Winner and Losers of 2005

[sasguru]

Winners:

Rationality:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4545822.stm

Losers:

Superstition/Religion

[wendigo100]

Winners:

Rationality:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4545822.stm

Losers:

Superstition/Religion

sas, we have no way of knowing all the answers.

There is a lad at my daughter's school who will die in a year. The only thing that keeps him from the depths of despair is the faith that he, his family, and most people at the school share.

And yet you insist on belittling these people.

[sasguru]

I'm not belittling anyone. I agree that it's hard to live and die without a comforting belief structure. However it doesn't make that belief structure any truer. Some people (like me) cannot live believing a lie.

[Fungus]

sas, we have no way of knowing all the answers.

There is a lad at my daughter's school who will die in a year. The only thing that keeps him from the depths of despair is the faith that he, his family, and most people at the school share.

And yet you insist on belittling these people.

Fair enough, each should respect the other's beliefs. And yes religion does bring comfort to a lot of people.

But I seriously doubt the "most people at the school share" part. What is more likely to be the case is that the school attempts to forcibly indoctrinate most people at the school into Christianity and some will grow up with an enduring hate and contempt for the religion. I still find it shocking that a daily act of Christian worship is compulsory in state schools. Quite how the state can justify such appalling behaviour I will never know. We laugh at Americans but unlike us that they have separated religion from the state. Maybe that's why far more of them declare themselves to be Christians, and attend church more often? (We should have freedom to believe, and make our own choices.)

Well, that's enough sermonising.

Fungus.

[wendigo100]

I'm not belittling anyone.

But you do sas. You are entitled to your opinion, but try a little humility and respect for those who do not share it, instead of classifying them under "losers".

Nobody knows everything sas, not me, you or Tony Blair.

[sasguru]

But you do sas. You are entitled to your opinion, but try a little humility and respect for those who do not share it, instead of classifying them under "losers".

Nobody knows everything sas, not me, you or Tony Blair.

Oh yes very postmodernist - it will be the decline of this country yet. Of course everyone's opinion is equal.

Note to self: must try to respect a little bit more astrology, religion, homeopathy, reiki, shamanism and other stuff for which there is not the tiniest shred of evidence

[Chico]

sasguru - I could stoop to your level and hurl insults at you but I will not, I would just say you claim to be a tolerant person however that tolerance disappears when it comes to people who profess a belief system. Why does it bother you so much? Does it threaten you? What is it about faith and Christian in particular that causes you to act as a little child? Don't give me the nonsense about it being for the weak-willed and the not so intelligent, there are a lot more smarter and more succesful people out there who happen to Christians. What is it really? Go on over to you.

[Lucifer Box]

sasguru - I could stoop to your level and hurl insults at you but I will not

Go on, you normally do.

[Chico]

Go on, you normally do.

Hey satan finally makes his appearance. When have you been oh evil one? You preparing for your imminent defeat and destruction?

[sasguru]

sasguru - I could stoop to your level and hurl insults at you but I will not, I would just say you claim to be a tolerant person however that tolerance disappears when it comes to people who profess a belief system. Why does it bother you so much? Does it threaten you? What is it about faith and Christian in particular that causes you to act as a little child? Don't give me the nonsense about it being for the weak-willed and the not so intelligent, there are a lot more smarter and more succesful people out there who happen to Christians. What is it really? Go on over to you.

Got plenty of time today as I'm at work but there's nothing to do
Actually you are forgetting that this is a forum where the bored pass their time, and part of that is the wind up.
Seriously though, I'm actually quite tolerant of people with a belief system - it is a free country after all - in just the same way that I'm tolerant of my nephew who believes in the tooth fairy. And no faith in something doesn't threaten me -its just that it's no way to find the truth, so it saddens me that humans are so self-centred that the random workings of their neurons convinces them that they know something (because what is a belief, if not that?) I don't expect you to answer these questions because you never do but here goes anyway:

1) Why is your belief system more valid than the London suicide bombers?
2) Come to that, why is your belief system more valid than my nephew's belief in the tooth fairy?

In short can you not see that any belief systems are dodgy without supporting evidence. Take Christianity. There is some evidence (mostly hearsay) that a remarkable and charismatic person called Christ lived around 2000 years ago. It's a long way from that to all that Christianity claims nowadays.

PS If you don't try to answer my questions, please don't bother replying.