Let's Discuss Religion.

[Vlad]

I think public debates on the subject of religion are usually disappointing.. primarily because the debaters don't seem to respect one another or they are not on the same plain intellectually or they are just being dishonest. Now, once in a while you stumble on a debate that is non of that and the topic is very interesting too. This is an hour and a half debate between Tony Blair and Christopher Hitchens on the question "Is religion a force for good in the world?"

[ponchi101]

But meanwhile, The Vatican remains entrenched in the 12th century.

[Vlad]

Bravo Mr. President! He is very religious man so kudos to him for saying this. Women around the world will only appreciate it.

[Vlad]

These women clearly had too much "fun" at the wedding in Islamic country. They clapped and sang.




Sometimes I wonder how can liberal Muslims live with themselves being part of this diseased cult. If they watch this, how can they possibly wake up in the morning, put their makeup and worship the same Allah and same pedophile and rapist prophet Muhammad who treated women like property and even had one wife (out of many) that was 9! years old. How can this religion be growing in today's world? According to Koran, women are less than half a man, you can rape them at any time, you can have as many of them as you want, you can stone them, kill them for petty things. You can't kill a virgin though.. so their solution (as history indicates) you have to rape her first and then kill her.

Forget about all those Islamic "scholars" who say this is not problem of religion and it was happening before Islam. Of course it was, but the fact that Islam says the same thing as their earlier tribal culture and tradition tells you that it is no way better and given that it is presented as an unchangeable word of God (or Allah) makes it far worse.


Unless the liberal and modern Muslims (far majority of Muslims who are genuinely good people) will stop being pretentious hypocrites and start speaking out and revolting against their own "sacred" book, this cruelty and injustice will continue.

[dryrunguy]

I love The Young Turks! And as usual, they hit this one out of the park. Religious extremism is starting to reach a critical mass. People want to be tolerant of difference, but religious extremists are making it impossible.

This story is very sad, but I'm glad that it's finally starting to get some traction in the press. Just one point of clarification. Numerous reports are suggesting that the women were killed based on the reports provided by the two men who escaped. And it is true that a village leader appeared in court late last week, and he did not produce any of the women. None of them were in court to prove they had NOT been killed. Which is rather bothersome. You would think that, if they were still alive, he would have brought them to court to save his own skin.

That said, there has been at least one report based on local advocate statements that at least two of the women are alive and well and that they did not appear in court because family members are not allowing them to leave their homes for their own safety.

Information is very mixed and very sketchy. I just hope they really are okay.

[Vlad]

Bart Ehrman (outspoken biblical scholar, who represents mainstream and is not just a liberal type) speaking about New Testament and its reliability It is only 15 min clip from one of the debates. Worth watching for anyone, since most of the public are not aware of any of this information.





and yes it includes the snake handling thing, when apparently it was only a textual variance added later and Jesus did not say it (This relates to a post earlier hear about a guy who died of snake poisoning). Fascinating stuff.

[Vlad]

I love The Young Turks! And as usual, they hit this one out of the park. Religious extremism is starting to reach a critical mass. People want to be tolerant of difference, but religious extremists are making it impossible.

This story is very sad, but I'm glad that it's finally starting to get some traction in the press. Just one point of clarification. Numerous reports are suggesting that the women were killed based on the reports provided by the two men who escaped. And it is true that a village leader appeared in court late last week, and he did not produce any of the women. None of them were in court to prove they had NOT been killed. Which is rather bothersome. You would think that, if they were still alive, he would have brought them to court to save his own skin.

That said, there has been at least one report based on local advocate statements that at least two of the women are alive and well and that they did not appear in court because family members are not allowing them to leave their homes for their own safety.

Information is very mixed and very sketchy. I just hope they really are okay.

I hope they are ok too. But the point remains the same. Their religious culture needs to start changing because it literally is dragging the whole civilization back to dark ages. I know everyone in Islam is under a threat of fatwa and sin of blasphemy if they reject or even criticize religion but still.. this is 21st not 12th century and people can't just be forever respectful to such unjust and murderous religious culture.

[Vlad]

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/0...sts/?hpt=hp_t2

[ponchi101]

“You can either be honest that you don’t believe ... or you can pretend that you do,” he said. “Which is what so many people are doing and that is called faith.”
---0---

Ouch! If that doesn't hit a whole lot of people right between the eye...

[Vlad]

How does a religious person reconcile a problem of suffering?

[Vlad]

Loch Ness monster myth will be taught as a real thing to disprove evolution in some Louisiana schools

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/e...ution.17918511

[dryrunguy]

For once, Texas gets a brief respite from being on the bottom of the pile.

[ponchi101]

Loch Ness monster myth will be taught as a real thing to disprove evolution in some Louisiana schools

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/e...ution.17918511

I know that by now most everybody here at the forum stays away from this thread because we, well, are deemed as rude with our "logic" (in quotes because I know it upsets some).
But I believe that I will also start avoiding the thread because news like this one truly, truly depress me.
It is as if we are fighting against some Hydra that springs two hundred heads every time we chop one off.
If there is another natural disaster in Louisiana, rest assured they will sacrifice a virgin or something (I know it is hard to find virgins in Louisiana, religion be damned). They are truly becoming retards.
(BTW: I LOVE Louisiana. Spent considerable time of my youth there, so it is not a put down. And have spent some wonderful time in N.O., so...)

[dryrunguy]

I know that by now most everybody here at the forum stays away from this thread because we, well, are deemed as rude with our "logic" (in quotes because I know it upsets some).
But I believe that I will also start avoiding the thread because news like this one truly, truly depress me.
It is as if we are fighting against some Hydra that springs two hundred heads every time we chop one off.
If there is another natural disaster in Louisiana, rest assured they will sacrifice a virgin or something (I know it is hard to find virgins in Louisiana, religion be damned). They are truly becoming retards.
(BTW: I LOVE Louisiana. Spent considerable time of my youth there, so it is not a put down. And have spent some wonderful time in N.O., so...)

I read a post on FB today about how the Colorado fires are God's judgment because the state is moving toward marriage equality.

[suliso]

And how do you know it isn't?

And by the way ponchi/vlad if you are up to the challenge I'm pretty sure can turn all your logic upside down and "prove" the virtues of theocracy, existence of God and anything else you wish