GOOD FOR Neil deGrasse Tyson - For Saying What MUST Be Said.

[kpete]

Evidence collected over many years, obtained from many locations, indicates that the power of Prayer is insufficient to stop bullets from killing school children.

Link to tweet

[tblue37]

1. K&R for visibility. nt

[Blue Owl]

2. I was going to say "thoughts" also are insufficient...

However, critical thinking could someday bring about a solution to this horrible problem...

[ck4829]

3. Maybe it's time to say our thoughts and prayers are being answered

God sends someone who says "Stop making it so that ammo is easier to buy than cough syrup, you idiots!"

[SergeStorms]

26. A "god" that's omnipotent and omniscient.....

and that's the best this "god" can do? If that's an answer to a prayer, we're all in big trouble. We need quite a bit more if we're relying on this "god" for deliverance from this carnage here on earth. Just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.

[heaven05]

34. concur

Highly

[spanone]

4. K&R...

Science Rules

[Skittles]

5. PC way of saying prayer is absolute BS

[Stardust1]

30. A smart way

of saying prayer is absolute BS.

[Lucky Luciano]

39. He is speaking as a scientist with tongue in cheek a bit, but still being deadly serious. nt

[Skittles]

55. I know

it must be frustrating being so logical in a world where so many people have illusions they are doing something, all evidence to the contrary

[Arkansas Granny]

6. K&R

[rurallib]

7. kick, kick, kick, kick

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. The problem of evil. God is one of: not omnipotent, malevolent, careless, or not a god.

Sean Finnegan
?Verified account @shotbyfinnegan
4h4 hours ago

Ah yes, the problem of evil. Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then why does evil exist?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

[panader0]

14. Epicurus--as an atheist it is one of my favorite quotes.

[SergeStorms]

28. And the invariable reply to that.....

from the faithful, "god will reveal all when he is ready" (because this god simply must be a 'he'). We can't begin to know god's plan". Over the centuries the faithful have devised stock answers for just about any challenge to their godhead. I think it's time for them to write some new retorts. Their old ones are quite transparent and stale.

[Fritz Walter]

52. The one Ive heard is He's testing is.

“Dog never puts more burden on your shoulders than you can bear.”

Why?

“Well, that’s a mystery...”

[gademocrat7]

9. K&R!

[question everything]

10. Whatever he says merits exposure

One of the smartest and knowledgeable people of our time.

[Red Mountain]

11. If it kills many quickly

It should be banned or heavily regulated for the general public.

Common sense.

[edhopper]

12. NDT is not a great scientist

But he is a great science educator.

One of our best popularizers of science we have.

[Wounded Bear]

13. He's been a pretty good successor to Carl Sagan...

IMHO, of course.

[edhopper]

15. Yes he definitely is

A real treasure.

[Wounded Bear]

16. I was a little worried about Cosmos at first...

Now I'm looking forward to round 2. NdGT nailed it.

[edhopper]

17. outside of the cheesy animation

I liked it too.

[Dave Starsky]

57. The original used live-action historical recreations.

With costumes, sets, locations, and the works.

No way do they have the budget for that these days. The original was produced in those heady pre-Reagan times when education was a priority and public television was adequately funded.

[edhopper]

59. I didn't mind

that they used animation. But it was really poor quality.

Still a well done show.

[murielm99]

49. That is what he is supposed to be, a teacher.

Sagan was a science educator, too. That was his job and his goal.

I don't know or care who was better. Both were and are effective.

[Stardust1]

31. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you

But how is he not a great scientist? He has a PhD in Astrophysics, those are pretty hard to get.

[Lucky Luciano]

40. Only about 1-3% of PhDs are the great ones. nt

[Stardust1]

41. I don't agree

But lets just agree to disagree on that one.

[Lucky Luciano]

54. I know you said agree to disagree, but Ill put in my 2 cents anyway. :)

Last edited Sat Feb 17, 2018, 05:40 PM - Edit history (2)

I’m not a scientist, but a pure math PhD, so I base my comments on mathematicians.

I’ve interviewed many and spoken to many through grad school.

I’ve met very very very few that have the talent to make any progress (let alone a full proof) for the Riemann Hypothesis (a big game changer if proved) or the twin prime conjecture (an average 6th grader can understand the statement, but it is an exceedingly difficult problem).

Terry Tao
Vladimir Voevodsky if he didn’t die.
A few others.

I really look for the very top amongst the PhDs before I take note.

[edhopper]

46. He is a science educator

and one of the best there is.
He doesn't do science research. As far as I know he hasn't published any notable scientific papers. he is not Stephen J Hawkings

But that is not his calling. Bringing scientific understanding to the public is very important, maybe more so today than ever.
He has written best selling books that teach science to the general public. His position at the Museum of Natural History has given him a platform to reach the public.

