Baxter Williams
@baxterwilliams.bsky.social
Discussing Christianity, science, and sometimes philosophy (mind & epistemology) on the internet.
Pandeist. God-fearer. Ex-Christian.
Pandeist. God-fearer. Ex-Christian.
Just heard the story of a patient who has to hide the reality of his chronic illness from his coworkers because he has a disease that costs $500k/year to treat and is single handedly responsible for the increased premiums at his small company.
November 29, 2025 at 6:22 AM
Just heard the story of a patient who has to hide the reality of his chronic illness from his coworkers because he has a disease that costs $500k/year to treat and is single handedly responsible for the increased premiums at his small company.
Good stuff here.
November 28, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Good stuff here.
Okay, new argument for consequentialism clearly being correct.
1. If the morality of our neighbor matters, and if we can affect our neighbor's morality, then consequentialism is the correct moral theory.
2. Our neighbor's morality matters
3. We can affect our neighbors morality
C. [...]
1. If the morality of our neighbor matters, and if we can affect our neighbor's morality, then consequentialism is the correct moral theory.
2. Our neighbor's morality matters
3. We can affect our neighbors morality
C. [...]
November 26, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Okay, new argument for consequentialism clearly being correct.
1. If the morality of our neighbor matters, and if we can affect our neighbor's morality, then consequentialism is the correct moral theory.
2. Our neighbor's morality matters
3. We can affect our neighbors morality
C. [...]
1. If the morality of our neighbor matters, and if we can affect our neighbor's morality, then consequentialism is the correct moral theory.
2. Our neighbor's morality matters
3. We can affect our neighbors morality
C. [...]
Looking at all the accounts I used to talk to on X getting lots of engagement and interaction, and longing for that but also knowing logically that interraction online is ultimately not in my best interest for productivity and stress levels so I'm better off here.
November 26, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Looking at all the accounts I used to talk to on X getting lots of engagement and interaction, and longing for that but also knowing logically that interraction online is ultimately not in my best interest for productivity and stress levels so I'm better off here.
"Probability of salvation" is a very real thing if salvation is not pre-determined before birth.
By any criteria we can possibly conceive related to beliefs or actions, there are higher probabilities of them occurring on a frequentist basis if pre-determinism isn't true.
By any criteria we can possibly conceive related to beliefs or actions, there are higher probabilities of them occurring on a frequentist basis if pre-determinism isn't true.
November 26, 2025 at 5:38 PM
"Probability of salvation" is a very real thing if salvation is not pre-determined before birth.
By any criteria we can possibly conceive related to beliefs or actions, there are higher probabilities of them occurring on a frequentist basis if pre-determinism isn't true.
By any criteria we can possibly conceive related to beliefs or actions, there are higher probabilities of them occurring on a frequentist basis if pre-determinism isn't true.
Hell is the traditional position of the church. If Hell exists, then saving souls is more important than anything earthly problem. We should be willing to collapse society if it would save a single additional soul.
Good post by @benthamsbulldog.bsky.social
benthams.substack.com/p/christiani...
Good post by @benthamsbulldog.bsky.social
benthams.substack.com/p/christiani...
Christianity Is Very Morally Revisionary
On giant torture pits
benthams.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Hell is the traditional position of the church. If Hell exists, then saving souls is more important than anything earthly problem. We should be willing to collapse society if it would save a single additional soul.
Good post by @benthamsbulldog.bsky.social
benthams.substack.com/p/christiani...
Good post by @benthamsbulldog.bsky.social
benthams.substack.com/p/christiani...
I think it's about time I look at some source material in this matter
November 25, 2025 at 9:10 PM
I think it's about time I look at some source material in this matter
The problem with a generic chronological following tab is that I'm mostly only interested in like 10% of the stuff from accounts I follow and I can only bear scrolling back like 2 hours because some of them post a lot.
November 25, 2025 at 7:12 PM
The problem with a generic chronological following tab is that I'm mostly only interested in like 10% of the stuff from accounts I follow and I can only bear scrolling back like 2 hours because some of them post a lot.
Reposted by Baxter Williams
When the toxoplasmosis hits just right.
November 25, 2025 at 6:08 PM
When the toxoplasmosis hits just right.
Sure enough, after weeks of tinnitus, it stops the day of my ENT appt.
Suddenly developed pulsatile tinnitus in one ear, so it occasionally sounds like something is walking towards me on the carpet in the middle of the night so that's great.
November 25, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Sure enough, after weeks of tinnitus, it stops the day of my ENT appt.
Reposted by Baxter Williams
Francis was more Mike Shinoda whereas Leo is more Chester
November 24, 2025 at 9:27 AM
Francis was more Mike Shinoda whereas Leo is more Chester
Me, a non-Christian, and your average Christian when we both check the Bible.
