Do many Americans take offence at evolutionary theory?
Sep 26th, 2013, 10:42 AM
#223
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Sounds like a Communist front -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_...itant_Atheists
and it's about time atheists start professing their faith publically - or lack of faith- after all we have science and common sense on our side.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_...itant_Atheists
and it's about time atheists start professing their faith publically - or lack of faith- after all we have science and common sense on our side.
Sep 26th, 2013, 11:27 AM
#224
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No, PQ (ask your son what that stands for)
Atheism isn't a faith you dolt, or a lack of it, any more than alopecia is a hairstyle, fasting is a kind of cuisine or celibacy a sexual position.
It's time that critical thinking was pushed to the fore and open dialogue accepted.
One of the reasons that the Soviets (and the League of the Militant Atheists) failed in their attempts to stamp out religion is that they simply tried replacing one set of ideas with another, without reflection.
People were not taught to think for themselves, and had to keep their dissenting ideas to themselves and as a result, religion has bounced right back in Russia, as if it had never left.
Atheism isn't a faith you dolt, or a lack of it, any more than alopecia is a hairstyle, fasting is a kind of cuisine or celibacy a sexual position.
It's time that critical thinking was pushed to the fore and open dialogue accepted.
One of the reasons that the Soviets (and the League of the Militant Atheists) failed in their attempts to stamp out religion is that they simply tried replacing one set of ideas with another, without reflection.
People were not taught to think for themselves, and had to keep their dissenting ideas to themselves and as a result, religion has bounced right back in Russia, as if it had never left.
Sep 26th, 2013, 12:23 PM
#227
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Frank would say "thank God for TP!" (Though I doubt even Jesus used it and not his left hand as was and is the custom in much of Arabia today - even rich Saudis I am told by some do not use toilet paper but their left hand - wonder if that is where left-hand compliment came from?
Sep 26th, 2013, 01:02 PM
#228
Rich Saudis use bum showers and running water to wash it all off with their lesft hands, whereas Americans use toilet paper to smear it, but still move the fork to their right hand when eating food.
Sep 26th, 2013, 05:24 PM
#229
Science cares about science. It doesn't care whether or not you believe in a God. The principles of science exist whether mankind takes interest or not. The practical function of physics, biology and so on doesn't depend on what we believe. The attachment (either embracing or eschewing) of our beliefs is simply ego and why we think it all exists fairly unimportant, really.
Sep 26th, 2013, 05:32 PM
#230
To paraphrase (because my memory sucks) George Carlin:
"We aren't trying to 'save the planet', we're trying to save ourselves. What if the only reason the Earth spawned man is because it needed plastic? And once it has enough, it'll kill us all off just like it has countless species before us. The planet will still be here and it'll be on to something else."
Every importance we put into anything other than that we're here somehow and then we're not is a belief of some sort. A priority concocted through a series of life experiences, pure and simple. Survival of self, survival of species, etc. Arguably important in an individual context. BS when stated as an absolute imperative for everyone else to muster to.
"We aren't trying to 'save the planet', we're trying to save ourselves. What if the only reason the Earth spawned man is because it needed plastic? And once it has enough, it'll kill us all off just like it has countless species before us. The planet will still be here and it'll be on to something else."
Every importance we put into anything other than that we're here somehow and then we're not is a belief of some sort. A priority concocted through a series of life experiences, pure and simple. Survival of self, survival of species, etc. Arguably important in an individual context. BS when stated as an absolute imperative for everyone else to muster to.
Sep 27th, 2013, 06:09 AM
#231
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Americans use toilet paper to smear it, but still move the fork to their right hand when eating food.>
lots of folks eat with their left hand if they are lefties - the thought of what most of the world uses their left hands for is not known to them.
lots of folks eat with their left hand if they are lefties - the thought of what most of the world uses their left hands for is not known to them.
Sep 27th, 2013, 07:11 AM
#232
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Atheism isn't a faith you dolt, or a lack of it, any more than alopecia is a hairstyle, fasting is a kind of cuisine or celibacy a sexual position.>
Well I meant to say atheists should proselytize as much as Bible thumpers do - express our views on faith - like you suggest - and hope that logic and reason and rational win out - folks can believe any kind of magic they want but unfortunately some of them insist on extending their religious beliefs and stricture to the whole society they live in and that is the danger of religion that should be combated - folks like Frank consider women who get abortions murderers and would have them tried like such, etc. And that is why religion should be combated at any costs.
Well I meant to say atheists should proselytize as much as Bible thumpers do - express our views on faith - like you suggest - and hope that logic and reason and rational win out - folks can believe any kind of magic they want but unfortunately some of them insist on extending their religious beliefs and stricture to the whole society they live in and that is the danger of religion that should be combated - folks like Frank consider women who get abortions murderers and would have them tried like such, etc. And that is why religion should be combated at any costs.
Sep 27th, 2013, 07:20 AM
#233
That's personally what I was hoping for. TWO sets of self-important know-it-alls who think they need to save everyone from themselves. One set just wasn't enough and well, you just know the rest of us can't figure anything out for our lives on our own. Who doesn't feel doubly blessed?
Sep 27th, 2013, 08:18 AM
#234
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Clifton, this is second time today that I have seen the intimation that atheists think themselves to be intellectually superior or "know it alls".
From a group of people who have "the god's honest truth" in a book, how can you accuse us of arrogance?