There are many good and great scientist working in the field. There are far fewer doing what he does. And he is great at it.

[sammythecat]

53. They certainly are hard to get

but receiving one does not make a person a "great scientist". Brian May, lead guitarist of the rock band Queen has a PhD in astrophysics. He isn't a great scientist either and he doesn't care. He's not trying to be one. NDT would likely laugh if he was described as a great scientist. He's not trying to be one either. He's not publishing papers while engaged in original research and making discoveries. As has been said, he's a science educator and popularizer and he's enormously successful at it.

Could be wrong, but I think for many lines of work a PhD is pretty much a basic requirement. Astrophysics is one.

[heaven05]

35. why is

"NDT" not a great scientist? According to you.

[edhopper]

47. He doesn't work in the field.

He doesn't do research in Astrophysics.

What he is is a great science educator. That is where he puts his efforts. And it is vitally important to teach the public about science.

I don't think one is less than the other, I am just making a distinction about what he does.

Sorry if it sounded like i was criticizing NDT.

[NBachers]

18. But but but how about the ones that WERE stopped by prayer but you don't even know about them

because they never happened? Huh? Huh??

[Maggiemayhem]

43. Updated and love your tag line ( were)

[Dave Starsky]

58. Checkmate.

Let's see you answer that one, atheists. You can't!!1!

[LittleGirl]

19. I love that guy. n/t

[Xipe Totec]

20. There's a high correlation between proximity to firearms and death. nt

[Binkie The Clown]

21. Clearly god doesn't listen to people who love and cherish little children. nt

[JenniferJuniper]

22. Yep. Talking to oneself has no effect

on anything outside of one's own head.

[Initech]

23. Love it!!!!

[Old Enough 2]

24. George Carlin Prayed to the Sun ....His Prayers Answered Half the Time

Check out Carlin's thoughts on Prayer on You Tube. The invisible man in the sky didn't do any better than Prayers to the Sun.

Good Grief!

Trillions of star systems, billions of galaxies, infinite numbers of multiverses and Kindly Jesus et al has time to stop bullets because of Praying????

Give me a break!!! The species Homo Sapiens needs to solve it's own self made problems.


Jesus may love you but he's out to lunch!!!

[longship]

25. Here's George on religion, the bit you mentioned.

BTW, he said that he worships the sun, but not prays to it. Instead, he prays to Joe Pesci because he looks like a guy who can get things done.

Here:

Joe bless you, my friend.

[Stardust1]

32. What great comedian

That clip made me miss him. HE told it as it is, not that orange monkey.

[smirkymonkey]

37. Brilliant!

I wish he was still around. I would love to see what he would have to say about this shit-show. You are missed, George!

[hatrack]

56. Best ten minutes in comedy

I really miss that guy!

[Snackshack]

27. Well said Dr. Tyson!

“Thoughts & Prayers” it’s what the legislative branch keeps saying over and over after each one of these terrible events expecting a different result...

[Maggiemayhem]

44. Have you seen the checks written to politicians

with thoughts and prayers written in the cash line?

[Snackshack]

48. No, I have not.

Last edited Sat Feb 17, 2018, 06:43 PM - Edit history (2)

Update- Ok, I just saw the story about the “Thoughts & Prayers” check and I think that is a great, scratch that, a fantastic idea. It certainly drives home the emptiness or lack of substance of “thoughts and prayers”. If Congress members started getting what they thought were checks for campaign contributions from citizens only to open the envelope and see “Thoughts and Prayers” written in the money line that would get their attention very quickly as they watched their re-election funds diminish.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

29. NdGT you sho got that right!

[paleotn]

33. After so many "thoughts and prayers".....

either God doesn't exist or she's of the opinion..."you created this mess, so fix the damn thing. Morons."

[heaven05]

36. if thats

what She is saying, we're screwed. And evidently we are truly incapable of NOT SLAUGHTERING each other, starving each other, hating each other based on superficial and usually religio- cultural criteria and bias. Nah, we been in this mode for too long and IF we do manage to turn things around I would be surprised, to say the least.

[Progressive dog]

38. K&R Neil deGrasse Tyson spoke truth.

Obviously a truth that few dare to speak.

[IronLionZion]

42. Their thoughts are no good either. They should try different thoughts.

Are the NRA donations really worth it to these assholes? When is the price of freedom going to be too high?

[Quixote1818]

45. The fact that the most atheist countries are the most peaceful reinforces this logic. nt

[Poiuyt]

50. People seem to praise God when something good happens but

they don't blame him when something bad happens. Why is that?

[sarge43]

51. They perceive god as an abusive boss.

Lip off, get fired and lose your health insurance. Suck up and you might get a corner office.

Given most of the stories in their book, a logical assumption.