Self-deceiving speech? (8)
  • *takes aim...*
  • smallish bear, What's wrong with struggling to adress the gaps between rich and poor? Well, nothing really, just like there's nothing wrong with spirituality. It gets bad when people use these things to manipulate people. In this case, one could use the discontentment of the poor and middle class to overthrow the rich/powerful/ruling class, violently, and put themselves in charge, without actually doing a lick to help the poor. See french revolution, russian revolution, animal farm. We should work to erase the gap between the rich and poor, and we should try to discover some deeper spiritual meaning to life, the universe, and everything. We should probably do these things without beating the living shit out of other people is all.
  • I'm all warm and fuzzy.
  • That's a symptom of a disease carried by rectal leeches. Better call a doctor.
  • Oh, so did that clear up?
  • Beats me, I haven't spoken to your wife in weeks.
  • *grabs microphone* Y'know . . I always marvel at the money and energy spent making films such as Gigli for this very reason. Could a human endeavor go any farther to completely ignore the noble pursuits of bettering other's lives? Every commercial I see usually breaks something or creates a lot of trash. To what end? Good? I'm doubting. I also play guitar, btw. *snif*
  • Dear God, Is it something in the water? Does fish whizz make people crazy? Could you either remove the fish, or give us all a little sumpthin' sumpthin' to ease the pain? Me, Margaret.
  • Dear Monkeyfilter; Yeah, baby! God's down at the railway tracks, behind the Circle K giving out crack, conquistadors, Marxism, bigger tits, sweet, sweet whiskey, tentacle porn, Democracy, Sara Lee Cheesecake, Radical Feminism, Joy Division, The War on Drugs, and wooden nickles. I'm outie, Margaret
  • Bigger tits AND Joy Division?? I am SO converting.
  • I saw god on an offramp today. He approached my truck slowly with a sign that said "hungry". I looked into his eyes and he told me I would die someday. I gave him a dollar. I wonder what he bought.
  • Admission filter: Now that the thread is mostly out of the way I can admit I only read the first paragraph of the article. I got it pretty much immediately and decided to post it here, mainly because I thought it might wind people up. I don't even know who Dawkins is. So I guess I was trolling. So sorry. :D
  • Confession, they tell me, is good for the troll. ;]
  • Ha! /slaps knee
  • Is this the bit where I ban you, or do I just put an emoticon? :P There was a newsy thing tonight about a guy in Perth who passed out after leaving a pub, got thrown in a dumpster by some dumb idiots, and then picked up by one of them rubbish-crushing trucks. He got away with a broken arm and ribs. I thought of Chy. Because he was from Perth. Honest.
  • Oh, shit, that sort of crap happens every night in Perth, no big deal. The guy who exploded his stomach with a beer pump was down here, as well. Alcoholics everywhere. (The only reason that shit doesn't happen to me, tracicle, is that I drink alone... and bitter) (plus I'd be the one chucking some other block in the dumpster)
  • I imagine it would happen in my home town, too. Although it would be my siblings doing the chucking, most likely. I'd be here, commenting on MoFi. As always.
  • I've had some pretty fun nights out with South Island Kiwis; I never underestimate the Kiwi ability to be wild and crazy. I think they come quite close to my brand of sophisticated hooliganism. Aussies are a little boring for me, sometimes. Kiwis seem to have something of the British predatory party animal in them. /he says contemplating another night in front of the 'puter downloading episodes of Lost & Deadwood
  • I'm sorry, did someone say something about big tits? I saw the flashing alert on me browser, and it pointed to here? ahh vodka tonic, please . . thank you
  • so . . . hypnotic . . . must . . . watch . . . and for the record, das blau weighs in.
  • Chyren. You Communist pussy. AS you were.
  • *eagerly awaits next animated gif*