"Tell me, isn't it a sort of faith that atheists hold that there is nothing beyond us? What is your evidence supporting this assertion?"
If it wasn't for religion promising us a life after death, then the question wouldn;t arise so it the religion that has to provide proof there is a life after death. There is no faith or even "sort of faith" for atheists, we just take the opposing view in the hope that the religionists can pushed into providing proof (fat chance)
Some religions are, some aren't. Most of the incompatibility comes from dogma, which varies over time and among sects. It may surprise you to know that several major religious sects support teaching evolution and actively oppose teaching creation.
that may be but religion will always at odds with modern life if it has an invisible leader that cannot be proved to exist. Belief in an all powerful invisible god is based on ignorance and fear.
From the standpoint of social structure, there is a scientific basis for religion. Children who are told some being is watching are more likely to leave a plate of cookies alone when asked even if they don't believe that the being will do anything but watch. i.e. Scare them into being good and start the brainwashing of them thinking these "invisible friends" really exist
In general, people are more likely to behave in an ethical manner when they believe someone will see what they do, even if they don't expect any consequences for being seen. How does that work if someone is watching you have a shit?
I would prefer that we let a benevolent sky being do the watching rather than the guys back at the precinct. I'd prefer decent parents teaching kids to do the correct thing for the right reasons
That isn't to say that there isn't a long history of organized religion abusing the power of belief for their own ends, of course. That is what I personally object to. Perhaps if the abusers had actually believed someone was watching... thats there only reason to exist, "their own ends...."
"I live in Mesa Arizona in a state that allows concealed carry without a license, Mesa remains below the national average in all violent crimes for cities of more than 500,000 people" - useless anecdotal statistic unless you mention how many actually carry their dick in a holster
"Maybe if Cuomo and Bloomberg would work on figuring out why people in his state want to kill each other"
thats easy, too many idiots think it "big" to carry a gun and its an easy response to a situation.
Stop talking sense, its wasted on the NRA/Religious (probably the same group) supporters. Anyone who can think, would agree with you that changing the constitution would be possible. Unfortunately too many see cowboys films as real life now.
"if i had killed myself, i would have permanently destroyed the freedom i have now. suicide is a freedom destroying choice. opposing the choice of suicide, even externally from the individual, is a freedom preserving act"
As you'd be dead, you would not be able care one way or the other about freedoms. Suicide is a life destroying choice made by them, who are we to decide whether its good or bad for them? We can only decide if its good or bad for ourselves.
"Pretty much for KDE and X mouse pasting. There are some mouse pasting solutions for Windows, but none are as good as X. Furthermore, I rely very heavily on many of KDE's small but useful features, such as Keep on Top functionality, the wonderful panel configuration, and some other small features. They add up."
i love the non-focus stealing and to have more than one app on the screen and being able to scroll each one by mousing over it and not having to click on it to make it the active app.
Slashdot Mirror
"Tell me, isn't it a sort of faith that atheists hold that there is nothing beyond us? What is your evidence supporting this assertion?"
If it wasn't for religion promising us a life after death, then the question wouldn;t arise so it the religion that has to provide proof there is a life after death. There is no faith or even "sort of faith" for atheists, we just take the opposing view in the hope that the religionists can pushed into providing proof (fat chance)
"because it gives them the comfort of concrete answers."
What concrete answers???
Some religions are, some aren't. Most of the incompatibility comes from dogma, which varies over time and among sects. It may surprise you to know that several major religious sects support teaching evolution and actively oppose teaching creation.
that may be but religion will always at odds with modern life if it has an invisible leader that cannot be proved to exist. Belief in an all powerful invisible god is based on ignorance and fear.
From the standpoint of social structure, there is a scientific basis for religion. Children who are told some being is watching are more likely to leave a plate of cookies alone when asked even if they don't believe that the being will do anything but watch.
i.e. Scare them into being good and start the brainwashing of them thinking these "invisible friends" really exist
In general, people are more likely to behave in an ethical manner when they believe someone will see what they do, even if they don't expect any consequences for being seen.
How does that work if someone is watching you have a shit?
I would prefer that we let a benevolent sky being do the watching rather than the guys back at the precinct.
I'd prefer decent parents teaching kids to do the correct thing for the right reasons
That isn't to say that there isn't a long history of organized religion abusing the power of belief for their own ends, of course. That is what I personally object to. Perhaps if the abusers had actually believed someone was watching...
thats there only reason to exist, "their own ends...."
Also to some christian ones too, take some states in the US. i'm sure they'd ban evolution if they could
"I live in Mesa Arizona in a state that allows concealed carry without a license, Mesa remains below the national average in all violent crimes for cities of more than 500,000 people" - useless anecdotal statistic unless you mention how many actually carry their dick in a holster "Maybe if Cuomo and Bloomberg would work on figuring out why people in his state want to kill each other"
thats easy, too many idiots think it "big" to carry a gun and its an easy response to a situation.
go back to the drawing board, that was a very childish response to compare free speech with a killing machine
why can't you buy the ammo at the range? do you transport your gun and ammo in a locked gun cabinet everywhere you go?
sad sad sad, the world needs a lot less of people with ideas like this
seems to me that you feel you might fail the test.
Stop talking sense, its wasted on the NRA/Religious (probably the same group) supporters. Anyone who can think, would agree with you that changing the constitution would be possible. Unfortunately too many see cowboys films as real life now.
if you are going to compare a baseball bat to an assault rifle, you need to go back to the drawing board.
yep, but he's right
Journalism and Zdnet don't go together
"The Christian religion has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world. -- Bertrand Russell"
he's so right but i think he slightly underestimated, apply "s/Christian/Abrahamic/", that should cover it
" If you are dead, you have literally zero freedom."
you also have zero constraints
"if i had killed myself, i would have permanently destroyed the freedom i have now. suicide is a freedom destroying choice. opposing the choice of suicide, even externally from the individual, is a freedom preserving act"
As you'd be dead, you would not be able care one way or the other about freedoms. Suicide is a life destroying choice made by them, who are we to decide whether its good or bad for them? We can only decide if its good or bad for ourselves.
carrying a gun also paints a target on you to be killed first where no gun carriers may be let off
its where all the UK's old entertainers go to retire.....
Scientology a business pretending to be a religion to get the tax benefits and fool the delusional
Dont forget Judaism as its where they ripped christianity from to create their own cult
"But seriously, is there all that much difference between Scientology and the Mormon Church?
Let me fix that for you...
But seriously, is there all that much difference between Scientology and any Church?
"Amazon Web Services (EC2) "
whaaat?? those tax avoiders???
"Pretty much for KDE and X mouse pasting. There are some mouse pasting solutions for Windows, but none are as good as X. Furthermore, I rely very heavily on many of KDE's small but useful features, such as Keep on Top functionality, the wonderful panel configuration, and some other small features. They add up."
i love the non-focus stealing and to have more than one app on the screen and being able to scroll each one by mousing over it and not having to click on it to make it the active app.
And why can't the leave them at the range? Why do they need to pose with them at home?