Comments on: to christendom and back http://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/01/12/to-christendom-and-back/ exploring science, the strange and the unknown Mon, 15 Mar 2010 04:50:00 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Anne http://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/01/12/to-christendom-and-back/#comment-4704 Anne Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:36:17 +0000 http://worldofweirdthings.com/?p=1772#comment-4704 Humm. Lovely interview, some like way stupid questions afterwords. I am a Christian, I believe in God. I also do not think the Bible should be taken as literal, that atheists can be moral and that Darwin was right. Just because I am a person of faith does not mean that I have left reason behind. Research shows morality is partly inborn and necessary for society to function as a whole. Christians are NOT more moral than Buddhists, or atheists. You are evolving right now. Evidence is showing that wisdom teeth are being evolved out of us because we just don't need them. Our diet has changed and we don't need the hard crushing teeth. If it was God, we would all wake up and "bang" they would be gone. Ask your dentist. By the way, if you say I am not a "real" Christian because I think this way, I would just turn the other cheek and not let your words bother me. I know what I am and that is what matters. Humm. Lovely interview, some like way stupid questions afterwords. I am a Christian, I believe in God. I also do not think the Bible should be taken as literal, that atheists can be moral and that Darwin was right. Just because I am a person of faith does not mean that I have left reason behind. Research shows morality is partly inborn and necessary for society to function as a whole. Christians are NOT more moral than Buddhists, or atheists. You are evolving right now. Evidence is showing that wisdom teeth are being evolved out of us because we just don’t need them. Our diet has changed and we don’t need the hard crushing teeth. If it was God, we would all wake up and “bang” they would be gone. Ask your dentist. By the way, if you say I am not a “real” Christian because I think this way, I would just turn the other cheek and not let your words bother me. I know what I am and that is what matters.

]]> By: DebbieSLP http://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/01/12/to-christendom-and-back/#comment-4703 DebbieSLP Sun, 05 Apr 2009 01:17:50 +0000 http://worldofweirdthings.com/?p=1772#comment-4703 LMA says: "an athiest has to believe (like theists) that God absolutely does not exist..." No, an atheist simply does not see evidence that god exists. That's much different. Given evidence, the atheist would become a theist. Theist - "I think (believe) that god exists." Atheist - "I don't think (believe) that god exists." (NOT "I know that god does not exist.") Gnostic - "I know that god exists." Agnostic - "I don't know if god exists." (NOT "I know that god does not exist.") Agnostic atheist: "I don't know if god exists, but I don't think so." LMA says: "So you would teach evolution as a fact, end of discussion? If a theory is a collection of facts, then it shouldnt be a theory." Evolution is indeed a theory: an idea that has very strong evidence obtained through science. A very large body of evidence makes a theory more plausible than a hypothesis, which has less evidence to back it up. So evolution is taught as a theory. Regarding morality, I learned most of mine before age five: hitting hurts. Don't hit. Breaking other people's things makes them sad ad angry. Saying mean words hurts others' feelings. Be kind to people and animals. Do what you can to reduce pain and suffering in this world. Saying the "special prayer" and "accepting Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Savior" at age five didn't change my basic morality. It just gave me more fear of displeasing god and adults. Thankfully, like Daniel, I got out of my fundamentalist evangelical church and mindset after about a decade. LMA says: “an athiest has to believe (like theists) that God absolutely does not exist…”

No, an atheist simply does not see evidence that god exists. That’s much different. Given evidence, the atheist would become a theist.

Theist – “I think (believe) that god exists.”

Atheist – “I don’t think (believe) that god exists.”

(NOT “I know that god does not exist.”)

Gnostic – “I know that god exists.”

Agnostic – “I don’t know if god exists.”

(NOT “I know that god does not exist.”)

Agnostic atheist: “I don’t know if god exists, but I don’t think so.”

LMA says: “So you would teach evolution as a fact, end of discussion? If a theory is a collection of facts, then it shouldnt be a theory.”

Evolution is indeed a theory: an idea that has very strong evidence obtained through science. A very large body of evidence makes a theory more plausible than a hypothesis, which has less evidence to back it up. So evolution is taught as a theory.

Regarding morality, I learned most of mine before age five: hitting hurts. Don’t hit. Breaking other people’s things makes them sad ad angry. Saying mean words hurts others’ feelings. Be kind to people and animals. Do what you can to reduce pain and suffering in this world.

Saying the “special prayer” and “accepting Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Savior” at age five didn’t change my basic morality. It just gave me more fear of displeasing god and adults.

Thankfully, like Daniel, I got out of my fundamentalist evangelical church and mindset after about a decade.

]]> By: kh0790 http://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/01/12/to-christendom-and-back/#comment-4702 kh0790 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:15:38 +0000 http://worldofweirdthings.com/?p=1772#comment-4702 I believe my morality to be superior to religious people's because I don't 'behave' out of fear that I will be judged when I die, and sentenced to hell. I act in a moral manner because I don't want to see people hurt, and I don't want them to treat me in the same way; NOT because at the end of this life, I believe God will reward me. I don't need that threat or that reassurance to know that stealing, adultery and mass murder is wrong - although whoever wrote the Bible doesn't seem to know that. I believe my morality to be superior to religious people’s because I don’t ‘behave’ out of fear that I will be judged when I die, and sentenced to hell. I act in a moral manner because I don’t want to see people hurt, and I don’t want them to treat me in the same way; NOT because at the end of this life, I believe God will reward me. I don’t need that threat or that reassurance to know that stealing, adultery and mass murder is wrong – although whoever wrote the Bible doesn’t seem to know that.

