I believe that the Islamic creation myth is very similar to the Judeo-Christian one.

Yup. Six days and Adam and Eve and forbidden fruit and everything.

The thing about a placebo is by definition it does nothing so cannot “work”.

It does nothing chemically. The placebo effect however is extremely powerful. So powerful in fact that it even works when you know you are taking a placebo.

What was that about Prawns?

(Leviticus 11:10
English Standard Version (ESV))

” But anything in the seas or the rivers that does not have fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is detestable to you. “

Anyway, I’m just messing – feel free to stay and have a serious discussion.

Snob??? Odd choice of word tbh.

The thing about a placebo is by definition it does nothing so cannot “work”.
Molly you are a scientist I dont know why you do this.

Placebo’s have psychological value. Whether it’s ethical to use them is another matter.

Most of the animal practices in religion are founded in a prctical aspect- it’s quite a good way to think about how religions are developed. Kosher and halal are both fundamentally the same thing- a healthy eating system. Ban unclean animals, place restrictions on how you slaughter them. Put it in a religious context to help it get respected. Over time it gets more ritualised because that’s what religion tends to do.

In one of Pratchett’s books, Granny Weatherwax tells a family that they need to move their well away from the privvy because of the goblin who lives in the privvy. The young witch is shocked that Granny Weatherwax lied to the family: the previous witch had been telling that family the truth about the tiny invisible creatures in the privvy that were getting into their drinking water, but they wouldn’t believe something daft like that so didn’t move their well.

But who determines where the “made up stuff” begins/ends and the “truth”

generally the head honcho of the religion…. or possibly committee. Hmm yep actually I’m changing my answer to “a committee”

What was that about Prawns?

I did know about the bible-prawn-hate*, other religions are available with their own dietary idiosyncrasies 🙂

*and yes I know the reasons – or atleast I was taught one of the reasons at my CoE school, STW or QI may prove that to be cobblers at some point aswell (didn’t know the turn the other cheek bit)

Evolution is compatible with intelligent design

No, I’m afraid it’s not.

Cougar… when you say “everything” yep God doesn’t play marbles with planets for me and whether he did in the past is not of my concern.

I live here and now and I’m signed up to the “everything” humanly possible God/Thor/Budda/Santa has a hand in it…. my life is better for the faith I have and the life of those close to me is better for it (my faith) and hopefully those I met… you my disagree ? 😀

miketually – Member

In one of Pratchett’s books, Granny Weatherwax tells a family that they need to move their well away from the privvy because of the goblin who lives in the privvy. The young witch is shocked that Granny Weatherwax lied to the family: the previous witch had been telling that family the truth about the tiny invisible creatures in the privvy that were getting into their drinking water, but they wouldn’t believe something daft like that so didn’t move their well.

Yup. (same joke is in Pyramids. Death with complications)

Can’t remember who said this one, maybe Kim Stanley Robinson… It must have been great being the first jews in a new continent, going around deciding what’s kosher and what isn’t. Giraffe? Probably kosher. Chimpanzee? Aargh, it’s throwing its poo at us, not kosher. Kangaroo? No idea.

I heard this guy on the Radio this morning and turned it off – he had had a conversation/vision with God. The only imaginary conversation you can have that doesn’t get you committed.

I’m envisaging the conversation now…

God: So, did you see the Spurs game at the weekend:
Radio Guy: Yeah! Injury time shocker against Man U eh?
God: Who would have guessed it. [sniggers]
Radio Guy: Wait a min, you sayin’ what I think you’re sayin’?
God: Listen, karma ain’t just a Buddhist thing where I come from.

RM.

I live here and now and I’m signed up to the “everything” humanly possible God/Thor/Budda/Santa has a hand in it…. my life is better for the faith I have and the life of those close to me is better for it (my faith) and hopefully those I met…

… and still, this is not evidence for a god.

What is it called when you can separate your otherwise rational mind from the weird stuff you might believe, I can’t remember. Anyway the religious do that lots.

Yeah this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartmentalization_(psychology)

Cougar… when you say “everything” yep God doesn’t play marbles with planets for me and whether he did in the past is not of my concern.

I live here and now and I’m signed up to the “everything” humanly possible God/Thor/Budda/Santa has a hand in it…. my life is better for the faith I have and the life of those close to me is better for it (my faith) and hopefully those I met… you my disagree ?

One priest I know prays for a parking space when he goes shopping at the supermarket. Another, in the same denomination, doesn’t because he doesn’t see why God would grant him a parking space as the result of a prayer when he (seems to) not interfere with the results of other prayers.

There are countless examples of people claiming God intervened in something as a result of their faith/prayers. If one child survives a tsunami because “God saved her”, did God choose to not save the others?

Are there any religions out there that don’t have the concept of an afterlife? To me they’re all about giving people a false sense of hope that they might exist for more than the brief time they have on Earth.

Evolution is compatible with intelligent design, since the designer could have just set up the initial conditions and let it happen. No-one knows why there was a big bang after all.

