Except for the violent parts:
Does biblical violence cause aggressive biblical readers?
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Except for the violent parts:
Does biblical violence cause aggressive biblical readers?
This is exactly why faith has no place in school. Why on Earth would a scientific fact be offensive to you? That's like saying you're offended by the notion that a ball will fall if you drop it, or that an opaque object in a light beam casts a shadow.
I suppose people were having this same debate hundreds of years ago over flat vs. round Earth. Or the Stars being actual entities that were able to be visited vs the canvas of the heavens.
It is offensive to me because I do not believe that it is fact. I think it is a way for science to have an answer to everything. And every question does not have an answer.
If evolution says we "evolved" from monkeys - then why are there still monkeys?
Heh, because we and monkeys evolved from a monkey-like ancestor (that we would still call a type of monkey). They evolved one way, we evolved another, dependent upon our environments.
If you'd like to question evolution further, I'd be happy to answer any queries you have in another thread. It IS scientific fact, though. And it DOES fit all the evidence.
Sorry, I just don't buy it. And with that - school is giving one option - why not the others.
Because the other options are not agreed upon by people who's job is to look at all the evidence and to propose the best model (scientists). I have faith that the scientific community would happily back creationism if it were the simplist model that had sufficient evidence, but it does not. In fact it contradicts much of the evidence we have.
They are not the deceptive single-minded beings that creationists seek to make them out to be. They are paid to be open-minded.
Oh, so because people in white coats said it was true - it must be. I don't put much faith in that at all. If they can tell us how we got here - why can't they figure out the cure for the common cold or cancer. They DO NOT have all the answers. They are just regular joes like the rest of us. Trying to make sense of something and this is the best they could come up with.
NowWhat,
They haven't fingered the cure for the common cold or cancer (actually fine Canadian scientists are close but they are getting stymied by American Big Pharma) but they have figured out how to cure thousands of ailments. They is a reason that your child is no longer dying of polio or german measles or a fever or an infection - it's thanks to fine people in white coats. If you have kids you should be extremely grateful that science has brought what it has to us.
Just because you don't understand something does not mean you should reject it outright. You are probably happy driving a car or watching TV, I can assure you that God didn't develop those for you.
You're comparing two completely different things. Evolution is the theory that explains how species form and how life got from a few strands of RNA to all the life we see today.
Your examples are technological ones, not theoretical ones.
Evolution goes a long way toward explaining why cancerous cells form. There are plenty of treatments for cancer which are getting better all the time. The reason there isn't a cure is because it isn't an organism like most diseases are, it's your own body and it's caused by how our cells work and how they are damaged. We have to try and reverse that damage.
The common cold EVOLVES so well and quickly into different strains that we cannot cure it with a single cure. There ARE cures for it but those cures will only kill 99% of a strain. The others have mutations that make them resistant to the cure and they multiply and voilą we have a strain that is resistant to the cure. (this is the definition of evolution)
Scientists don't have an answer to everything. Sure. I don't see how that's an argument against them. God has given us precious few answers too. Some of the answers he has given us don't match up to the evidence we have found. This has 2 conclusions. God is lying to us (for whatever motive), or that he doesn't exist.
The evidence is there. You can look at it and come to whatever conclusions you want. But people who have studied this and all other theories for their entire lives have come to the conclusion that evolution fits all the facts. It seems to be folly to just dismiss their conclusions like you are.
NowWhat has avery good point. Because one particular religion is more prevalent in a given area, doesn't mean that it is more correct than another. Just more popular.
Is anyone so afraid of learning about the bible that they shudder at even being exposed to the idea of looking inside the cover?
And some of its implications, hasn't looked at the Gregorian calandar : Gregorian calendar - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia It's long but I found it quite interesting reading.
My point of bring evolution into the discussion is this - It goes against my beliefs. Just as the Bible goes against others. Yet, one is taught and the other isn't.
If you believe this - that is your choice. If you believe the Bible - again your choice.