]]> By: gfish http://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/01/12/to-christendom-and-back/#comment-4699 gfish Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:15:54 +0000 http://worldofweirdthings.com/?p=1772#comment-4699 If there was a law against reproduction then we wouldn't reproduce. The point is that killing off our species on purpose is a really unproductive thing to do. Sure you can do it if you have the weapons but it's just a ridiculous idea plain and simple. If there was a law against reproduction then we wouldn’t reproduce.

The point is that killing off our species on purpose is a really unproductive thing to do. Sure you can do it if you have the weapons but it’s just a ridiculous idea plain and simple.

]]> By: ENDit http://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/01/12/to-christendom-and-back/#comment-4698 ENDit Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:52:51 +0000 http://worldofweirdthings.com/?p=1772#comment-4698 Is there a law against reproduction? : ) You know I'm playing the DA... Is there a law against reproduction? : )

You know I’m playing the DA…

]]> By: gfish http://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/01/12/to-christendom-and-back/#comment-4697 gfish Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:11:24 +0000 http://worldofweirdthings.com/?p=1772#comment-4697 <i>"What problem would you see with mass murder/suicide?"</i> If effectively hobbles our species' ability to reproduce for one. “What problem would you see with mass murder/suicide?”

If effectively hobbles our species’ ability to reproduce for one.

]]> By: ENDit http://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/01/12/to-christendom-and-back/#comment-4696 ENDit Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:57:34 +0000 http://worldofweirdthings.com/?p=1772#comment-4696 What problem would you see with mass murder/suicide? I don't see any. There's not a moral law against it (government laws maybe, but that's why you plan it well, like the 9/11 guys). And, it's not because there is no God, just that it would be cool to see how it would look, but I guess I'd have to be the one remaining person to witness it. Lots to think about... What problem would you see with mass murder/suicide? I don’t see any. There’s not a moral law against it (government laws maybe, but that’s why you plan it well, like the 9/11 guys). And, it’s not because there is no God, just that it would be cool to see how it would look, but I guess I’d have to be the one remaining person to witness it. Lots to think about…

]]> By: gfish http://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/01/12/to-christendom-and-back/#comment-4693 gfish Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:53:41 +0000 http://worldofweirdthings.com/?p=1772#comment-4693 <i>"So are you saying that evolution proves there is no God or design?"</i> No, I'm saying that evolution doesn't behave like a designed force so to try and merge it with some sort of design is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. <i>"How would you respond to the student that says so, who made evolution? How did it all get here?"</i> Asking who "made" evolution is disingenuous. You're already stating that it was made rather than just asking how something came to be the way it is, the reverse of the scientific method. How things got there is a very different theory based on organic chemistry, not biology and that's an ongoing field of study. <i>"I say since there is no God or Designer that we blow the planet up and kill everybody."</i> I say that you may be a very disturbed individual if the idea of a natural process not being overseen by a supernatural force leads you to advocate mass murder and suicide. <i>"And, I wonder if humans would come back in a few 100 million years if every human wiped off the face of the earth?"</i> No. Our appearance happened once thanks to certain mutations and there's no reason to believe that that same mutations will repeat themselves. In fact, the odds are very much against it. “So are you saying that evolution proves there is no God or design?”

No, I’m saying that evolution doesn’t behave like a designed force so to try and merge it with some sort of design is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

“How would you respond to the student that says so, who made evolution? How did it all get here?”

Asking who “made” evolution is disingenuous. You’re already stating that it was made rather than just asking how something came to be the way it is, the reverse of the scientific method. How things got there is a very different theory based on organic chemistry, not biology and that’s an ongoing field of study.

“I say since there is no God or Designer that we blow the planet up and kill everybody.”

I say that you may be a very disturbed individual if the idea of a natural process not being overseen by a supernatural force leads you to advocate mass murder and suicide.

“And, I wonder if humans would come back in a few 100 million years if every human wiped off the face of the earth?”

No. Our appearance happened once thanks to certain mutations and there’s no reason to believe that that same mutations will repeat themselves. In fact, the odds are very much against it.

]]> By: ENDit http://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/01/12/to-christendom-and-back/#comment-4695 ENDit Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:53:11 +0000 http://worldofweirdthings.com/?p=1772#comment-4695 I say since there is no God or Designer that we blow the planet up and kill everybody. No reason to stick it out for the next 30-40 years. Why not just get rid of the planet? And, I wonder if humans would come back in a few 100 million years if every human wiped off the face of the earth? Hey, how about an experiment?? I say since there is no God or Designer that we blow the planet up and kill everybody. No reason to stick it out for the next 30-40 years. Why not just get rid of the planet? And, I wonder if humans would come back in a few 100 million years if every human wiped off the face of the earth? Hey, how about an experiment??

]]> By: OFW http://worldofweirdthings.com/2009/01/12/to-christendom-and-back/#comment-4694 OFW Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:50:40 +0000 http://worldofweirdthings.com/?p=1772#comment-4694 So are you saying that evolution proves there is no God or design? How would you respond to the student (that would probably be me : ) that says so, who made evolution? How did it all get here? Do you believe it is possible that a Creator exists and that there is anything outside of "natural?" Would aliens (if they are real) be natural? I'm simply impressed that the universe just happened to come along the way it has - very impressive. So are you saying that evolution proves there is no God or design? How would you respond to the student (that would probably be me : ) that says so, who made evolution? How did it all get here?

Do you believe it is possible that a Creator exists and that there is anything outside of “natural?” Would aliens (if they are real) be natural? I’m simply impressed that the universe just happened to come along the way it has – very impressive.

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