Ah – so God wound it up and let it go, and then evolution took over. And which God was that exactly? And why does he need worshipping? And does he have any further role to play in our affairs? And if you accept humans evolved from an ape-like ancestor, then you agree there was no Adam and no Eve – and thus no original sin, and thus no need for a redeemer; and that, I suspect,is what really annoys the fundamentalists.

But who determines where the “made up stuff” begins/ends and the “truth”

generally the head honcho of the religion…. or possibly committee. Hmm yep actually I’m changing my answer to “a committee”

It depends upon the religion. The truth of whether of not women could become bishops in the Church of England was decided by a vote. Slightly more than half of one section of the voters thought that the Bible said no, so women can’t become Bishops.

So, even within the same denomination, there are disagreements. That’s why it’s so very hard to debate rationally with believers.

Plus the fact that a lot of believers don’t actually know what the bible says.

Woppit … no not for you, we get it. Thanks for the input

Mike .. “people claiming God intervened” there is, I haven’t. Again I can speak for every one… what does your Mrs think ?

Religion is a hangover from the era before science could explain most things.
To be fair science still has trouble with the origin of the universe so I take the attitude that I don’t know, nobody has come up with a decent explanation yet but I’ll keep an open mind.

Some aspects of religion regarding leading a decent life can be helpful but you don’t NEED religion for that, just don’t be a prick.

Some people get comfort from their faith in times of stress and that’s fine too, each to their own.

The problem I have is teaching this in school, it has to be optional as it can be very emotive and equal teaching time must be given to other theories…which should also be optional.
Origins of the earth should perhaps be left out of the curriculum, when children are old enough and curious about it they’ll read up on it themselves.

I hate having religion pushed down my neck though, preachy evangelists of any subject deserve a punch in the face.

Ro5ey – Member

Woppit … no not for you, we get it.

I’d be grateful if you’d explain how

live here and now and I’m signed up to the “everything” humanly possible God/Thor/Budda/Santa has a hand in it…. my life is better for the faith I have and the life of those close to me is better for it (my faith) and hopefully those I met…

… is evidence of anything other than “I’ve decided to abandon rational objectivity in favour of unproven fairy-stories”…

I hate having religion pushed down my neck though, preachy evangelists of any subject deserve a punch tickle in the face.

FIFY

Woppit… “we get it”, that you don’t believe in God.

Whic ??

Mike .. “people claiming God intervened” there is, I haven’t. Again I can speak for every one… what does your Mrs think ?

She’s a very wooly liberal Anglican, who doesn’t like religion. So, something about being lovely and helping people.

Ro5ey – Member

Woppit… “we get it”, that you don’t believe in God.

Oh, I see. IBYP.

So tell me. What does god look like? What colour is it?

“I hate having religion pushed down my neck though, preachy evangelists of any subject deserve a punch in the face.”

Nice… peace be with you brother 😆

I hate having religion pushed down my neck though, preachy evangelists of any subject deserve a punch in the face.

I hate anyone trying to force their opinion on me, be it through evangelism or violence.

I hate anyone trying to force their opinion on me, be it through evangelism or violence.

I dislike hate.

Oh Woppit that easy….

All the colours of the rainbow my friend. All the colours and a shinning light all rolled into one 😆 😆

Your Happy Clappy friend

Mr Woppit – Member

Ro5ey – Member

Woppit… “we get it”, that you don’t believe in God.

Oh, I see. IBYP.

So tell me. What does god look like? What colour is it?

miketually – Member

I dislike hate.

I hate dislike, so wishy washy.

Mike … I like the sound of her 🙂

so wishy washy.

I mutter under my breath at wishy washy.

What does god look like? What colour is it?

All the colour of the rainbow my friend. All the colours and a shinning light all rolled into one

You just got owned Mr Woppit.

Ro5ey – Member

Oh Woppit that easy….

All the colour of the rainbow my friend. All the colours and a shinning light all rolled into one

You have been having a hallucination. Possibly temporal lobe epilepsy, a recognised condition that produces experiences of the type that you describe.

“I hate having religion pushed down my neck though, preachy evangelists of any subject deserve a punch in the face.”

god deserves a punch in the face – if there is one…

All the colours of the rainbow my friend. All the colours and a shinning light all rolled into one

So, God is white? I always thought he’d be quite dusky, like Jesus.

Also see:

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpxMr6J3UHM[/video]

… an experience that can also be replicated by taking drugs…

😆

There you go … taking things oh so literally.

Yeah mike he’s got a beard and everything 😀

TurnerGuy just punch your fist in the air – remember, He is omnipresent 😉

Ro5ey – Member

There you go … taking things oh so literally.

Yeah mike he’s got a beard and everything

Oh I see, so I notice that you have no actual answer to the question, then.

I struggle with long sentences – have we got a definitive answer as to who is right..?

is it the god botherers or the scienceologists…?