Do you not see the irony?
The answer to where we come from, where we are going, what we should do, and how we should do it is all explained between the pages of one book, and saying "no it isn't" is being a self important know-all?
<< who think they need to save everyone from themselves>>
Isn't that the central tenet to all Christian teachings?
Pots and kettle a gogo....
From a group of people who have "the god's honest truth" in a book, how can you accuse us of arrogance?
Do you not see the irony?
The answer to where we come from, where we are going, what we should do, and how we should do it is all explained between the pages of one book, and saying "no it isn't" is being a self important know-all?
<< who think they need to save everyone from themselves>>
Isn't that the central tenet to all Christian teachings?
Pots and kettle a gogo....
Sep 27th, 2013, 09:33 AM
#235
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CC - Lapse back into reality and take a good intellectual look at the evidence for any religion and you will agree that there is no God - this is not a superior attitude but just reality - lapse into reality and get REAL!
Plenty of very smart people are brain-washed by religion - it's your culture that does it - the one you grow up in - if you were born in Saudi Arabia you'd be a devout Muslem - in much of India a Hindu - this is so so obvious - no I do not claim to be intellectually superior to you but I think I have looked at it all with a much clearer mind than you - you are obviously bright and if you really did an honest intellectual look at it all I'm sure you would come to the same conclusion - there simply is no God.
Even the smartest folks get brainwashed by their culture.
Plenty of very smart people are brain-washed by religion - it's your culture that does it - the one you grow up in - if you were born in Saudi Arabia you'd be a devout Muslem - in much of India a Hindu - this is so so obvious - no I do not claim to be intellectually superior to you but I think I have looked at it all with a much clearer mind than you - you are obviously bright and if you really did an honest intellectual look at it all I'm sure you would come to the same conclusion - there simply is no God.
Even the smartest folks get brainwashed by their culture.
Sep 27th, 2013, 10:19 AM
#237
Pal - I needn't study the evidence of religious teachings in that I don't belong to one. I've seen no evidence either way, nor will I ever, nor have you.
But only one of us thinks we know something we don't.
It's an interesting discussion (to which I can't really subscribe beyond this post because it always gets so shrill after this point and secondly, it's after 4am and I was heading for bed). I'd ask this though as a conversation point. Theoretically, if there is/was a diety... what make you think they'd work as you imagine? And what makes you think Muslims and Hindus aren't ultimately praying to the same thing, just in their own way? (actually, in your view, I'd say this was exactly the case. They'd be praying to nothing and therefore, to the same thing. Now substitute a something and you may get the gist of the question)
But only one of us thinks we know something we don't.
It's an interesting discussion (to which I can't really subscribe beyond this post because it always gets so shrill after this point and secondly, it's after 4am and I was heading for bed). I'd ask this though as a conversation point. Theoretically, if there is/was a diety... what make you think they'd work as you imagine? And what makes you think Muslims and Hindus aren't ultimately praying to the same thing, just in their own way? (actually, in your view, I'd say this was exactly the case. They'd be praying to nothing and therefore, to the same thing. Now substitute a something and you may get the gist of the question)
Sep 27th, 2013, 10:24 AM
#238
<i>Clifton, this is second time today that I have seen the intimation that atheists think themselves to be intellectually superior or "know it alls".</i>
It's because they keep informing me how much they know about things while it never seems to happen the other way around. I prefer questions that don't already imply answers. That's the very definition of know-it-all. Questions move forward. They lead to intelligent conversations. They accomplish things.
Anyway, no offense. You probably know whether that shoe fits or not. It surely doesn't for every atheist. I grew up with one and he didn't need to inform me at every turn the truth of it all. Take it for what it's worth.
It's because they keep informing me how much they know about things while it never seems to happen the other way around. I prefer questions that don't already imply answers. That's the very definition of know-it-all. Questions move forward. They lead to intelligent conversations. They accomplish things.
Anyway, no offense. You probably know whether that shoe fits or not. It surely doesn't for every atheist. I grew up with one and he didn't need to inform me at every turn the truth of it all. Take it for what it's worth.
Sep 27th, 2013, 10:28 AM
#239
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<<And what makes you think Muslims and Hindus aren't ultimately praying to the same thing, just in their own way?>>
Muslim scripture forbids alcohol
Hindu scripture allows alcohol
Muslim scripture has Mohamed as the principle prophet
Hindu scripture doesn't mention him
Are they both praying to the same alcohol allowing/banning god who does/doesn't have Mohammed as the prophet...?
I'd say it's all BS.
Muslim scripture forbids alcohol
Hindu scripture allows alcohol
Muslim scripture has Mohamed as the principle prophet
Hindu scripture doesn't mention him
Are they both praying to the same alcohol allowing/banning god who does/doesn't have Mohammed as the prophet...?
I'd say it's all BS.
Sep 27th, 2013, 10:31 AM
#240
<i>I'd say it's all BS.</i>
And I could see why. But what's the chances that most of what you see is cultural and necessary to most activities, and that the activity in question at the moment is the practice of religion is mostly coincidental?
(has had some pretty good bottles of wine with Muslims)
Geez, to bed, me.
And I could see why. But what's the chances that most of what you see is cultural and necessary to most activities, and that the activity in question at the moment is the practice of religion is mostly coincidental?
(has had some pretty good bottles of wine with Muslims)
Geez, to bed, me.
