Thought I'd share in something I came across which I believe.
By Paul Gross
Humanity needs to come to grips, sooner rather than later, with its biological meanings, and with the values and anti-values of its religious belief systems. The fight is just beginning. If the real values of religion and spirituality, which include humility before the wonders of nature, are to survive our rising tastes for religious war and destruction, then more than just an elite among us must understand science - and what it yields as description of physical reality through deep time. The more often the small faction of us who read can pause to browse engaging books like "Intelligent Thought," the better is the chance that we can stop the impetus of Homo sapiens toward self-destruction.
Bird Flu Hoax
Moderator: Priests of Syrinx
Got a good chuckle with this one...
SCIENCE VS. STUPID
By Jason Ferguson
The worst kind of argument to have is one with someone who Just Doesn't Get It. The debates that find your well-reasoned points countered with the tautological equivalent of "nuh-uh" or "because, that's why" may not make you feel like you lost the argument, but you certainly don't feel like you won, either. Especially when the topic you're disagreeing on isn't even something that should be up for debate.
That's the overriding sense one suspects the writers of the essays in Intelligent Thought were experiencing when they put pen to paper. More than one of them, I'm sure, muttered to himself: "I can't fucking believe I'm having to write this."
SCIENCE VS. STUPID
By Jason Ferguson
The worst kind of argument to have is one with someone who Just Doesn't Get It. The debates that find your well-reasoned points countered with the tautological equivalent of "nuh-uh" or "because, that's why" may not make you feel like you lost the argument, but you certainly don't feel like you won, either. Especially when the topic you're disagreeing on isn't even something that should be up for debate.
That's the overriding sense one suspects the writers of the essays in Intelligent Thought were experiencing when they put pen to paper. More than one of them, I'm sure, muttered to himself: "I can't fucking believe I'm having to write this."
When evil is allowed to compete with good, evil has an emotional populist appeal that wins out unless good men & women stand as a vanguard against abuse.
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Kares4Rush
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I've been reading more on Intelligent Thought and Brockman's site The Edge which I find fascinating.
Here's a couple "cents" (maybe "sense" dunno). My father is a devout Catholic AND a Scientist. He does believe in Evolution and it doesn't conflict with his religious beliefs at all. That's him and his beliefs. I'm not saying that's how it should be. Just that the religion and science don't always clash.
I was raised Catholic (I won't get into my present beliefs) and was taught evolution at the same time. I went to a Catholic University and took Anthropology where Evolution was taught and even REQUIRED if you were going into the nursing or medical schools.
Here's a couple "cents" (maybe "sense" dunno). My father is a devout Catholic AND a Scientist. He does believe in Evolution and it doesn't conflict with his religious beliefs at all. That's him and his beliefs. I'm not saying that's how it should be. Just that the religion and science don't always clash.
I was raised Catholic (I won't get into my present beliefs) and was taught evolution at the same time. I went to a Catholic University and took Anthropology where Evolution was taught and even REQUIRED if you were going into the nursing or medical schools.
Freeze this moment a little bit longer...
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Devil's Advocate
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ElfDude
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Let me put it this way:
I personally believe that God created the Heaven and the Earth. I believe that it was done in six creative periods, with a period of rest at the end. What the duration of those periods was, I haven't a clue. Whatever Moses called them has ended up being translated into English as "days", but that's no reason for me to assume that they were only 24 Earth hours each. Nor does that make sense to me.
I have absolutely no idea how God created the Heaven and the Earth. The scriptures do not say. I think for anyone to assume that they know with a certainty how it was done is a display of arrogance. The theories on how it was done do not trouble me. Why should anyone's belief on how it was done (big bang or whatever) offend me? How could it possibly affect my daily life? Eventually we'll pass to the other side and know all the answers. If I am wrong and when I die, I simply cease to exist, I have lost nothing by believing this.
And yes, I personally believe that Adam was the first man and Eve was the first woman. As far as taking a rib from Adam to create his partner, why couldn't a scientist who knows everything there is to know about the universe (like God) take a tissue sample from a creature, and make the required alterations, and work it from there?
I personally believe that God created the Heaven and the Earth. I believe that it was done in six creative periods, with a period of rest at the end. What the duration of those periods was, I haven't a clue. Whatever Moses called them has ended up being translated into English as "days", but that's no reason for me to assume that they were only 24 Earth hours each. Nor does that make sense to me.
