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Post by xna on Jan 27, 2015 19:35:51 GMT -5
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Post by snow on Jan 27, 2015 21:43:16 GMT -5
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Post by snow on Jan 28, 2015 12:36:00 GMT -5
This is an interesting article and video embedded within the article. It makes a very strong argument that the teaching of Creationism is not just a religious problem or a superstition that we can ignore but a very real problem. It takes away the ability for these children to think critically and our future demands that we do if we are to continue finding more breakthroughs in science that help humanity. “We’ve arranged a society on science and technology in which nobody understands anything about science and technology, and this combustible mixture of ignorance and power sooner or later is going to blow up in our faces. I mean, who is running the science and technology in a democracy if the people don’t know anything about it.” – Carl Sagan www.collective-evolution.com/2013/12/19/carl-sagans-two-warnings-for-humanity-in-his-very-last-interview-you-might-want-to-hear-this/ |
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Post by dmmichgood on Jan 28, 2015 20:06:41 GMT -5
WOW! THAT'S GREAT!
I wish that we would be able to do that in the US. Don't think that I will ever see that day.
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Post by xna on Jan 28, 2015 20:15:16 GMT -5
WOW! THAT'S GREAT!
I wish that we would be able to do that in the US. Don't think that I will ever see that day.
For a US president it's in our godless constitution: no god or bible required  Article Two, Section One, Clause Eight: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." |
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Post by snow on Jan 29, 2015 12:48:04 GMT -5
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Post by snow on Jan 29, 2015 12:54:18 GMT -5
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Post by xna on Jan 29, 2015 13:44:29 GMT -5
I see the world as getting better for those born less "normal". Yet no matter how much "better" it gets I suspect it will never be easy, especially during the younger years. The good thing about life is, if you make it to told age, it's a great equalizer.  I have observed that the non normal just want to be normal, and the normal just want to be different, but that's hard to see from a one perch. |
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Post by dmmichgood on Jan 29, 2015 14:56:35 GMT -5
WOW! THAT'S GREAT!
I wish that we would be able to do that in the US. Don't think that I will ever see that day.
For a US president it's in our godless constitution: no god or bible required Article Two, Section One, Clause Eight: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
He wouldn't have a chance to even get to the Iowa Caucuses!
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Post by snow on Jan 31, 2015 11:43:25 GMT -5
Found this article to be interesting today. I have always wondered how people can be enthralled by the description of the Christian heaven. It has always sounded not only boring (it does go on forever after all) and horrific. Why horrific? Because I would be able to see those who were suffering in 'the other place'. For some reason this has been proclaimed to be a wonderful thing because it will make us endlessly grateful that we were chosen to dwell in heaven. If I had a view of people suffering for eternity that would be hell for me. How could it not be? www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/01/10-reasons-christian-heaven-would-actually-be-hell/Take your pick of sadism or ignorance. – One of Heaven’s dirty little secrets is that it co-exists with hell. Or maybe it isn’t a secret. Maybe it’s a perk. Some theologians have argued that witnessing the torment of the damned will be one of the joys of paradise. In the words of Puritan superstar Jonathon Edwards, who preached a whole sermon on the topic: “When the saints in glory, therefore, shall see the doleful state of the damned, how will this heighten their sense of the blessedness of their own state, so exceedingly different from it! When they shall see how miserable others of their fellow creatures are, who were naturally in the same circumstances with themselves; when they shall see the smoke of their torment, and the raging of the flames of their burning, and hear their dolorous shrieks and cries, and consider that they in the meantime are in the most blissful state, and shall surely be in it to all eternity; how will they rejoice!” |
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Post by snow on Jan 31, 2015 11:46:04 GMT -5
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Post by xna on Jan 31, 2015 13:37:44 GMT -5
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Post by rational on Jan 31, 2015 16:13:45 GMT -5
