BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Atheist Random Thoughts

Thanks Burt for your take of Ms. Emily's sentiments.

Speaking of metaphysics (even though I would rather not!), what famous philosopher who probably was neither an agnostic nor atheist-not even of the closet variety-is responsible for the following quote and what is its intended meaning?: Metaphysics is a dark ocean without shores or lighthouse, strewn with many a philosophic wreck.

Here is another perspective on metaphysics from a philosopher who was definitely not an agnostic or an atheist: He, however, who begins with Metaphysics, will not only become confused in matters of religion, but will fall into complete infidelity-Maimonides

Not speaking of metaphysics, for some ungodly reason(s), as of this last day of July, at the A/A site the number one article in the "top ten" is the non-existent Mexico 170910. I wonder what article is it that I wrote more than two years ago which draws such an audience without now having any semblance of a form?

Random Thought! Random Thought! Random Thought!

Based on a person's actions/comments in a religious/philosophical context, referring deservedly so to a person as being both hypocritical and sanctimonious, would that be considered as an example of unbelievable redundancy?

I'm sanctimonious, but I'm not hypocritical 'cause I don't believe nothing anymore !

I'm losin... I've lost my religion !

Speaking of sanctimonious, led me to think about that word and the other root words in the English language that begin with the prefix sanct.

The prefix sanct means "holy"-hence, any word beginning with sanct denotes holy or holiness.

Whether one is an atheistic-agnostic like myself or not, I believe that the vast majority of us (all?) would agree that the word sanctimonious connotes a negative image. For example, one would never say "my parents spoke to me in a sanctimonious manner and I felt so blessed." So, I tend to think of sanctimonious as a "holier than thou" word. That's not positive, is it?

Thus, what about the other six sanct words that in addition to sanctimonious can be called the "Seven Holy Sanct Words."

These words are:
sanctify
sanction
sanctitude
sanctity
sanctuary
sanctum

How would you rate the above words' possible connotations in terms of being positive, neutral or negative?

Speaking of sanctimonious, led me to think about that word and the other root words in the English language that begin with the prefix sanct.

The prefix sanct means "holy"-hence, any word beginning with sanct denotes holy or holiness.

Whether one is an atheistic-agnostic like myself or not, I believe that the vast majority of us (all?) would agree that the word sanctimonious connotes a negative image. For example, one would never say "my parents spoke to me in a sanctimonious manner and I felt so blessed." So, I tend to think of sanctimonious as a "holier than thou" word. That's not positive, is it?

Thus, what about the other six sanct words that in addition to sanctimonious can be called the "Seven Holy Sanct Words."

These words are:
sanctify
sanction
sanctitude
sanctity
sanctuary
sanctum

How would you rate the above words' possible connotations in terms of being positive, neutral or negative?

Some more RTs.
Since sanct is a prefix meaning "holy" then why isn't sacred spelt sanctred and why is it sacraments and not sanctraments? For that matter why is it saintly and not sanctly?
Just more of life's mysteries, I suppose...

Moreover, since sac is not a prefix and sanct is, then the following words with religious denotations with the appropriate prefix attached should also really read as follows: Sancterdotalism; Sanctrilege (and, by extension, sanctreligious)and Sanctristy.

Perhaps anyone who is reading this who is a California resident and being so inspired, may want to start a petition to change the name of the state's capital to Sanctramento.

For the freethinking of it all, try to match the following quotes with the famous literary freethinkers and/or atheists and agnostics who they are attributed to.
(Extra kudos for anyone who knows by what two other names George Eliot was known by;having read Adam Beede from cover to cover merits even more than that!)


1. "The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding."

2. "All thinking men are atheists."

3. "The truth is not for all men, but only for those who seek it."

4. "Knowledge slowly builds up what Ignorance in an hour pulls down."

5. "The paradox of education is precisely this - that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated."

6. "I think it's a mistake to ever look for hope outside of one's self."

7. "The worst cynicism: a belief in luck."

8. "I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet."

9. "Once conform, once do what other people do because they do it, and a lethargy steals over all the finer nerves and faculties of the soul. She becomes all outer show and inward emptiness; dull, callous, and indifferent."

10. "Man is what he believes."

11. "The house of delusions is cheap to build but drafty to live in."

a. Virginia Woolf
b. Albert Camus
c. Joyce Carol Oates
d. Jack London
e. Ernest Hemingway
f. George Eliot
g. Arthur Miller
h. Ayn Rand
i. Anton Chekhov
j. James Baldwin
k. A. E. Houseman

You are terrific edwardd1, but the last thing I want when I come on here is to do work! LOL.... I will oblige you this one time.....

I will say that since George Eliot is a pen name, the author goes by Mary Anne (Ann) Evans and Marian Evans. I have not read Adam Beede, or any other work from this author.

1)b
2)e
3)h
4)f
5)j
6)g
7)c
8)d
9)a
10)i
11)k

Eleven for eleven! Fantastico! Debbie, your diligence and resourcefulness are this worldly spiritually appreciated. So, as George Eliot (aka aka aka aka see below) said with perhaps you in mind, "conscientious people are apt to see their duty in that which is the most painful course."

Regarding George Eliot, you were right about her also being known as Mary Ann/Marian Evans (Evans being her father's name) but as a result of her marriage to John Cross, 20 years her junior, she took on the name Mary Ann Cross. What I didn't know until now was prior to her legal marriage when she was in an open unofficial live-in "marriage" with the philosopher George Lewes, she began calling herself Mary Ann Lewes.

One last thought from George Eliot, "there is only one failure in life possible, and that is not to be true to the best one knows."

Congratulations Debbie !! !!!