Good Cretinism Article

That's "creationism" for those who don't speak firegodonian.

http://www.americanatheist.org/smr02/T1/zindler.html

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One of the biggest myths told is that being intelligent is the absence of the ability to do stupid things.

I know it sounds like I'm saying this under heavy bias, but that was just a BAD article...not because of its message, but because of the way it tried to make its point. It's almost pure propaganda. Anyone can write such a thing regardless of the validity of their arguments.

That said, I'd like to just once see an Atheist acknowledge the undeniable racist ties to a lot of these evolutionary conflicts back in those days. I don't think it's a coincidence.

Racist ties were everywhere back in those days. Sure, Darwin was a racist, but so were most of our founding fathers.

To be a racist is one thing...but having it tie so heavily into your beliefs is quite another. Example: the full title of Darwin's Origin of the Species. Or, for another, the real content of that schoolbook in the Scopes Monkey Trial. You never hear about THAT...you just hear that he's indicted for teaching evolution...not that he was teaching racism side-by-side! Things like that matter.

IMO, when a belief like that is so clearly involved in the concept you're pushing, the whole thing needs to be severely questioned. It's only fair, if people are going to continue to argue a case against Christianity with similar methods.

I do think the whole thing needs to be severely questioned, and I think it has been.

Yeah...but still questioned with a limited understanding. We're not even master of our own chunk of dirt yet... there's no way we could be equipped to understand "God".

I read an interesting article about Quantum Evolution. It's a guy's theories on how the original protiens etc could have mixed at the quantum level. Check it:
http://www.surrey.ac.uk/qe/

He says that under present scientific explanations the likelyhood (sp?) that protien chains formed in the primordial soup is like saying that a tornado whipping through a junkyard is likely to assemble a 747 in it's wake.

He does go on to explain our existence sans a diety... some of it sounds plausible... some of it I can't get my head around (ain't smart enuff)... and some of it sounds stretched.

So... take a look...see what you think.

I'm sure that is a bit of an exageration. The fact that it is unlikely to happen in one instance does not mean it is unlikely to happen anywhere in the entire universe. Is it really like there being one in a trillion chance of life forming, or one in a trillion chance of life forming with the universe having trillions of chances at it?

Will do.

"The statistical probability that organic structures and the most precisely harmonized reactions that typify living organisms would be generated by accident is zero."
-- Dr. I. Prigogine, recipient of two Nobel Prizes in Chemistry


"The trouble is there are about 2,000 enzymes, and the chance of obtaining them all in a random trial is only one part in 10 to the 40,000 power (10 with 40,000 zeros after it), an outrageously small probability that could not be faced even if the whole universe consisted of organic soup."
-- Sir Fred Hoyle, Astronomer

True...but what are the odds that we just happen to be that one in a trillion? Granted, if there was one, they'd be asking themselves the same thing...but for good reason.

Aha! A very good point! I have to let my dim brain soak that up... I'm an artist damn you, not a scientist! How dare you provoke me!

Seriously... that is a good point.

That avatar COMPLETELY threw me off for about 20 seconds or so.

You oughta see how I'm defacing yours...

Oh sh*t.

I'm in an argumentative mood, so I think I'll resurrect this thread...

Yo Jer...question for you: have you ever heard of Foundationalism? It's the idea that for everything you believe in, you should have a reason for it. Furthermore, it states that for every reason you have for believing in something, you should have a reason for believing THAT...and so on, and so forth. This forms a chain of sorts. I think you'll agree with this reasoning.

What I'm wondering is, where does that get you eventually? What do your beliefs come to rest on, when you get down to it? If you'd like me to go through the motions and start an actual line of questioning to demonstrate this, say the word. It'd be my pleasure.

I'd like to pose another question to you, in addition to that one, though: what do you think the goal of our species should be? Obviously you believe we have no purpose or meaning in life, ultimately...so what do YOU say we should strive for?

Wakey wakey, fire.

I've barely even heard of it and knew nothing at all about it until your message. I certainly think that I should have a good reason in order to believe in something, but the way you describe Foundationalism, it sounds pretty wacky. I'll have to study it pretty soon, as it sounds interesting as well.


Well, I don't know if the questions would apply to me or not, but I'd be interested in any case you want to make on the subject.

I'd like to see us gain a lot of wisdom and peace.

I think our purpose is to run around naked singing, "I am an Indian. Oh yes. That is what am am. An. Indian."

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www.esotericrabbit.com

What sounds wacky about having reasons for your beliefs?

Well, I'd start by asking you how you define something as true.

Why?

Absolutely nothing.


You are being retarded.

Still are.

I love these threads.

So, are you messing around, or did you just make a highly subtle joke that I didn't care to notice?

It's a simple question.

I'd define being retarded as being unable to answer simple questions.