Found this article to be interesting today. I have always wondered how people can be enthralled by the description of the Christian heaven. It has always sounded not only boring (it does go on forever after all) and horrific. Why horrific? Because I would be able to see those who were suffering in 'the other place'. For some reason this has been proclaimed to be a wonderful thing because it will make us endlessly grateful that we were chosen to dwell in heaven. If I had a view of people suffering for eternity that would be hell for me. How could it not be? www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/01/10-reasons-christian-heaven-would-actually-be-hell/Take your pick of sadism or ignorance. – One of Heaven’s dirty little secrets is that it co-exists with hell. Or maybe it isn’t a secret. Maybe it’s a perk. Some theologians have argued that witnessing the torment of the damned will be one of the joys of paradise. In the words of Puritan superstar Jonathon Edwards, who preached a whole sermon on the topic: “When the saints in glory, therefore, shall see the doleful state of the damned, how will this heighten their sense of the blessedness of their own state, so exceedingly different from it! When they shall see how miserable others of their fellow creatures are, who were naturally in the same circumstances with themselves; when they shall see the smoke of their torment, and the raging of the flames of their burning, and hear their dolorous shrieks and cries, and consider that they in the meantime are in the most blissful state, and shall surely be in it to all eternity; how will they rejoice!”You can always count on Edwards for a sermon to wake people up. While I like The end of the Wicked contemplated by the Righteous. it does not compare to Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. |
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Post by snow on Jan 31, 2015 16:47:51 GMT -5
I would think it is our strongest evolutionary trait for survival actually. I have seen some studies lately about this and how we not only empathize when viewing others in pain, but if we help someone we get benefit from it as well as they do and even watching someone else help someone gives us a 'good feeling' too. So this is pretty interesting information. We are neurologically programmed to feel good when helping others or even watching someone help others. We are also able to feel another person's pain. I was reading something a while back (don't know what article at the moment, sorry), but it talked about psychopaths having a 'damaged' neurological ability to empathize. They lack the ability to feel someone else's pain. They can learn from society what is acceptable, but can't actually empathize like everyone else. The study of the brain with MRI imaging technology is a fascinating area. If I was young and just starting out in my schooling and career, I think that would be my choice of study. We are learning so much about people and what makes them what they are. Maybe it will slowly make the world realize that in at least some cases, it is a mental deficiency that causes them to do some of the horrible things they do and while we need to do something about preventing them from re-offending, we can have less of a stigma towards them as a person. Have more compassion. |
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Post by snow on Jan 31, 2015 16:49:20 GMT -5
Found this article to be interesting today. I have always wondered how people can be enthralled by the description of the Christian heaven. It has always sounded not only boring (it does go on forever after all) and horrific. Why horrific? Because I would be able to see those who were suffering in 'the other place'. For some reason this has been proclaimed to be a wonderful thing because it will make us endlessly grateful that we were chosen to dwell in heaven. If I had a view of people suffering for eternity that would be hell for me. How could it not be? www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/01/10-reasons-christian-heaven-would-actually-be-hell/Take your pick of sadism or ignorance. – One of Heaven’s dirty little secrets is that it co-exists with hell. Or maybe it isn’t a secret. Maybe it’s a perk. Some theologians have argued that witnessing the torment of the damned will be one of the joys of paradise. In the words of Puritan superstar Jonathon Edwards, who preached a whole sermon on the topic: “When the saints in glory, therefore, shall see the doleful state of the damned, how will this heighten their sense of the blessedness of their own state, so exceedingly different from it! When they shall see how miserable others of their fellow creatures are, who were naturally in the same circumstances with themselves; when they shall see the smoke of their torment, and the raging of the flames of their burning, and hear their dolorous shrieks and cries, and consider that they in the meantime are in the most blissful state, and shall surely be in it to all eternity; how will they rejoice!”You can always count on Edwards for a sermon to wake people up. While I like The end of the Wicked contemplated by the Righteous. it does not compare to Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.Looked this up and the book is called a Christian classic!! Really? He really gets off on the belief of God and punishment doesn't he. |
