The boasts of atheists (Atheist self-deception)

Well, Robin, it depends on community culture. I knew someone who was raised in a rural area where competant men showed their strength by silence. He was in the service and the New York guys all bragged about what they could do whether they could or not. His officer was from the East Coast and was surprised to discover that he was quite competant.These are culturaly differences. Why haven't you gotten a clue by now?
I'll also mention that sometimes I find whining more annoying than boasting, but that is just my personal response.lfen

It still surprises me that the Buddha chose to explicitly teach that life is unsatisfactory (dukha) as if anyone needed that pointed out to them. Yet he made that his first noble truth so it must have seemed to him that people needed that pointed out to them: William James in his Varieties of Religious Experience points out that people differ widely in temperment. Take Teddy Roosevelt as one example and Winston Churchill as another. Roosevelt was at times almost manic whereas Churchill struggled with depression. Neurotransmitters have profound impact on moods and in part at least are influeced by external factors like genetics, and developement.You lived and taught as long as you have without noticing that people differ in many ways? Why are you expecting everyone to feel and think like you do? I mean I want people to accept my viewpoint and I'm amazed that fundies can delude themselves as easily as they do, but at least I expect people to do all kinds of crazy things.lfen

What? No academic freedom? What kind of school do you teach at? I'm not asking where but just ... well, I've had professors with different belief systems. No body said anything about firing them.They would have had to plagiarize, fake data, or do something immoral like seduce students or give them drugs I suppose, although several were rather notorious for having affairs and or doing drugs with students. That was during the 60's and 70's. Maybe things have changed.lfen