November 24, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Me, a non-Christian, and your average Christian when we both check the Bible.
Renewed fall in participation here. I blame the discover algorithm not being better and front and center for the average user.
November 24, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Renewed fall in participation here. I blame the discover algorithm not being better and front and center for the average user.
Got a complete collection of essays from Mark Twain for $1 at the thrift store, so that's going to sit on my shelf and not be touched for the next 2 years
November 24, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Got a complete collection of essays from Mark Twain for $1 at the thrift store, so that's going to sit on my shelf and not be touched for the next 2 years
Meditating on the idea that maybe people other than myself benefit from threats of eternal torture.
They don't collapse into despair and depression about the state of existence, but rather better themselves.
A sobering thought.
They don't collapse into despair and depression about the state of existence, but rather better themselves.
A sobering thought.
November 24, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Meditating on the idea that maybe people other than myself benefit from threats of eternal torture.
They don't collapse into despair and depression about the state of existence, but rather better themselves.
A sobering thought.
They don't collapse into despair and depression about the state of existence, but rather better themselves.
A sobering thought.
Good thread.
A friend who teaches theology shared with me a post about CS Lewis's Mere Christianity, which discusses foundational Christian logic across denominations. It reminded me of Dale's tweet below, and I wanted to share some thoughts here regarding modesty and respectability, which are often hot topics.
November 24, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Good thread.
Europeans never governed themselves well and they still spread beyond their borders.
Sadly, it is not a prerequisite.
Sadly, it is not a prerequisite.
Humans will NEVER colonize another planet. Never.
If we can’t even agree to do the minimum to keep Earth habitable, there’s no way in hell we’ll cooperate to make another planet habitable.
If we can’t even agree to do the minimum to keep Earth habitable, there’s no way in hell we’ll cooperate to make another planet habitable.
November 23, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Europeans never governed themselves well and they still spread beyond their borders.
Sadly, it is not a prerequisite.
Sadly, it is not a prerequisite.
Samurai Champloo is so good
November 23, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Samurai Champloo is so good
Suddenly developed pulsatile tinnitus in one ear, so it occasionally sounds like something is walking towards me on the carpet in the middle of the night so that's great.
November 22, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Suddenly developed pulsatile tinnitus in one ear, so it occasionally sounds like something is walking towards me on the carpet in the middle of the night so that's great.
Aristotle and Aquinas clearly had no idea what they were talking about with "potential" and "actual".
This is evidenced by Aquinas citing fire as "pure actual".
I wish philosophers would just let go of this language. There are better, more coherent words and concepts these days.
This is evidenced by Aquinas citing fire as "pure actual".
I wish philosophers would just let go of this language. There are better, more coherent words and concepts these days.
November 21, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Aristotle and Aquinas clearly had no idea what they were talking about with "potential" and "actual".
This is evidenced by Aquinas citing fire as "pure actual".
I wish philosophers would just let go of this language. There are better, more coherent words and concepts these days.
This is evidenced by Aquinas citing fire as "pure actual".
I wish philosophers would just let go of this language. There are better, more coherent words and concepts these days.
Life is definitely life'n today.
November 14, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Life is definitely life'n today.
Reposted by Baxter Williams
I love my bishop 😂🐇 #ecmn #episcopalconvention
November 14, 2025 at 5:29 PM
I love my bishop 😂🐇 #ecmn #episcopalconvention
I still don't understand the difference between a for-profit corporation and a nonprofit corporation.
Both seem to be able to pay their executive leadership any amount they want from revenue.
Both seem to be able to pay their executive leadership any amount they want from revenue.
November 13, 2025 at 10:06 PM
I still don't understand the difference between a for-profit corporation and a nonprofit corporation.
Both seem to be able to pay their executive leadership any amount they want from revenue.
Both seem to be able to pay their executive leadership any amount they want from revenue.
I'm so tired of confident answers from both theists and skeptics when I'm looking up historical questions or linguistic questions.
Where's my uncertain scholars at? We need more Dale Allison jrs in the world.
Where's my uncertain scholars at? We need more Dale Allison jrs in the world.
November 13, 2025 at 9:54 PM
I'm so tired of confident answers from both theists and skeptics when I'm looking up historical questions or linguistic questions.
Where's my uncertain scholars at? We need more Dale Allison jrs in the world.
Where's my uncertain scholars at? We need more Dale Allison jrs in the world.
Reposted by Baxter Williams
The older you get, the more you realize you're not going to convince anyone of nearly anything, on any subject.
Only if they're intentionally trying to find new options.
Only if they're intentionally trying to find new options.
November 12, 2025 at 10:59 PM
The older you get, the more you realize you're not going to convince anyone of nearly anything, on any subject.
Only if they're intentionally trying to find new options.
Only if they're intentionally trying to find new options.