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Post by xna on Jan 31, 2015 16:58:24 GMT -5
I would think it is our strongest evolutionary trait for survival actually. I have seen some studies lately about this and how we not only empathize when viewing others in pain, but if we help someone we get benefit from it as well as they do and even watching someone else help someone gives us a 'good feeling' too. So this is pretty interesting information. We are neurologically programmed to feel good when helping others or even watching someone help others. We are also able to feel another person's pain. I was reading something a while back (don't know what article at the moment, sorry), but it talked about psychopaths having a 'damaged' neurological ability to empathize. They lack the ability to feel someone else's pain. They can learn from society what is acceptable, but can't actually empathize like everyone else. The study of the brain with MRI imaging technology is a fascinating area. If I was young and just starting out in my schooling and career, I think that would be my choice of study. We are learning so much about people and what makes them what they are. Maybe it will slowly make the world realize that in at least some cases, it is a mental deficiency that causes them to do some of the horrible things they do and while we need to do something about preventing them from re-offending, we can have less of a stigma towards them as a person. Have more compassion. The discovery of mirror neurons helps us better understand how our brain works. |
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Post by snow on Jan 31, 2015 17:02:47 GMT -5
I would think it is our strongest evolutionary trait for survival actually. I have seen some studies lately about this and how we not only empathize when viewing others in pain, but if we help someone we get benefit from it as well as they do and even watching someone else help someone gives us a 'good feeling' too. So this is pretty interesting information. We are neurologically programmed to feel good when helping others or even watching someone help others. We are also able to feel another person's pain. I was reading something a while back (don't know what article at the moment, sorry), but it talked about psychopaths having a 'damaged' neurological ability to empathize. They lack the ability to feel someone else's pain. They can learn from society what is acceptable, but can't actually empathize like everyone else. The study of the brain with MRI imaging technology is a fascinating area. If I was young and just starting out in my schooling and career, I think that would be my choice of study. We are learning so much about people and what makes them what they are. Maybe it will slowly make the world realize that in at least some cases, it is a mental deficiency that causes them to do some of the horrible things they do and while we need to do something about preventing them from re-offending, we can have less of a stigma towards them as a person. Have more compassion. The discovery of mirror neurons helps us better understand of how our brain works. Yes, it sure does. I think it instinct to help others in trouble. So much of the time we hear about someone that helps without thinking about the consequences for themselves. When we act, and don't think about it, I believe we are wired to help. When the thinking area of our brain gets involved in less dire circumstances, that's when it becomes more evident we can also talk ourselves out of helping. But I still think our first instinct is to help. And, when we do our brains reward us by releasing 'feel good' hormones (oxytocin, dopamine etc). How cool is that! |
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Post by snow on Jan 31, 2015 17:17:49 GMT -5
Found this today and this guy explains how I feel about the Judeo/Christian/Islam God so well. This is what I felt at 12 when I read about what he did in the OT and even in the NT, though the NT does tone him down a little. The exclusivity of the 2x2 faith was likely the best thing that I could have had happen to me because it made me realize just how horrific the teaching of exclusivity really is. And there is a God that supposedly thinks it's okay that only a few hundred thousand will make it into heaven with him.
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Post by dmmichgood on Jan 31, 2015 23:49:11 GMT -5
Found this today and this guy explains how I feel about the Judeo/Christian/Islam God so well. This is what I felt at 12 when I read about what he did in the OT and even in the NT, though the NT does tone him down a little. The exclusivity of the 2x2 faith was likely the best thing that I could have had happen to me because it made me realize just how horrific the teaching of exclusivity really is. And there is a God that supposedly thinks it's okay that only a few hundred thousand will make it into heaven with him.
He really says it like it is! Absolutely great!
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Post by snow on Jan 31, 2015 23:54:39 GMT -5
your welcome dimmichgood. I agree.
