Atheism

@Thomas,

Interesting point, Thomas.

Or maybe what used to be called copasetic people wouldn't show up in our lives? Not that I ever used that word.

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@Thomas,

Thomas wrote:

I've always found it ironic to see the most creationist subcultures in the US out-evolve us enlightened folk.

It is ironic.

If ignorance is bliss, then maybe enlightenment isn't all it's cracked up to be.

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Thomas, I don't doubt that atheists are less likely to get married. Does that necessarily negate the results?

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It's long been VERY frustrating that atheists are accused of things that we do in lower numbers than the most conservative populations. We do get more abortions - I'll give them that. But, we have fewer pregnancies to begin with.

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@Thomas,

Thomas wrote:

I've always found it ironic to see the most creationist subcultures in the US out-evolve us enlightened folk.

Read "The Marching Morons"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Marching_Morons

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@littlek,

littlek wrote:

Thomas, I don't doubt that atheists are less likely to get married. Does that necessarily negate the results?

I guess it depends on what's important to you about a marriage. If the important thing is to make a strong commitment, legally-binding strong, I suppose it does negate the results. On the other hand, if the important thing to you is the strength of the underlying relationship,which the legal paperwork merely reflects, you can be pretty indifferent about being married. Personally, I come down in the latter camp. Indeed, I like the idea of being kept honest by my life partner's freedom to walk away from me. It means that the only way I can keep her is to be the best boyfriend she can get. (And vice versa of course -- I like that part even better.)

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@dlowan,

From Dlowan's link:

Quote:

....a man from the past put into suspended animation by a freak accident involving a dental drill and anesthesia, is revived in this future.

Ha! So dated (I hope).

Quote:

Due to a combination of intelligent people not having children and excessive breeding by less intelligent people, the world is full of morons....

I have wondered about what we are doing to our species as well. Beyond the above quote, aren't we weakening the species with our medical advances (not that I'm willing to give them up).

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@dlowan,

dlowan wrote:

Read "The Marching Morons"?

Nope, never heard of it. Thanks for the pointer, I'll check it out!

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@Thomas,

we're all saved.

(ad at the bottom says IS THERE A GOD... click here for 6 reasons he exists)

who knew it could be so simple.

thanks a2k...

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@Thomas,

Or does it speak to how one approaches life in general? I think religious people might feel a stronger need to marry than atheists do. Why? Maybe it's the pre-marital sex thing. But, I think it's more than that.

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@littlek,

Perhaps it's about craving rules enforced by authorities, as opposed to mutual back-scratching, personal loyalty, and other patterns of voluntary cooperation? Just thinking aloud.

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@Thomas,

Quote:

The Revolutionary War to nationhood
During the American Revolutionary War the Continental Congress appointed one or more thanksgiving days each year, each time recommending to the executives of the various states the observance of these days in their states. The First National Proclamation of Thanksgiving was given by the Continental Congress in 1777:

FOR AS MUCH as it is the indispensable Duty of all Men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with Gratitude their Obligation to him for Benefits received, and to implore such farther Blessings as they stand in Need of: And it having pleased him in his abundant Mercy, not only to continue to us the innumerable Bounties of his common Providence; but also to smile upon us in the Prosecution of a just and necessary War, for the Defense and Establishment of our unalienable Rights and Liberties; particularly in that he hath been pleased, in so great a Measure, to prosper the Means used for the Support of our Troops, and to crown our Arms with most signal success:

It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these UNITED STATES to set apart THURSDAY, the eighteenth Day of December next, for SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE: That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelings of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgments and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please GOD through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Remembrance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Council of the whole: To inspire our Commanders, both by Land and Sea, and all under them, with that Wisdom and Fortitude which may render them fit Instruments, under the Providence of Almighty GOD, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human Blessings, INDEPENDENCE and PEACE: That it may please him, to prosper the Trade and Manufactures of the People, and the Labor of the Husbandman, that our Land may yield its Increase: To take Schools and Seminaries of Education, so necessary for cultivating the Principles of true Liberty, Virtue and Piety, under his nurturing Hand; and to prosper the Means of Religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisteth "in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost.

And it is further recommended, That servile Labor, and such Recreation, as, though at other Times innocent, may be unbecoming the Purpose of this Appointment, be omitted on so solemn an Occasion.

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CBC has a weekly program on spirituality, and upon occasion, my bowels assure that i hear at least part of it. This Sunday, they were discussing the high rate of reproduction among the religiously devout, and suggesting that atheism is an interesting, but essentially irrelevant phenomenon, for a variety of reason which they proceeded to discuss.

