quote:

Originally posted by Dj Smitty20 oh come on...how often have I seen people say "you're going to Hell because you believe in evolution". Or they confidently believe they will be saved, etc. They're nice to your face, but zealous religious people are some of the most condescending (and hypocritical) people I've ever met. If you look down the line of history, religion is a disease. All it does it divide people, cause tension and conflict.

I've never said that to anyone. So don't lump me in with your bad conversation experiences. I don't believe in the Catholic teaching of hellfire. Read what I posted above about Sheol, Hades and Gehenna. I'm certainly not a condescending person. And again, you can think and feel what you want. As can I.

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"WEMF is...." and I can't remember the rest because I didn't write it down.
- Blackness at WEMF 2007

muzzybear, since you are not in denial, but Dj Smitty20 is, why dont you at least answer all his arguments? =)

quote:

Originally posted by St_Andrew muzzybear, since you are not in denial, but Dj Smitty20 is, why dont you at least answer all his arguments? =)

I can't possibly share two+ years of study in a few posts (I also haven't slept in 36 hours and I don't have a computer at home - I post at work). I encourage Smitty to do his own research to some of the topics I've brought up, too. Are you all watiting with baited breath to see what I'll say next? I do have answers to his arguments, but I'm not an argumentative person, and I'm not going to subject myself to being berated and belittled when I've done nothing but treat him with respect and responded to some of his points with knowledge and sincerity.

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"WEMF is...." and I can't remember the rest because I didn't write it down.
- Blackness at WEMF 2007

Actually, the concept of "being saved" is a relatively new one in terms of human history. Only in modern cultures and religions does this even exist, whether it be buddhism, christianity, islam, etc. They all believe, in one way or another, of the concept of "being saved". But look at any isolated human community living in harmony with nature (ie NOT practicing totalitarian agriculture, etc), such as the African bushmen, the tribes in the Amazon, some isolated aboriginal peoples of various countries... none of them believe in being "saved." None. Such a concept only exists in the modern world.

Of course, missionaries have been very successful in spreading this belief because it's one that's so appealing to many people, especially the uneducated and poverty-striken.

I've said this before, but I'll say it again... a religion's "success" depends on how successful it is at promoting itself, NOT whether it is right or wrong. Every Catholic could be going to hell because somebody might have made an error in "speaking the word of god" to the people. We have no feedback mechanism by which to evaluate our decisions regarding what's right/wrong for a religion to teach. However, there is one natural feedback mechanism that exists within any society, and it's PRECISELY THE SAME FEEDBACK MECHANISM THAT EXISTS IN DARWINIAN EVOLUTION! If the change is good for the reproduction of a population, then it is promoted in the future generations.

What consequences does this have for religions? Well... suppose two religions offer similar teachings, but one says no to birth control and the other says yes. Which has more followers after 10 generations?

Another example: one religion instructs people to teach their kids to be of the same religion as their parents. The other lets the kids decide for themselves what they will be. Which has more followers after 10 generations?

This is the feedback mechanism that shapes our lifestyles (not just religion, but religion holds a lot of power over the way some people choose to live their lives.) The difference is that it happens incredibly rapidly. A religion can change the behaviour of a population in only a few generations, whereas evolution takes thousands of generations.

So really, what's known as "the word of god" is really just a set of beliefs that made people less likely to die and more likely to procreate. Why do major religions emphasize how important it is to love and procreate? Why do major religions all condemn murder? How about the major religions that allow men to have multiple wives? Could that perhaps be a factor that contributes to an increased number of human children?

The beliefs of religious people are simply fueled by this basic feedback mechanism. They may think it's the one, true, right way to live (of course, that's what they've been taught), but in reality, it's just the way of living that allowed their ancestors to have bigger families than everybody else's.

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I am nobody. Nobody is perfect. Therefore I am perfect.

If there is a God...

...please let Matt Darey play Beautiful tomorrow...

...and please let Oakie play Southern Sun on the 17th...

...and thank you for having DuMonde play Never Look Back.

I will die after I get ear fucked by these tracks from their original artists.

...oh and save me a place in heaven after I die, God, thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by fayraree ...oh and save me a place in heaven after I die, God, thanks.

postwhores go straight to hell !!

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SHUT UP AND DANCE !!

Paul Van Dyk came before man

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Palm Trees > Pine Trees , Sand > Snow

quote:

Originally posted by dEsidEL Paul Van Dyk came before man

And Armin ALWAYS HAS BEEN and will be around when all is finished.

He is the beginning, the middle, the end.

He is everything. He is the universe's consciousness representation as a human/man on earth.

-jem-

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TECHNO IS THE BEST NOISE ON EARTH.
Save Techno - Stop Minimal / Tech-House

god made man

I still don't understand how science and evolution shows that there is no god

can some one explain

quote:

Originally posted by dEsidEL Paul Van Dyk came before man

HAHAHA that's so awesome. Why are we not best friends.

I believe there's something up there. Whether we are created from it is another issue. The stories OF God are all man-made, passed on orally and then eventually written down. Whether they are based on fact or fiction is another issue entirely.

Whether or not science and religion are complimentary shouldn't disprove either one of them.

Read 'The Five People You Meet in Heaven,' by Mitch Albom. It doesn't look at the concept of Heaven as a grand afterlife, but rather as a means to understand fully your purpose IN life. With this is included concepts of God and the like. It's definitely a different take on things.

Also, religion and spirituality are different things. Religion is a practice brought on by man, as a way to worship/follow God, and it comes with regulations and guidelines. Spirituality, on the other hand is a more personal experience and acknowledges the presence of 'something' but not necessarily religion as the means to attain that something. I would be curious to know how many people considered themselves religious vs. spiritual, or even a combination of the both.

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You told me to look much farther. You told me to walk much more. You told me that music matters.

an interesting link I found


The Collapse of the Theory of Evolution in 20 Questions

http://www.harunyahya.com/20questions02.php

it's from an Islamic website I think, but the info doesn't matter on religion