Comments on: Maybe this is why they’re lying

By: mxracer652

mxracer652 — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Graduate Education is the New Enemy of Christmas!

By: vford13

vford13 — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Hmmm, wonder what is next? No graduate degrees allowed since that is a clear path to the darkside...

I actually worry more about the paranormal beliefs than whether people are religous or not, since these tend to throw out a much broader set of rational thought and logic. Worse yet TV and other media have really helped support these irrational ideas ( recent nightline show on ghost hunters for example ).

I suspect this is in part a fault of the lack of science being taught in our public schools and not giving our kids the mental tools to be good sceptics of such claims.

By: dsilverman

dsilverman — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I agree VF, our schools are far inferior to their European counterparts as far as critical thinking is concerned. IMO there is a definite link between knowing how to think critically and believing in boogey men.

By: nuhn@skeptics.org

nuhn@skeptics.org — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Polling information is not that reliable a way to determine true believe.

The German's have a nifty trick. Their government will appropriate money to the citizens' religion. If you are Catholic, they will give tax dollars to the Vatican for the number of Catholics and the same for the Lutherans. They also have a "none of the above" box for which citizens get a tax break and don't have to donate to a religion. Needless to say, Germans are a lot more secular than religious.

If the USA did the same, I think we would find that 70% Christian number a whole lot lower. I would really like to see the religious put up or shut up.

By: mryder66

mryder66 — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Well one of the sayings that I have heard allegedly purloined from the bible is:

Only a fool seeks wisdom

Of course this is asinine, but some people seem to equate godliness with humility with blisful ignorance with foolishness.

In other words "a true xian will only be as smart as is absolutely necessary. To strive for any further wisdom is to move further away from God."

Note - I think the idea is crazy - but am unable to convince them of that. Partly because I'm perceived as persuing wisdom - and therfore am foolish ..... which means my opinion can be discounted.

hahahahaha

By: karen

karen — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

HZ
If "Only a fool seeks wisdom," then do we call a wise man a fool, as you alluded? And if to be a fool, in the non-biblical sense, (without wisdom) is to find favor with god, then is "fool" no longer a perjorative word? Then one would seek to be a fool. Is a true fool the unwise fool or the wise fool? Does the xian defy god by becoming well-educated? Or is it only if he is not able to maintain his delusions about god after becoming educated that he becomes foolish?
A not-fool is fooled.
A fool is not fooled.

My head hurts.

By: mryder66

mryder66 — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Karen,

And then start thinking about the TrinityMindFuck and perhaps you will begin to see the attractiveness of ignorance and acceptance

**cue the heavenly music**

By: karen

karen — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

HZ
I can't even BEGIN to think about the TMF today. Just blowing my nose upsets my equilibrium. Imagine what the TMF would do to me.
But your"**cue the heavenly music**"
reminded me that my son complained at school about the Christian Xmas music being played in the morning before the announcements. His girl-friend is head of the committee and she toned it back a lot because of his complaint. The two of them got into a discussion with some other fundie students who wondered about the change. When girlfriend started explaining first amendment rights to the group, one student literally got some sheets of tissue paper, stuffed it in his ears, and walked out.
A young phreedm or Tim, methinks.

By: sword_strike

sword_strike — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I wonder how people of faith react when they see results like this.

I can see why people would be proud members of an organisation like MENSA for example.
But when your organisation, when poled, shows a majority of uneducated people...

I know education does not necessarely reflect intelligence, but it is telling.

By: olaryagno

olaryagno — Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

That’s the premise for the whole thing… “Man’s wisdom is foolishess”. The way I see it, there are a few criterion a person has to submit themselves to before they can believe religion: 1) a person must convince themself that he/she is ignorant. 2) inject a bit of fear… believe and reap the benefits, but don’t, and prescribe yourself to everlasting torture. 3) feel guilty about being human. That’s the problem with MOST humans… they want all the answers, but most of the time, want the answer that requires the smallest amount of effort to achieve. I can see why, to some people, the thought of “creation” is much easier than evolution, for example… how easy is it to say “God did it”? I have been told many times by religious people that I am “ignorant”, but they think I am at least fairly intelligent in other areas. The idea that Christianity puts into people’s heads is that if you believe, you gain all the answers, but if you don’t, you won’t. It seems as though most people would like to have the “good life” laid out to them in an easy to follow format, and for some, Pastor Bob does just fine at giving that to them. Until people start thinking for themselves, I don’t think this will change. I do, however, think that there will be a large cultural change in my lifetime. I am 24… I see the workings of it right now… intellectuals vs. non-intellectuals. It seems to me that we are getting to the point that the scientific community is making so many new discoveries that support the theories, that the other side is “rallying the troops” so to speak because they feel threatened. At least, this is my optomistic point of view for whatever it’s worth.