Sledge Posted December 23, 2004 Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 Santa may or may not be dead. I choose to believe in Santa because it makes me a better person. Besides, what better proof do you have for Jesus than there is for Santa? Link to post Share on other sites
joeking27 Posted December 23, 2004 Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 Actually I think theres more books written about Santa than Jesus. I choose not to believe in a "higher being", but that doesnt stop one or more existing. Theres video evidence of Santa, the Coke Ads!! Link to post Share on other sites
Dafool Posted December 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 AHah so Santa does exist " mubles Sherlock f*cking holomes" Link to post Share on other sites
Marlowe Posted December 23, 2004 Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 Empiricism and rationalism, which are the traditional tenets of modern science are merely more contemporary forms of belief structure. I see no difference between the stereotypical scientist in a white coat which preaches one view of the world to the priest or mystic who preaches another. Science helps provide answers and justifications for certain laws (eg abortion) in the same way that religious works such as the bible and koran helped (and continue to help) to shape a coherent moral code of laws with which society of the time could be adhered. Understandably religious views are often looked down upon or even openly mocked by those viewing the world from within the context of a empirical or rational episteme. They are after all, primitive, rudimentary structures, and their attitudes in many areas are outdated and no longer serve for the benefit of society in the way they once did. I could give examples, but that'd be another can of worms that'd probably come with a padlock attached.... The inherent danger of following any view of the world with too great a zeal is that of embracing an ignorance, and chosing to shun and mock any view which doesn't neatly match up with your own. I'm not attacking anyone, so please don't take it that way - I'm just as guilty as the next person. I say this because I sincerely believe in the importance of recognising the worth and limits of any belief structure... Abridged version of the above leads to this: stop being miserable gits as unlike a manic depressive like me you have a choice, and enjoy xmas, even if it is merely a break from work and a chance to get paralytic. And for the sake of maintaining a supportive community free of divisions, let's leave all this nonsense about proving / disproving the beliefs of others at the door, okay? Link to post Share on other sites
dirty mao Posted December 24, 2004 Report Share Posted December 24, 2004 Kosac, your sig scares me, only because i say that all the time and i've never looked at your sig. ^^ anywho, merry christmas to y'all, have a happy new year. and if you drink and drive, expect me to show up at your doorstep with a shovel in hand. to bean you upside the head with. Link to post Share on other sites
Brick Posted December 24, 2004 Report Share Posted December 24, 2004 Besides it doesn't feel quite so cathartic to say "outmoded concept on a crutch" when you stub your toe Link to post Share on other sites
Spedz Posted December 24, 2004 Report Share Posted December 24, 2004 but would couldn't u say that science and reliegion (christian denomination i.e roman cathloic) can go in peace i mean i belive in my religion but in a more liberal way there for it doesn't mean that i belive it word for word that is the consertavie concept found in amishes and amsihes however some of the basic priniples of the bible are well atleast were part of society the bible trys to teachers things like common courstisy tolerance for others forgiveness also well the bible asks us ddep ethnical questions. Link to post Share on other sites
joeking27 Posted December 24, 2004 Report Share Posted December 24, 2004 *dies* Punctuate please!!! edit: spelling. ahem Link to post Share on other sites
Marlowe Posted December 24, 2004 Report Share Posted December 24, 2004 Yeah spedz, sorry that was really was what I was trying to get at in my own awkward, meandering way...You said it a lot more clearly than me though. My own personal belief is one of tolerance, and taking lessons from all manners of different sources of belief as far as they seem to make sense to me. I don't scorn other views because they don't fit into my own particular collection of beliefs... One example I suppose is that sadly I'm not religious, not out of any of this fashionable scorn that goes for it these days, as I would love to believe in the christian/jewish/muslim view of the world as it's so nice and tidy and reassuring. However, I can still see in religious beliefs how some (but not all) of their teachings help society (eg, the commandments with their no killing, no stealing, etc etc. ). Each source of beliefs has, at its core, some useful lessons to be learnt, which is why I feel it's important to not shun any just because they fail to fit in with our world view.... Erm anyway. Merry Xmas! I'll go to bed and shut up now. (the world heaves a sigh of relief) P.S. I know some smartarse will eventually pop out with an example of religious views leading to tragedy (there's always one...) - such as the obvious things - the 'dark' ages, the inquisition, the reformation, european colonisation of America and Africa's natives. But on the flip side we have Hiroshima, Nagasaki, the concentration camps of BOTH the Germans in ww2 and the British in the Boer War (we were the first to use them in the fashion that we know them - there's something to be proud of, huh?). Just like a firearm, a belief is only as pure or as dangerous as the person wielding it. Which I suppose makes ignorance is the most deadliest killer known to man.... Link to post Share on other sites
Sledge Posted December 24, 2004 Report Share Posted December 24, 2004 Hmm, my personal belief is one of intellectual facism, where any idea is acceptable so long as: 1) it can be intelligently and coherently argued by the person holding the idea. 2) it generally does more good than harm when being expressed. Far too many people are allowed to hold bizarre/stupid notions without being able to explain or defend them in any kind of intelligent manner. Morons are allowed to believe what they want, because "everyone's entitled to an opinion." WRONG! Go and earn it. Research the subject. Think about it. Then, maybe, you're entitled to an opinion. Link to post Share on other sites
joeking27 Posted December 24, 2004 Report Share Posted December 24, 2004 Hmm. This has got quite interesting now. I think its time for more perspectives. Religoin was never drilled into me in as a child. My dad was born in Belfast, so religion, especially at family gatherings is an "interesing" subject. To me religion is about living life, and some though on the unknowns, like death and the beginning. In essence religion is a set of morals, which mostly make sense. Also the though of an all powerful, all loving deity is kinda nice. None of this my dad is harder than your dad ######. Two years of going to the school CU had some effect on me. But I'm not ready to commit anything like that. What Sledge said is very similar to something I believe, but I usaully abridge to, "..entitled to an opinon? Not if its a load of ######s" Link to post Share on other sites
Spedz Posted December 24, 2004 Report Share Posted December 24, 2004 yeh i agree with you there marlowe. Anyway you don't have to beleive in the religion i mean i don't agree with certaibn aspects of my religion i.e gays what wrong with them marrying each other? they're human not some 2nd rated person if they won't to get marrid let them! (Btw i am strait.) But some parts i agree with my religion then my science why should humans create humans to become perfect? i have many of problems and god only knows the burden and pain i still have to bare if i had the choice to remove them in my genetics i wouldn't do you know why ? because we would lose our uniquness even tho we humans are not perfect we should strive to become more perfect not by advancing into things to make us look 10, 25, 5000 years younger but help people when they are in need and help, espically at this period in this time (espically its become commercialised to high friggen sh!te) Link to post Share on other sites
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