Teacher arrested for Teddy Bear name

[ikol]

Well, that is because I am an atheist, and as an atheist, I view the current iteration of god as just one more link in a chain stretching back to our distant past. Hundreds if not thousands of similar gods have fallen out of favor, simply disappeared, and are no longer worshipped. This has occurred many times throughout our history

[Good Old Neon]

The same could be said for science. The current iteration of science is just one more link in a chain stretching back to our distant past. Hundreds if not thousands of theories have fallen out of favor, simply disappeared, and are no longer accepted. Does that make science invalid? Or does it just mean that our view of it evolves? Why can the same not be said of religion?

 

Exactly, and that is what I love about science, new discoveries, are, for the most part, met with enthusiasm

[bobbob1313]

Exactly, and that is what I love about science, new discoveries, are, for the most part, met with enthusiasm – egos may be crushed, but little else. Over time, as new theories replace old, our civilization advances, or so we hope. The life you live today is a result of a lot of hard work and scientific research – remove science from our history, and we might be eeking out our existence, flipping stones in search of food. Everything around you, with the exception of the natural world, is a direct result of scientific research. Remove science, and you and I would be banging out our opinions on stone tablets.

 

Now, if we were to remove organized religion from our history, where would we be? One can only speculate, but I think it is safe to say that we could live more comfortably in a world without religion, than we could in a world without scientific advances. I’ll grant you religion has moved our civilization forward as well, but not at the same pace, and not at greater benefit.

 

I would argue that an entirely secular, atheist society could function quite well without belief in a higher power. One can draw their spiritual power and inspiration from nature without the need for a deity.

 

Many religions on the other hand, would prefer that we continue to live our lives according to a book written thousands of years ago – as is evidenced by the fate of the British educator we are, or were, discussing.

 

You need to read "A Short History Of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson if you think most scientific discoveries are met with acceptance and enthusiasm.

 

[/jnickerson]

[Good Old Neon]

You need to read "A Short History Of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson if you think most scientific discoveries are met with acceptance and enthusiasm.

 

[/jnickerson]

 

I have, and like I said, many egos were bruised, friendships lost, but no one declared scientific Jihad on the proponents of an opposing theory.

[ikol]

Now, if we were to remove organized religion from our history, where would we be? One can only speculate, but I think it is safe to say that we could live more comfortably in a world without religion, than we could in a world without scientific advances. I

[Spawn's dad]

I would argue that an entirely secular, atheist society could function quite well without belief in a higher power. One can draw their spiritual power and inspiration from nature without the need for a deity.

 

create it. preach it. perhaps some will follow you. ultimately it would become a religion though.

[Good Old Neon]

This is obviously where we disagree. Science has provided us with plenty of material benefits, but it has not and cannot benefit us spiritually or morally.

 

 

 

Maybe you can. That doesn't mean everyone else can. To me, there's no such thing as spiritual power without some sort of deity or higher power.

 

Science has afforded you the luxury of thinking such thoughts, otherwise, you might be out there licking water from the carapace of a dung beetle, with little time left over to reflect on gods existence.

 

Am I somehow less moral because I do not believe in a higher power? I could argue that life becomes much more precious when we remove the belief in an after life, and that maybe we would stop treating the here and now as a simple dress rehearsal for what supposedly comes next. And that maybe people wouldn

[ikol]

Science has afforded you the luxury of thinking such thoughts, otherwise, you might be out there licking water from the carapace of a dung beetle, with little time left over to reflect on gods existence.

 

I agree. But that's not surprising considering I never claimed to be anti-science.

 

Am I somehow less moral because I do not believe in a higher power? I could argue that life becomes much more precious when we remove the belief in an after life, and that maybe we would stop treating the here and now as a simple dress rehearsal for what supposedly comes next. And that maybe people wouldn

[Good Old Neon]

I agree. But that's not surprising considering I never claimed to be anti-science.

 

 

 

And that's your personal preference. I prefer to believe that there's more to life than this existence. Otherwise, this life is irrelevant. What I do now has no meaning because then end result is the same for me (and for everyone else). If I do something bad, so what? A hundred years from now, I won't exist and neither will the people I hurt.

 

Or, if you do something bad, you can simply repent, and god will absolve you of your sins

[Atticus]

I think the south park that chronicles the futuristic battle between the united atheist alliance and the allied atheist allegiance has a lot to offer on this topic

 

linkyloo

[JUDE]

[Sir Stewart]

Is that the lady who shot Selena?

[Spawn's dad]

the problem with selective and slanted news is that this was the Teddy Bear she had them name.

 

[Good Old Neon]

the problem with selective and slanted news is that this was the Teddy Bear she had them name.

 

 

I think I just shit myself - too funny.

[JUDE]

Is that the lady who shot Selena?

 

I LOL'd.

[ZenLunatic]

Am I somehow less moral because I do not believe in a higher power? I could argue that life becomes much more precious when we remove the belief in an after life, and that maybe we would stop treating the here and now as a simple dress rehearsal for what supposedly comes next. And that maybe people wouldn

[ikol]

I think the south park that chronicles the futuristic battle between the united atheist alliance and the allied atheist allegiance has a lot to offer on this topic

 

linkyloo

 

"I will crush your skull like a clam on my belly!"

[EL the Famous]

Exactly, and that is what I love about science, new discoveries, are, for the most part, met with enthusiasm

[bjorn_skurj]

ok. nobody thinks anyone should be whipped.

Well, what two consenting adults do ...

[Good Old Neon]

i guess i just don't get why, as we have been doing for centuries, can't we live w/ both?! both have provided some extremely wonderful things to our existence and both have provided some pretty horrible things to our existence. you do understand that w/out the concept of God and religion, etc. a HUGE amount of the art you enjoy from music to literature to film to paintings wouldn't exist w/out the notion of god as either an inspiration and/or antagonist?

 

again, why do you keep bringing up the bible and othe religious books? i thought you couldn't have it both ways? third time i've brought that up w/out you replying while you continue to use at as your lynchpin for a non-religious society.

 

Well, the same could be said of war, without war lots and lots of great music, art, etc would never have been created, but that does not justify war

[Good Old Neon]

And that's your personal preference. I prefer to believe that there's more to life than this existence. Otherwise, this life is irrelevant. What I do now has no meaning because then end result is the same for me (and for everyone else). If I do something bad, so what? A hundred years from now, I won't exist and neither will the people I hurt.

 

So, underneath that religion hides a nihilist? For your own sanities sake, let us hope that nothing ever comes along to shatter your faith.

[sureshot]

"I don't believe in Beatles - I just believe in me".

-John Lennon

[EL the Famous]

As for your second point, I

[LouieB]

I don't know...in a sense (I didn't read this thread, but I did read about this in the paper even today), isn't this kind of dumb of this teacher? I know on one level it makes no sense, but on the other hand, isn't this teacher aware of her surroundings and the culture she is teaching in? She should have known better.

 

LouieB

[Analogman]

I don't know...in a sense (I didn't read this thread, but I did read about this in the paper even today), isn't this kind of dumb of this teacher? I know on one level it makes no sense, but on the other hand, isn't this teacher aware of her surroundings and the culture she is teaching in? She should have known better.

 

LouieB

 

That's what I thought when I first heard about this.