I have absolutely no idea how God created the Heaven and the Earth. The scriptures do not say. I think for anyone to assume that they know with a certainty how it was done is a display of arrogance. The theories on how it was done do not trouble me. Why should anyone's belief on how it was done (big bang or whatever) offend me? How could it possibly affect my daily life? Eventually we'll pass to the other side and know all the answers. If I am wrong and when I die, I simply cease to exist, I have lost nothing by believing this.
And yes, I personally believe that Adam was the first man and Eve was the first woman. As far as taking a rib from Adam to create his partner, why couldn't a scientist who knows everything there is to know about the universe (like God) take a tissue sample from a creature, and make the required alterations, and work it from there?
Aren't you the guy who hit me in the eye?
Adam was walking around the garden one afternoon. He was feeling rather lonely. God came to him and asked why he was so sad. Adam said he had no one to talk to and that he needed a companion. God told Adam He could create a mate for him but it would come at the great expense of an arm and a leg. Adam looked at God and said; "Gee thats great but it seems a bit much to give. What can I get for a rib?" 
Happy 2015!
Schu, I am not taking the piss. Neither is Elfie.
I do differ with Elf a bit, but not in anything that would divide us. I do believe the "days" were literal 24 hour days. The word, as it is most commonly used in the Scriptures, means a 24 hour day most often and we have nothing else to indicate another meaning. Also, if I believe in a G-d that is capable of creating all that is seen and unseen, how hard is it to believe that He did so in six 24 hour days? After all, it says that He spoke and it was.
Other than that, Elf and I believe just the same.
That is my faith though. Other people have different faiths. One believes that there was no life, just a bunch of inanimate things and then *poof* suddenly life, albeit quite primative. Another believes that at one time there were no humans and then *bam!* G-d spoke and there was Adam.
I do differ with Elf a bit, but not in anything that would divide us. I do believe the "days" were literal 24 hour days. The word, as it is most commonly used in the Scriptures, means a 24 hour day most often and we have nothing else to indicate another meaning. Also, if I believe in a G-d that is capable of creating all that is seen and unseen, how hard is it to believe that He did so in six 24 hour days? After all, it says that He spoke and it was.
Other than that, Elf and I believe just the same.
That is my faith though. Other people have different faiths. One believes that there was no life, just a bunch of inanimate things and then *poof* suddenly life, albeit quite primative. Another believes that at one time there were no humans and then *bam!* G-d spoke and there was Adam.
Onward and Upward!
Soups, that is funny. I got this one recently from Kev and it made me laugh.
Creation Explained
On the first day, God created the dog and said :
"Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes
in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."
The dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten
years and I'll give you back the other ten?"
So God agreed.
On the second day, God created the monkey and said: "Entertain
people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a
twenty-year life span."
The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty
long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the dog did?"
And God agreed.
On the third day, God created the cow and said: "You must go
into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have
calves, and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will
give you a life span of sixty years."
The cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty
years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"
And God agreed again.
On the fourth day, God created man and said: "Eat, sleep, play,
marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."
But man said: "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me
my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"
"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."
So that is why the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and
enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support
our family. For the next ten years, we do monkey tricks to entertain
the grandchildren. And for the last ten years, we sit on the front
porch and bark at everyone.
Life has now been explained to you
Creation Explained
On the first day, God created the dog and said :
"Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes
in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years."
The dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten
years and I'll give you back the other ten?"
So God agreed.
On the second day, God created the monkey and said: "Entertain
people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a
twenty-year life span."
The monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty
long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the dog did?"
And God agreed.
On the third day, God created the cow and said: "You must go
into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have
calves, and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will
give you a life span of sixty years."
The cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty
years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"
And God agreed again.
On the fourth day, God created man and said: "Eat, sleep, play,
marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years."
But man said: "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me
my twenty, the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"
"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."
So that is why the first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and
enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support
our family. For the next ten years, we do monkey tricks to entertain
the grandchildren. And for the last ten years, we sit on the front
porch and bark at everyone.
Life has now been explained to you
Onward and Upward!
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Devil's Advocate
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Well the problem is that he created a bunch of physical evidence of an olllllllld Earth.awip2062 wrote: Also, if I believe in a G-d that is capable of creating all that is seen and unseen, how hard is it to believe that He did so in six 24 hour days?
Either the book is wrong or the evidence is - and whichever it is, it's deliberate. And that leaves you with a God who lies.