And NK, I do believe that God provided things such as cars and TV for us. He gave the people responsible for those inventions the knowledge. I believe that, With God, All things are possible.
You don't believe that the persons themselves gained the knowledge? That it was given to them by God?Quote:
Originally Posted by NowWhat
I don't think that God came to them in a dream or something like that - if that is what you are asking.
But, I do think that God gives us a path. God gives us talents. Like the great artists of the world. They have a God given ability to paint the most beautiful pictures. Unlike me, who can't even draw a straight line.
NK... that is right!! You can't even breathe in and out without His permission!Quote:
Originally Posted by NeedKarma
Tessy,
I really don't undertand you. Was that sarcasm?
LOL... nope... absolute truth! ')
Weird 'cause I breathe a whole lot without his permission.
I so want to respond to that, NK, but I am just not up for the can of worms today. :)
NW,
Let's take a break from here. I agree. :)
Wait, let me go get His permission first. :)
You know, if I were a different kind of person, I would have to say you are just a smart a$$. But, I am not that kind of person. :)
Thank god you didn't say it!
You make me laugh... sometimes.
NK... I will... I don't know about the SMART PART... lol!! KIDDING OF COURSE...
Ah Tessy, always the passive-aggressive one that hides insults in joking comments.
AHH NK... I'm funny and you know it... GROUP HUG?
If the bible is taught in public school then other religions would need to be taught as well. We would have to bring in religious literature from buddism, islam, mormon, quarn, etc. I don't think any religious literature should be taught in public school.
I know that many christians would be outraged if satanism was being taught in public schools! So if it's OK to teach the bible as a way to expose students to christianity then why wouldn't it be OK to expose students to satanism with satanic literature? How many christians would fight against this?
Studying any religion in a public school will benefit absolutely nothing. It won't help students become productive members of society. There's other avenues in which a person can study world religions such as through the internet, the library, etc. Do Google search to learn more about world religions.
I would rather see this taught in school (taken from someone's blog):
Building Self-Esteem
1. Do what you love.
Everyone loves to do something, when you indulge yourself in your love you improve the way you feel about yourself. You improve yourself esteem.
2. Help others out.
Nothing makes you feel a warm glow than when you unselfishly help others. Of course you can argue that this in itself is selfish, but if you take that line of thought you must think that existence is selfish. Forget that. Just do a good deed, help someone out, doesn't have to be big and it doesn't have to cost any money.
3. Acknowledge your strengths
There is no one who has no strengths. Everyone is good at something, know what your good at and give yourself a pat on the back. Do things that bring this quality out into the open. Exercise it, make it stronger.
4. Don't put up with crap.
There is no reason you should tolerate other people being mean to you. Even if they say they are doing it with love. Make sure people know they should be nice to you and if they refuse, walk away from them.
5. Drop your negative friends.
Hang out with people who are positive and support you. It may be fun to and moan but if you hang out with these types of people you will eventually become one of them. You may have noticed that people who and moan are never happy.
6. Do your research
A lof of self help books are a waste of time in the sense that the only person who can change you is you. Reading even this blog post will not change you unless you get emotionally involved with the information. Which is really hard as it's really dry and boring. Go read biographies of people you respect, people who do positvive things and attain huge success. Learn from the master not the self help guru who is always in debt.
7. Learn to accept compliments.
It's hard to accept a compliment and not to dismiss it as being ridiculous. Someone has an opinion and it should be respected, even if you do not argree with it. If people think good about you then maybe you should too.
8. Include positivity in your life.
I'm not talking an airy fairy chant in the mirror whilst naked. I mean take a positive slant on everything automatically. The meat pie you just bit in to may contain maggots, but maggots contain a lot of protein. OK that's a bit extreme but you get the point.
9. Compare yourself against yourself.
If you look at how you were yesterday and how you are today and there is an improvement then that is great. If there is no improvement then you know you need to improve your efforts. Don't start comparing yourself to other people. Saying you are poor compared to D. Trump is just going to make you miserable.
