religion

[RobotElvis]

Originally Posted by paulgiamatti [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Then here we can agree. All I ask is that you keep it to yourself when you're in my home or around my children.

Yes but evolution has been used to commit horrible atrocities against humanity, namely eugenics. Yet I am sure that you are comfortable talking about evolution in school and in your home.

[paulgiamatti]

Originally Posted by Glenzig [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You don't want your children to be given any other options for belief?

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean by "belief" here. There are plenty of things about the universe and the study of science that are hugely inspiring - just read about supermassive black holes or look at the Hubble images of galaxy clusters, or read Stephen Hawking's description of the event horizon. There are plenty of things that can be simply believed with a great deal of awe and wonder under the purview of science without involving superstitious, religious nonsense.

If you were referencing spirituality, then yes I am very much open-minded to that as well. I believe to be human is to have the desire for self-transcendence, and reach a more enlightened state of being if you will. Does this make me believe in anything supernatural? It does not. I believe there is no such thing as a suspension of the laws of physics, and it is this fact about our universe that is the only thing that can be described as miraculous.

[Glenzig]

Originally Posted by paulgiamatti [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean by "belief" here. There are plenty of things about the universe and the study of science that are hugely inspiring - just read about supermassive black holes or look at the Hubble images of galaxy clusters, or read Stephen Hawking's description of the event horizon. There are plenty of things that can be simply believed with a great deal of awe and wonder under the purview of science without involving superstitious, religious nonsense.

If you were referencing spirituality, then yes I am very much open-minded to that as well. I believe to be human is to have the desire for self-transcendence, and reach a more enlightened state of being if you will. Does this make me believe in anything supernatural? It does not. I believe there is no such thing as a suspension of the laws of physics, and it is this fact about our universe that is the only thing that can be described as miraculous.

So Transhumanism is ok, but any mention of God is out of the question?

[Barkingturtle]

Originally Posted by Glenzig [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Where did these multiple single-celled organisms come from?

The stars, duh.

Look, I commend your curiosity, but you have a responsibility to educate yourself. I have no obligation to lead you around by your pudgy little baby hand.

Originally Posted by RobotElvis [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

So how many were there? 2,3,6? If all life on earth , vegetable and animal, shares one thing in common i.e DNA , then how do you know that only one germ or organism wasn't needed?

You're ridiculous. You call it a mind-boggling theory, I tell you it's not actually a theory anyone holds, and then you expect me to defend your ill-conceived hypothetical for you?

I guess that's the kind of circular logic one clings to when they can't make sense of the world around them.

[paulgiamatti]

Originally Posted by RobotElvis [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Yes but evolution has been used to commit horrible atrocities against humanity, namely eugenics. Yet I am sure that you are comfortable talking about evolution in school and in your home.

Religion is the only thing that indoctrinates in scripture carrying out malevolent, hateful, and oppressive things to others in the name of god or under his direct command. There are speeches about this very subject by widely acclaimed secular humanists that carry much more weight under their names than I do, I've mentioned a handful of them somewhere upthread.

Humans can find any reason to do evil and wicked things, but religion, to put it euphemistically, has far more blood on its hands than anything else in mankind's history. To ignore this is simply to be anti-historical.

[RobotElvis]

Originally Posted by paulgiamatti [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean by "belief" here. There are plenty of things about the universe and the study of science that are hugely inspiring - just read about supermassive black holes or look at the Hubble images of galaxy clusters, or read Stephen Hawking's description of the event horizon. There are plenty of things that can be simply believed with a great deal of awe and wonder under the purview of science without involving superstitious, religious nonsense.

If you were referencing spirituality, then yes I am very much open-minded to that as well. I believe to be human is to have the desire for self-transcendence, and reach a more enlightened state of being if you will. Does this make me believe in anything supernatural? It does not. I believe there is no such thing as a suspension of the laws of physics, and it is this fact about our universe that is the only thing that can be described as miraculous.

I think spontaneous generation is pretty miraculous and suspends the laws of our universe.

0+0=1= miracle= evolution

[Eliseus]

Originally Posted by paulgiamatti [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I'm not sure if I understand what you mean by "belief" here. There are plenty of things about the universe and the study of science that are hugely inspiring - just read about supermassive black holes or look at the Hubble images of galaxy clusters, or read Stephen Hawking's description of the event horizon. There are plenty of things that can be simply believed with a great deal of awe and wonder under the purview of science without involving superstitious, religious nonsense.

If you were referencing spirituality, then yes I am very much open-minded to that as well. I believe to be human is to have the desire for self-transcendence, and reach a more enlightened state of being if you will. Does this make me believe in anything supernatural? It does not. I believe there is no such thing as a suspension of the laws of physics, and it is this fact about our universe that is the only thing that can be described as miraculous.

Stephen Hawkings is one of the most self-absorbed people on this planet. He is the pinnacle of this discussion with "if science says this is what it is, this is what it is, no exceptions" type comments. No matter the absurdity. You might as well let him just say God does exist, because he sure acts like one, and he would probably claim he is.

[RobotElvis]

Originally Posted by paulgiamatti [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Religion is the only thing that indoctrinates in scripture carrying out malevolent, hateful, and oppressive things to others in the name of god or under his direct command. There are speeches about this very subject by widely acclaimed secular humanists that carry much more weight under their names than I do, I've mentioned a handful of them somewhere upthread.

Humans can find any reason to do evil and wicked things, but religion, to put it euphemistically, has far more blood on its hands than anything else in mankind's history. To ignore this is simply to be anti-historical.

Yes religion has the lions share of bloodshed on its hands through history, no doubt. But I cannot blame God for that, nor the bible. Anymore than you would blame evolution for the killing of millions of persons through eugenics.

[Glenzig]

Originally Posted by Barkingturtle [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The stars, duh.

Look, I commend your curiosity, but you have a responsibility to educate yourself. I have no obligation to lead you around by your pudgy little baby.

The stars? Please explain how single-cell organisms "came from the stars".

[paulgiamatti]

Originally Posted by Glenzig [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

So Transhumanism is ok, but any mention of God is out of the question?

I don't care about the mention of god or deities - that's going to happen, anywhere and everywhere. But if you come into my house and start preaching religious bullshit, you're going to be leaving very quickly. The study of religious scripture, compulsory praise and worship, the participation in church, will never, ever be mandated to my kids. That is out of the question.