That's great and all, but tell me then which things I shouldn't be indifferent to? Should I fight global warming with all my energy? What about crime? I can't care about everything. I don't have the time. I suspect many people are indifferent because there are too many issues competing for our attention, and they do not have the time, energy or knowledge to make a choice about any of them.
Yes, the voters are indifferent. If we could make them care about something, who chooses what that something is? If we could, shouldn't we rather make them care about the billions that don't have enough to eat. Where does your RIAA challenge rank on the scale of things that matter?
This can't possibly be true. As I posted earlier, if there was no Creation, there was no Adam, no original sin, no need for redemption. Evolution's validity completely invalidates Jesus' redemptive work. It makes the New Testament worthless.
There is all kinds of conflict between the two. I'll name just two (although I think you'll agree they're significant).
1. If evolution is true, there was no physical Adam, therefore the whole New Testament argument for redemption is invalidated. If there was a Jesus and if he died to save the world, he certainly died in vain.
2. If evolution is true the entire Creation story is a lie. If it didn't happen, what else in the Bible didn't happen? Who decides whether or not it didn't happen? The Bible must be taken as a whole or not at all.
or else we would all kill one another and there would be no progress at all
I was with you right until here. It certainly is a common idea that we would all kill each other, given the opportunity. I think science would not bear this out. I recommend Dawkin's The Selfish Gene as a starting point.
Curiously, I suspect you got the idea that all people are bad and would kill each other if able from a certain religion, common in these parts, that has that as a central tenant. Fortunately, it's probably incorrect. Anyway, great post. Thanks.
These suggestions always bug me (although it's nothing personal, tepples). I type in the Colemak keyboard layout, and have for years. At my last job they wouldn't let me install the keyboard layout.
"But then how am I supposed to type?"
"We don't care."
"Wait, so you won't let me install an open source script for AHK because it's not safe, but I have administrator access to my machine and we use IE6?"
"Does not fem-pute."
No way in hell they're going to let anyone install Google Chrome Frame. Their heads would explode first.
This is why Occam's Razor is so important. It may well be true that neither possibility can be ruled out, but which one is more likely?
There are an infinite number of things that we cannot rule out as "first causes". God. Allah. A giant gem-encrusted squid. But not being able to rule them out does not make them each as likely as the next. I think we're all pretty confident it wasn't the squid.
I think it's much more reasonable to say we don't yet know how the universe was started, but the odds that an all-powerful being just like the one described in the Bible did it is vanishingly small.
Well, thank God there's no such thing as "absolute morality", eh?!
I'm deeply concerned that you are comfortable with simply believing something just "is". I'm also deeply concerned that you know so little about history that you don't realize your perception of "absolute morality" is demonstrably different from other people of faith who lived before.
Slashdot Mirror
That's great and all, but tell me then which things I shouldn't be indifferent to? Should I fight global warming with all my energy? What about crime? I can't care about everything. I don't have the time. I suspect many people are indifferent because there are too many issues competing for our attention, and they do not have the time, energy or knowledge to make a choice about any of them.
Yes, the voters are indifferent. If we could make them care about something, who chooses what that something is? If we could, shouldn't we rather make them care about the billions that don't have enough to eat. Where does your RIAA challenge rank on the scale of things that matter?
I wonder why they shifted from being succubuses to doing anal probes.
When you put it like that, it seems obvious.
This can't possibly be true. As I posted earlier, if there was no Creation, there was no Adam, no original sin, no need for redemption. Evolution's validity completely invalidates Jesus' redemptive work. It makes the New Testament worthless.
There is all kinds of conflict between the two. I'll name just two (although I think you'll agree they're significant).
1. If evolution is true, there was no physical Adam, therefore the whole New Testament argument for redemption is invalidated. If there was a Jesus and if he died to save the world, he certainly died in vain.
2. If evolution is true the entire Creation story is a lie. If it didn't happen, what else in the Bible didn't happen? Who decides whether or not it didn't happen? The Bible must be taken as a whole or not at all.
You're a monster!
or else we would all kill one another and there would be no progress at all
I was with you right until here. It certainly is a common idea that we would all kill each other, given the opportunity. I think science would not bear this out. I recommend Dawkin's The Selfish Gene as a starting point.
Curiously, I suspect you got the idea that all people are bad and would kill each other if able from a certain religion, common in these parts, that has that as a central tenant. Fortunately, it's probably incorrect. Anyway, great post. Thanks.
These suggestions always bug me (although it's nothing personal, tepples). I type in the Colemak keyboard layout, and have for years. At my last job they wouldn't let me install the keyboard layout.
"But then how am I supposed to type?"
"We don't care."
"Wait, so you won't let me install an open source script for AHK because it's not safe, but I have administrator access to my machine and we use IE6?"
"Does not fem-pute."
No way in hell they're going to let anyone install Google Chrome Frame. Their heads would explode first.
A hot programmer
Now there is a fallacy...
Hey! I'm a hot programmer, you insensitive clod!
My thoughts exactly. Only an idiot doesn't use a language that would multiply his productivity 10-fold because he doesn't like white space.
It's like refusing a night with Natalie Portman because the hot-grits she's covered in could really have used more salt.
All things in moderation, including moderation.
This is why Occam's Razor is so important. It may well be true that neither possibility can be ruled out, but which one is more likely?
There are an infinite number of things that we cannot rule out as "first causes". God. Allah. A giant gem-encrusted squid. But not being able to rule them out does not make them each as likely as the next. I think we're all pretty confident it wasn't the squid.
I think it's much more reasonable to say we don't yet know how the universe was started, but the odds that an all-powerful being just like the one described in the Bible did it is vanishingly small.
Greater potential indeed! In fact, we knew you were going to post this, and have already issued a DMCA take down notice to your address.
The courier should be delivering it to you right about...now.
Thanks for the recommendations, wonkavader. I'm definitely going to pick both of those up.
"network interface controller card" isn't redund...
Oh, sorry.
Please follow through this syllogism with me.
A. God does not change
B. In the Old Testament, God said to kill homosexuals
C. You imply the New Testament says we should not kill homosexuals
Please tell me which statement is incorrect, for they can't all be correct.
Well, thank God there's no such thing as "absolute morality", eh?!
I'm deeply concerned that you are comfortable with simply believing something just "is". I'm also deeply concerned that you know so little about history that you don't realize your perception of "absolute morality" is demonstrably different from other people of faith who lived before.
Here you go!
http://atheistsbiblecompanion.com/
Idiot. Everyone knows that homeopathic placebos don't work as well as real placebos. They dilute them so much, there's no placebo left in them!
Your post made my brain smile.
Luxury! I used to dream of getting a fake Scots accent. In my day we had to yell through a bag of peat moss.
How wonderfully...short-sighted.
I like 5 the best. A great idea!
Simply get an RMS of the show before airing it
Can't you leave Stallman out of this? Hasn't he done enough?
Have you considered LastPass or PasswordMaker?
Bullshit.
The Crusades. The Holocaust. Both enacted by Christians against people who were enemies in religious terms only.
"Religion of peace" my ass.