10. There is no need for you to put yourself down.
Y seeing yourself in a negative light you are only reinforcing your low self esteem. If you want to improve yourself esteem. Ask yourself, how can I improve myself esteem. The answer will always be, find one positive thing about yourself and that will do it.
I like that NK, I think it would be nice to have more classes that build up a persons self-esteem. But, I don't think they even have things like this available in our schools.
There's it... that's the NK I was talking about :)
Then why do many Christians oppose stem cell research? Didn't god give the scientists the knowledge to develop such a thing? If god did it, why is there such a fuss about pursuing it?Quote:
And NK, I do believe that God provided things such as cars and TV for us. He gave the people responsible for those inventions the knowledge. I believe that, With God, All things are possible.
And evolution is taught in a science course because it's a scientific topic. Creationism/ID/FSM is not scientific and does not belong in a science course. Those theories all center around the belief in a particular faith, so they cannot be taught in public school because it would be unconstitutional. Evolution is no more religious than gravity, the orbit of the earth, blah blah blah, which is why it is permissible.
I don't know enough about stem cell research to really know. But, isn't it taking something from a baby - potentially putting that life at risk? Maybe that is what the controversy is about - putting a life at risk when that life has no control over it.
Like I said, I don't know enough about it to really respond.
And isn't evolution an explanation of where we came from? Created? So creation?
Like I said before, the reason I brought up evolution was to say - I don't believe in it, the fact that it is taught offends me - but yet it is still there.
I think the Bible tells me where I came from - but it is not taught in schools.
Why would it be so bad to give a high school student the option to learn about religion?
Not quite:Quote:
Originally Posted by NowWhat
Stem cell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not at all. Even scientists argur about how life came about originally. But they agree that the evidence points to evolution as the way the diversity of living organisms came to be on this earth; as opposed to no life one minute and then all current appearing at once. More reading here:Quote:
Originally Posted by NowWhat
Evolution Defined: What is Evolution and Evolutionary Theory? How Is The Concept Of Evolution Misunderstood?
[/quote]
Nothing at all NW, we all seem to agree that it should be an option not a requirement. Other options for study may also include the Koran, Atheism, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by NowWhat
The Wiki link is a pretty good one; if you read that you should have a better understanding. But in sum, stem cell research does not REQUIRE the destruction of an embryo, which is what a lot of religious people have a problem with. However, we are already destroying embryos - when a couple does IVF and it takes, they can choose to have the embryo destroyed. Happens all the time. Why not allow them to be donated to stem cell research? That's my big question (you said you don't know a lot about it - I don't expect you to have the answer!).
Thank you for the reading. I can see why stem cell research has people up in arms. But, I think that conversation would be better suited on another thread.
If study of the Bible were to get equal time as the Koran or whatever else, then I would be for it. I think that study of different religions would be beneficial. A lot of times religion and culture go hand in hand. And if our students could study this - they may just learn something...
Hell, if I had all the answers - I wouldn't be here typing on my computer.
I think the statement that Christians have a problem with stem cell research - is a blanket statement. If there was a way to regulate the donation of embryos - the ones being destroyed anyway - I would be all for it. Let that life have a purpose.
I am a Christian and I can say that. And according to what the link NK provided - it does say that the destruction of a human embryo IS required.
Again, a stem cell research debate is for another thread.
The embryo is "harvested" and planned as a research cell to begin with as I understand it.
To be honest NW neither sides are going to be swayed to jump ship in this discussion. But it's interesting to hear how the other side sees the world. I'd have a beer with you anyday (if you're allowed). :)
If I am allowed - HA! As long as we don't have it at church!
I know we've gone way off topic, but I wanted to acknowledge that you are right - saying all Christians are opposed to stem cell research is a blanket statement and is not accurate (but I didn't say that!). I didn't read the wiki link thoroughly, but stem cells can be taken from existing organs and umbilical cords. Embryonic stem cell research requires the destruction of embryos, but there are other methods.
Wow! Way off topic! So, How about the bible in schools thing? :)
Yes, we are off topic. But, I have learned something new today - so it isn't all bad.
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