It was really rather hilarious . . . and pathetic. It ignored, of course, the basic principle of natural selection, which is breeding opportunity, at the same time that it attempted to use a theory of evolution to insist that religiously devout people were going to take over because they routinely produce more offspring. Although they provided no evidence that it is the case that religiously devout people produce more children than those who are not, one can still see the major flaw as being that religious devotion was not shown, in and of itself, to provide an enhanced breeding opportunity. Apparently, the author who was at the center of the discussion just assumes it--she certainly offered no evidence that it were so (maybe she was putting the cart before the horse, though--maybe she brought up that discussion after i had got off the pot and left the room). She didn't provide any control data, either--such as demonstrable fertility rates of the religiously devout versus those who are not religiously devout--nor did she appear to want to discuss birth rates in the old Soviet Union or in the People's Republic of China (one panel member tried to ask, and everyone ignored him).

But most glaringly silly is her inferential assumption that there were anything genetic involved. Is there any reason to assume that the children of the religiously devout will be religiously devout themselves? Is it not the case, for example, that everyone here is the child of people who at the least were raised in a religious environment, or were themselves raised in a religious environment? If one assumed that religious devotion provides an enhanced breeding opportunity, would the atheist disappear from reproductive inanition? Is it not the case that many atheists, in fact, perhaps most, come from a background which was religious?

I know that people have recently, excitedly claimed that religion is "hard-wired" into us by evolution. Leaving aside the dubious nature for the claims, and the lack of an explanation for what reproductive advantage would arise from the superstition, i can see no evidence that there is a genetic disposition to religious devotion--otherwise, no one raised in a religiously devout environment would ever become an atheist--no? Fortunately, i was only exposed to the silliness for the length of time that i was in the bathroom, where the radio is permanently tuned to that station, and turns on when you flip the light switch, and turns off when you shut the light off again.

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@Setanta,

Setanta wrote:

Fortunately, i was only exposed to the silliness for the length of time that i was in the bathroom, where the radio is permanently tuned to that station, and turns on when you flip the light switch, and turns off when you shut the light off again.

the lord moves in mysterious ways, his miracles to preform Razz

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@spendius,

Quote:

It's a pity you had no sense of humour.

Hell I read this website mainly for the laughs does that count?

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@djjd62,

Turn your radio on
Listen to music in the air
Get in touch with God
Turn your radio on . . .

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@Setanta,

And what exactly does that spiel prove Set aside from your obvious delight in talking about you having a **** and conjuring up the scene for us?

Your post is conditioned on your bowels. And having the light on. Had it been a morning of tight-bound costivity you wouldn't have pot-potatoed the programme and would have had nothing to write about. Such is fate.

One can say for sure that it is only under the Christian dispensation that the 3-ply softness of the luxury arse-wipe has been made available to those in your station in life and so also all the other conveniences you mention and presumably think grew on some trees. The historical record seems to show no other culture with such inestimable privileges which is a word deriving from the same root as "private" and "privvy", namely "privatus" meaning withdrawn from public view.

So your bringing this delightful scene to our attention, although falling somewhat short stylistically of Mr Joyce's effort, represents a rejection of the Christian etiquette which I must admit is consistent with your general position and might well foreshadow a new trend in society if atheism becomes more widespread.

Some of the heretical Christian sects of the 13th and 14th centuries were against sex and the bearing of children and they were pretty devout.

A CBC programme on spirituality does not mean spirituality is being discussed.

Given the cruel hand dealt by nature I cannot think of any justifiable reason for an atheist to have children at all. Why would an atheist subject a human being to this weary world of woe and to journey through this vale of suffering in a meaningless world? Having a baby to play with and validate oneself by is a bit selfish. And then loading the poor little thing up with debts is downright sadism.

It seems to have taken you rather a long time to complete the function. There are many brands of pessary on the market which I have been told are efficient and which can be inserted with the finger or, for those with highly refined aesthetic tastes, a pencil or a thin walking stick.

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@spendius,

Quote:

Given the cruel hand dealt by nature I cannot think of any justifiable reason for an atheist to have children at all. Why would an atheist subject a human being to this weary world of woe and to journey through this vale of suffering in a meaningless world? Having a baby to play with and validate oneself by is a bit selfish. And then loading the poor little thing up with debts is downright sadism.

I do not know about you but I had enjoy a wonderful life and consider this universe a wonderFul place to exist without the need to pretend that there is a god who take after the very worst of human nature running the show.

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@BillRM,

well, this doesn't happen very often, but i agree with bill

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@djjd62,

Quote:

well, this doesn't happen very often, but i agree with bill

You agree with me maybe there is a lord after all! Very Happy

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