The theory of evolution doesn't have any socially oriented ulterior motives behind it. Does believing the theory of evolution mean that women have to wear a burka and leave the rooom when a man enters? Or that men get to marry multiple wives, but the women don't get to marry multiple men? Or that women can't control their own reproduction? Creationism, on the other hand, goes hand-in-hand with fundamentalism, and fundamentalism has no reason to be "fundamental" without all the paternalistic claptrap regarding women. That's really the whole point of it. Not being able to subjugate women would ruin the fun!
What I take away from the Fermi Paradox is that while alien civilizations could exist, it seems very unlikely they would exist at the same time as human civilization or that we would ever be able to reach each other even if they did.
It would seem that you mistook my post as some sort of endorsement for Scientology. I'm well aware it's obviously a crazy ridiculous piece of shit but if you read my post again you'll see that all I said was I found religions regarding aliens to be only slightly less stupid than say, Christianity. I still think they're retarded as hell. As stupid as Scientology is it doesn't make the claim of some guy who could miraculously heal people by touching them and who was dead for 2 days then came back to life to become vice president of the universe.
No it claims that an intergalactic dictator named Xenu brainwashed aliens and then executed them in a volcano on earth, and now brainwashed alien ghosts inhabit our bodies and make us unhappy. And for that reason you must give Scientology all of your money to get rid of the brainwashed alien ghosts through the process of auditing. To me that sounds equally crazy.
Yeah, but ghosts? Ghosts are pretty fucking stupid and implausible too. And Scientologists believe in ghosts. Alien ghosts. They also believe in past lives and reincarnation.
It's weird how religious the US is when over here it's really a non-issue. I feel sorry for a lot of American closet atheists who have to pretend they believe for risk of losing their job/friends/family.
Aliens, ghosts and gods. Start teaching your kids any of these on a religious basis and I will be calling social services.
To you it's more like 'you better NOT be religious or you will feel my wrath or at least my eternal damnation. It's no different just the other hand here. BUT it is a shame it is that way in either case. I have friends who were persecuted out of their home town (in Indiana) because they had different religious views. Not sure how it is on the east coast... I would think it's slowly getting to UK and Europe views on religion, but the central to mid-west states are largely still 'breeding grounds' for the religious while the west (excluding Arizona... they want to be mid-west lol) are simply tolerant. It really is a non-issue here. You can do what you want long as it doesn't harm anybody, some might say a little something, but many don't let it get passed their opinion.
it's not as bad as you probably imagine here in everyday life. It's only in politics when it starts to become an issue and boy does it get loud. Most people are reasonable and don't talk about religion in the open as they know it could very well start a huge argument. There's also a ton of fake ass Christians here that take in some beliefs but at the same time, don't live a very Christian lifestyle.. aka college kids.
lol college kids Khaid I'm just not quite sure if you quite understand what a Christian lifestyle is. First off their is no full on definition really, the strictest would ofc say stuff like 'no TV, sex or impure lifestyle of any kind!' These would be old style religions like Quackers (Quack...), some Christians, Mormons, Catholicks, basically all of the ppl we've grown to love they can all be fanatic about this stuff just as some Football fans worship the turf that is played upon and some fans just go to tailgate parties for the food and won't go if it's -20 degrees are these 'fake' fans?? no they just have a limit to their fanaticism. Just as Christians, even if they dabble in impure things, like video games , they aren't necessarily 'fake'. The measure of a Christian is simply if he believes or not. One cannot judge any of this stuff. I mean take myself (and others) I like having fun. But there are some things I will NOT do. Sure I spurn DnD and Kinect conjurring of spells but I don't expect everybody to. Sure some stricter Christians don't condone video games all together! But I don't expect them to expect me to... cuz I'm certainly not, until Jesus Christ himself tells me to! On that note Jesus' exact stance on the issue is not to do anything that would cause you to think impure thoughts. Well playing COD doesn't make me think of killin (in real life) so according to me, and anybody I care to listen too, I am safe. Anyway College kids (I suppose you mean anybody caught drinking at a party) fake?? that is to laugh. perhaps if he's sexin some chick he just met or heck if he's stoned and drunk but it's like videogames. If you can handle it, if you are just doing a bit of "social drinking", Nobody's gonna revoke your religious license. Social drinking is not a pretty thing, but in this day and age it's practically a necessity, not a deal breaker if you can do it without getting into bad habits. I truly believe half the aggravation over religious ppl is over the belief that we should all be perfect. The other half is over the extremists and is justified. But seriously there are some BRUTAL misconceptions out there.
Sex before marriage, smoke weed, drink till you pass out in the toilet.. stuff kids do in college like clockwork.
I usually just tell people I'm Episcopalian/Anglican when I'm out in public to avoid making a scene. That's what my mother tried to raise me as, but it's not like I believe in any of it. My father and stepmother go to crazy born again non-denominational churches. There was one of them when I was really young where people were speaking in tongues and doing faith healing type stuff. Probably how my stepsister ended up so whacky. The thing I will say about Anglicans is they have some very pretty churches.
No that sounds like Christian speak to me. I'm not out to punish people who believe, I'm just going to let them know I think their beliefs are unfounded, unjustified, and downright stupid. Unlike religious people I don't oppress people's freedoms, I don't try to suppress people's rights, and I don't threaten them with eternal suffering for actually thinking about things and coming to the conclusion that believing in something so life affecting on faith (which is the belief in something without a good reason) is a stupid and dangerous way to think, especially if that way of thinking (or not) is brainwashed into children. Like I said religion is a non issue here, people really don't talk about it. Also a politician's religious beliefs never come into question as far as in aware. We tend to elect people based on their policies rather than how Christian they are.
Why would god create a weed plant and then not want people to smoke it? If I die and do see God I'll hold my hands up and admit I was wrong but before I drop down to hell I'd ask him why I was going to spend an eternity suffering unimaginable horrors for simply using the brain he gave me. But since I don't believe I am not worried in the slightest so I'll continue smoking and drinking an having pre marital sex without having to constantly live in fear of some being constantly watching me, judging me, and wanting me to kill homosexuals because there is no good reason for thinking like that.
you don't care but fact is opiate has medicinal purposes too surely you care about facts. I know what you all mean, you all "don't care" (for whatever that means) for religious speak BUT you'll respect fact. So facts is what I try to stick too. Again some religious folk like to actively evangelize, I stick to the passive route. I think that you'll find the ones that are more passive are what you'd term as 'reletively normal'. We are not 'fake' Christians either .