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Post by rational on Feb 2, 2015 9:18:23 GMT -5
You can always count on Edwards for a sermon to wake people up. While I like The end of the Wicked contemplated by the Righteous. it does not compare to Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.Looked this up and the book is called a Christian classic!! Really? He really gets off on the belief of God and punishment doesn't he. While there are still some preachers like Edwards still around, the basic content of his sermons are not refuted by many today. They reflect what the bible states about sinners and how they will be dealt with by the god described in the bible. The sugar coating has been stripped off. You might also want to look at The End For Which God Created the World. Interesting that he was Aaron Burr's grandfather. In all fairness, many in the conglomeration did not support Edwards and Edwards himself did a lot to help those who needed it. |
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Post by snow on Feb 2, 2015 11:34:28 GMT -5
Looked this up and the book is called a Christian classic!! Really? He really gets off on the belief of God and punishment doesn't he. While there are still some preachers like Edwards still around, the basic content of his sermons are not refuted by many today. They reflect what the bible states about sinners and how they will be dealt with by the god described in the bible. The sugar coating has been stripped off. You might also want to look at The End For Which God Created the World. Interesting that he was Aaron Burr's grandfather. In all fairness, many in the conglomeration did not support Edwards and Edwards himself did a lot to help those who needed it. I often wonder how many Christians there would be today if all the sermons were preached with the 'sugar coating stripped off'? I think most people are Christian because all they ever hear is the things that do not provoke a lot of thought and don't offend sensibilities. I know some go for the fire and brimstone preachers still, but I wonder how many would if that was all that was preached. A lot of Christians that I have talked to that are liberal Christians are more focused on the good aspects and try to ignore the negatives of the religion and some even don't believe in a hell for eternity any more. It's interesting to watch the changes in attitudes and beliefs. |
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Post by snow on Feb 2, 2015 17:50:26 GMT -5
Here is an talk of two of my favorite people, Lawrence Krauss and Alan Alda. I used to absolutely love him on M.A.S.H and Lawrence is one of my favorite scientists.
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Post by bubbles on Feb 2, 2015 19:14:02 GMT -5
Loved it. So true. Xna Where do you get the time to find all this stuff. |
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Post by xna on Feb 2, 2015 19:52:09 GMT -5
Loved it. So true. Xna Where do you get the time to find all this stuff. Well now I could be one of Nathan's aliens living in a different time continuum, or I could be the devil who has taken over the internet, or I could be a demigod - you know the kind where a thousand years is as if a day to gods. But alas, the truth is I simply was interested in the question: Where do we get our morals? |
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Post by rational on Feb 2, 2015 21:28:40 GMT -5
But alas, the truth is I simply was interested in the question: Where do we get our morals? I have had good luck at A1-Moral Rentals |
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Post by bubbles on Feb 2, 2015 23:21:08 GMT -5
Loved it. So true. Xna Where do you get the time to find all this stuff. Well now I could be one of Nathan's aliens living in a different time continuum, or I could be the devil who has taken over the internet, or I could be a demigod - you know the kind where a thousand years is as if a day to gods. But alas, the truth is I simply was interested in the question: Where do we get our morals? Morals? Fastinating! Are emotions linked to morals? I think so. That vegas nerve travels along way. I wonder why ( after watching that clip) hairs stand up on the back of the neck when we become startlibgly aware of someone in the room or when we witness something intriguingly beautiful our spirit sings or the flush of pleasure zings to our fingertips. |
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Post by dmmichgood on Feb 3, 2015 20:29:11 GMT -5
Well now I could be one of Nathan's aliens living in a different time continuum, or I could be the devil who has taken over the internet, or I could be a demigod - you know the kind where a thousand years is as if a day to gods. But alas, the truth is I simply was interested in the question: Where do we get our morals? Morals? Fastinating! Are emotions linked to morals? I think so. That vegas nerve travels along way. I wonder why ( after watching that clip) hairs stand up on the back of the neck when we become startlibgly aware of someone in the room
or when we witness something intriguingly beautiful our spirit sings or the flush of pleasure zings to our fingertips.
However, how does either of those have anything to do with morality?
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I have observed that the non normal just want to be normal, and the normal just want to be different, but that's hard to see from a one perch.
