Obama criticized for remarks on ISIS, Christianity

[Mihais]

Yeah, a solution that says that critical thought is not important to understand the universe and everything else. There is a big daddy up there, yo.

There was no evolution, big daddy made everything. The sun and moon are gods. Hell even the wind and sea are gods. That guy plays soccer very well, not because he has practiced and worked hard at his genetically evolved skill, but because GOD gave him talent. So and so has contracted a disease, not because he lives in unhygienic condition but because the big juju in the mountain cursed him. 911 happened because god hates ******s. Innocent children need to be killed because god will grant the murderer 72 virgins.

Very simple and elegant, for those who do not want to think.

I'm not into preaching and I doubt I'll ever be.Nor am I somewhat required to be.And definetely I'm not going to preach to atheists on the internet.I'll only say this.You have your belief.Wrt religion in general(not going in particular,although there are faiths that are better than others,IMO) you take a rather common path among its critics.That is to judge everything by it lowest denominator.I believe you to be wrong(and I have no doubt you think I am),but it's not for me to judge you regrdless what I believe,nor it is to ever try to restrict your freedom.

[antimony]

Let me guess... You have never been in a foxhole...

Yeah, that's a lovely way to approach this. Take a person in extreme stress or fear and use that bully them into believing in a big daddy. Like getting a person to confess to a crime under torture. Very, very ethical and moral (not).

[antimony]

I'm not into preaching and I doubt I'll ever be.Nor am I somewhat required to be.And definetely I'm not going to preach to atheists on the internet.I'll only say this.You have your belief.Wrt religion in general(not going in particular,although there are faiths that are better than others,IMO) you take a rather common path among its critics.That is to judge everything by it lowest denominator.I believe you to be wrong(and I have no doubt you think I am),but it's not for me to judge you regrdless what I believe,nor it is to ever try to restrict your freedom.

That is fair enough. I have no business to poke in your beliefs as long as your faith is kept your private and personal affair. Its when I see faith being used in the public space to dictate policy and/ or get special favours (gays cannot marry etc., Muslims can marry off underage daughters, Hindus get special tax status) that makes me protest.

[Mihais]

Hold on a bit.You're trying to mix with democracy.What is ''normal'' is the will of the majority.It varies a lot,by place &time,but that's another issue. I don't really care if muslims marry in diapers.In their countries,they can do as they please.If the Hindus decided to vote themselves a tax extempt,great for them.If the Christian definition on marriage excludes gays,polygamy etc...,than the state's law must find another way to name the respective unions.
By American standards the above may suck.Well,the world isn't America.There is diversity and specificity.Those evolved to protect a certain way of doing things,otherwise you'd get uniformity.

[antimony]

Hold on a bit.You're trying to mix with democracy.What is ''normal'' is the will of the majority.It varies a lot,by place &time,but that's another issue. I don't really care if muslims marry in diapers.In their countries,they can do as they please.If the Hindus decided to vote themselves a tax extempt,great for them.If the Christian definition on marriage excludes gays,polygamy etc...,than the state's law must find another way to name the respective unions.
By American standards the above may suck.Well,the world isn't America.There is diversity and specificity.Those evolved to protect a certain way of doing things,otherwise you'd get uniformity.

Mihais

What is normal is the separation of church and state regardless of demographic composition. The point is that in modern democratic societies religion should not play any role in politics or governance. The same is true for India. I don't care much for muslim countries either, as long as I can continue to ignore them.

[Mihais]

You can separate the Church from the state all you want.You can't stop people voting based on identity politics.

[antimony]

Taking money from religious groups and pushing their agenda is not separating church from state

[Gun Grape]

Let me guess... You have never been in a foxhole...

I have. And like lots of others that also have, I don't believe in the big guy in the sky.

It also is a bit disrespectful to the memory of people like this





That said, I don't knock those that found something to believe in to get them through the day.

[Triple C]

Ernest Hemingway and John Rawls were atheists and spent a lot of time in foxholes.

[Blademaster]

I have. And like lots of others that also have, I don't believe in the big guy in the sky.

It also is a bit disrespectful to the memory of people like this

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That said, I don't knock those that found something to believe in to get them through the day.

I meant no disrespect but don't forget that those people whom Antimony criticize also need something to believe in to get by and Antimony would rather have them believe in his way which may not be enough for those guys.

[Mihais]

Taking money from religious groups and pushing their agenda is not separating church from state

No,it's pushing for identity politics.Same as LGBT vote,black vote,welfare kings&quens vote.

[Double Edge]

Ernest Hemingway and John Rawls were atheists and spent a lot of time in foxholes.

But they believed in a certain set of beliefs and values ie what they were fighting for. They believed they could win even if their position was coming under lots of fire.

That is belief in action and is more general than what denomination or not they believe in :)

Confers an evolutionary advantage. Or in the context of a battle could be all that stands between losing or turning the tide.

Belief, faith in something that is yet to happen whether it happens or not.

Irrational but necessary, in a foxhole.

[GVChamp]

Yeah, a solution that says that critical thought is not important to understand the universe and everything else. There is a big daddy up there, yo.

The Scientific Method is less than 5 centuries old. Your problem isn't with religion, it's with the last 3 million years of human evolution.

Confers an evolutionary advantage. Or in the context of a battle could be all that stands between losing or turning the tide..

Now, I'm not an anthroplogist, but from what I understand, modern hunter-gatherers do not have the "lay down my life" mentality that nations cultivate. Most of human warfare throughout history has been raids and ambushes, not open battle with artillery, so they wouldn't have much use for the "hold the line" heroic sacrifices. The kind of extreme sacrifice we see today is probably a perverse extreme version of the altruism our nomadic ancestors had.
However, I am not an expert.

[antimony]

I meant no disrespect but don't forget that those people whom Antimony criticize also need something to believe in to get by and Antimony would rather have them believe in his way which may not be enough for those guys.

I don't care what people believe in, as long as they don't get in my face with that. Believe in the celestial teapot for all I care, just don't come and tell me that gay marriage needs to be banned because the teapot said so.

[antimony]

The Scientific Method is less than 5 centuries old. Your problem isn't with religion, it's with the last 3 million years of human evolution.

Oh so you believe in evolution now? I guess that progress.

But seriously, I don't care about your religion or what you believe in as long as you do not try to trample the rights of others.