M. (hristine

Perhaps my wish to ferret out the subtleties of motivation comes across as naïveté. I'm thinking that whole 72 virgins thing might be motivated more by testosterone than religion. Perhaps we should advocate for zero tolerance of testicles. Call me crazy, naïve even, but I think judging people for their crimes, rather than for their beliefs, seems a more skillful system.

Again, he's got it backwards. The hard work comes in the practice which allows the Buddhist to see the true nature of things. The Buddhist sees that there is a barbarian in each of us.

Precisely.

But this is absolutely false. Religion is the MASK that is worn to justify the action. Those planes were flown into the towers because of the United States' participation in the war in Afghanistan and the insertion of western culture into the middle east. To the mujahadin, WE are the aggressors. How many masks can you place upon aggression? I can count at least a couple dozen. Until you see it as part of the nature of the monkey mind that every one of us has, there will be no end to it. Argue the existence of God until you are blue in the face, but stop ascribing the ills of the world to T

No, not rhetorical really. Maybe the argument seems moot. Atheists do not believe in a deity or power greater than themselves. Theists believe in a deity(ies) or power greater than themselves. The Buddha said the question itself is bogus. All the rest; creationism, Biblical veracity, the Crusades, science, Communism, stem cell research, whether to save from a burning building a baby or a petri dish seething with embryos, the number of virgins that can fit atop the Twin Towers...none of it really has anything to do with spiritual pursuit. It's just humans being humans. Pepe LePew migh

Why do atheists always get pitted against Christians?

That was one of the ugliest pieces of footage I have ever seen. It reminded me of the theater of roller derby we used to watch as kids. We thought it was funny because we knew it was fake.

The legality of civil marriage seems far more straightforward that either of these.

Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage: "We’re already hearing in both New York and New Jersey that they are noticing what’s happening here," Ms. Gallagher said. "Do other politicians really want to enter this particular culture war given all the stuff they are going to have to defend in the next election?" I'd love to see this 'culture war' taken off the state ballots and argued as a civil rights issue in the Supreme Court.

I view civil contracts and spiritual weaving very separately.

Perhaps I'm just more goal oriented. If the goal is to have the laws changed then have the laws changed. But you have to change law by arguing it constitutionally. If you want to change the inconsistencies of human behavior and attitudes, well, .

I guess I am unclear why you have an opinion about this.

My desire in this issue is only to see equal protection under the law for my friends, loved ones and all others for whom this lack of parity has impact. There are too many vagaries contained within spiritual belief and cultural attitudes. Some of those antiquated mind states only die as people themselves die. To attempt to argue this issue on the same emotionally charged level as those people is pissing in the wind.

I know you're using sarcasm to make you're point Neon, but there is no way to make inroads with people by denigrating their beliefs. Law should be pragmatic. Until folks can see this issue as pragmatic rather than emotional, attitudes will never change.

Marriage is a two fold process; civil and spiritual. Any two adults should be legally able to enter into a civil contract with one another. The spiritual aspect of marriage should be sorted out by the various organizations that propose to do such things. I think the constitution was pretty clear on the separation between the two

This thread has tickled me. Good luck to Wales!

"You learn a lot about yourself in a noodle mine." One needs a good butty in the mines. Thanks, andrewdowdall. I'm in your debt.

Like music, I judge film by it's tenacity in my guts. Baker's dozen in no order: There Will Be Blood Magnolia Amelie The Return Requiem For A Dream Spirited Away Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Pan's Labyrinth High Fidelity Vanilla Sky Matilda Life Aquatic I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

I enjoy a brief Haka before heading off to the flower mines.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6891200.ece He married her the day after her 15th birthday. According to documents seized at the ranch, he refused to take his under-age wife to hospital when she went into labour in August 2005 because he feared officials would discover her age and turn him in. The age of consent in Texas is 17. The authorities need to round up all of these human blights and keep them penned where they can't breed any more.

You have just described the great limiting factor, not just for appreciation of art but human development as well. Along the engagement continuum, the point at which one disengages is opportunity. Curiosity the unbinding.

I have two things to add. 1) I emailed this link to my daughter who will geek out for hours about it. Thank you Mister Kinsley 2) chaslor is a kick ass photographer.

My pleasure.

And a tape machine that won't let.