http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/kenwald/pos6292/liebman.pdf

Religious beliefs are extremism, pure and simple.

They stray from normal rational thinking and pretend to have answers for what is so far not understandable.

Kooks! the lot of 'em  :D

..then again, they may just be a lazy lot who can't be bothered putting two and two together.

Thou shailt not kill
Thou shalt not steal...

hmmm, yes well it's obvious they stray from "normal rational thinking"  :D ;D ;D

Yep only "kooks" would adhere to those beliefs.

Quote:

Thou shailt not kill Thou shalt not steal... hmmm, yes well it's obvious they stray from "normal rational thinking"

Only ant-raided picnic sandwiches would need to read it in a book ...and then they come to the rational conclusion that if this is true, then the rest of it must be true also.

Ummm...Derrr Fred?

I dont get it.

"NOT stealing or NOT killing" is abnormal ??

Well to be fair, you just picked two from ten, from one set of rules, amongst very, very, many, laid down by religious folk.

Would you care to re-appraise your self congratulation, or would you like me to start listing some of the horrible, stupid, unsupportable by any sane human, ones?

Quote:

"NOT stealing or NOT killing" is abnormal ??

Jeez Sprint, I'm saying that it doesn't take a frikin' genius to deduct that killing and stealing are not the right things to do.
If you need to learn this from a book then you're nearly beyond help anyway.

I'm also saying that just because they can come up with a few accepted facts that every rational thinking person would believe to be true anyway, it doesn't mean that every other piece of garbage that they choose to write is something to be believed without thought.

Amadd - yes, if you needed to be told "murder is bad" ........

should be able to pick up on that one yourself.


oh, the original phrase apparently meant "unjustly kill"

Quote:

oh, the original phrase apparently meant "unjustly kill"

Hmm..that was decifered at at time of convenience I suppose?

Not stealing is pretty abnormal.

Look at the convicts who got sent here for stealing bread. Not stealing that bread and allowing yourself to starve is pretty abnormal.

No one likes to suffer, everyone wants the easy life. Stealing a lump of gold to better yourself is normal behaviour.

Thank God for religion for making us abnormal and giving us skewed moral values. I would hate to see the world we would live in without religious guidance.

Sadly, that comment sums up quite a bit about those who need a book for guidance.

It lacks a certain amount of empathy and common sense.

easel - as intelligent as you are, it'ld be better for me if you said what you meant.

Yes, a bit of consideration for the english "convicts" would have been good.

I have no wish to debate with an irrational conspiranut Mozz..

my point was made.

Pick any of the 10 or the golden rule...  none are irrational.

I think what I was trying to convey was that humans are generally pretty disgusting creatures and full of evil. In our entire existence we have been trying to destroy each other with hardly a break in between, and when we have these breaks we are arming up for the next round.

If religion was brought in as a control measure, and rules such as don't kill, don't steal, don't root your mates wife, provide for your family, be faithful etc etc had to be taught to people, it shows you just how bad we are at the base level and that we do need control, humanity is scum.

I thank organised religion for these philosophical/moral guidelines.

If people were good of heart, people such as Ghandi, Buddha, Jesus etc would not be so revered and would not have their eyes opened so wide when learning about peace and love.

And whilst I am not sure about organised religion, I do strongly believe in God.

That's what I meant sprint. Humanity is naturally vile and needs to be taught how to work together from the beginning of life lest people act naturally and narcissism and consumerism take over.

Even people who are not religious will find themselves raised in societies that have their values influenced by former/current religious practices, and the atheists I have met thank religion for keeping things calm.

easel - as an athiest and a born again many people woulld think we would disagree.
How small minded of them.

I tips my hat to your athiest friends and wish there were more "religious" people who were so spiritual.

Indeed sprint. I find it funny that these days we are so 'enlightened' and throw off religious teachings, adopt our own individual moral codes that are entirely self serving, worship the dollar and are driven by consumerism.

And then we wonder why society is crumbling.

easel - aside from what the media says , society is strong and the vast overwhelming majority of people are good.

Not in my experience. I find people under 30 to be a waste of space. Most people over 30 are fine though...

It might be an age thing though, you know, age and maturity and what not.

easel wrote on Oct 24^th, 2008 at 12:32am:

Not in my experience. I find people under 30 to be a waste of space. Most people over 30 are fine though... It might be an age thing though, you know, age and maturity and what not.

hey  :'(

Religion is not extreme per se.  That would indicate a large variation from the norm.

Religion is not really very rational, and relies on faith, the antithesis of reason.

Religion has played a role in the past, but I think the benefits it provides are outweighed by the detrimental effects it has

Gaybriel wrote on Oct 24^th, 2008 at 8:59am:

easel wrote on Oct 24th, 2008 at 12:32am: Not in my experience. I find people under 30 to be a waste of space. Most people over 30 are fine though... It might be an age thing though, you know, age and maturity and what not. hey  :'(

I'm under 30. There are alright people under 30, but say out of 200 people you know under 30, there will be 5-10 you like who aren't in to a particular scene or image and act naturally. That is for me anyway, everyone is different.