Evolution/natural selection. Yes or no?

[Penelope]

Religion in whatever form was a way of explaining the explainable at the time; science can now do that for the vast majority of things.

 

The so called religous moral codes are simply a means for social animals to coexist in complex social groups, our distant relations, the primates have them of a sort as do lions, etc, etc.

Edited March 15, 2013 by Penelope

[henry d]

Bit off topic, but hey ho!

 

...There is absolutely ZERO evidence that ANYTHING written in the bible is true.....Is what you said

Archaeological evidence proves nothing with regards to religion...No but you said EVERTHING in the bible is false what it may do is give a better understanding of anthropology and population migration... please tell me how archaeology proves that they were over-run by Syrians 'because they disobeyed God so many times?' Again you said everything in the bible is false, I say that archaeology tells us, along with written records all about Tiglath-Pileser III and his fun with spikey poles. Also check out Sennacherib`s prism, Ashurbanipal`s library from Ninevah, the Lachlish letters, Cyrus cylinder, Darius 1 letters etc, all these confirm that what was written in the bible is historically correct, therefore you are wrong with your assertion: There is absolutely ZERO evidence that ANYTHING written in the bible is true

 

 

Prometheus... not a bad movie :-)

...The so called religous moral codes are simply a means for social animals to coexist in complex social groups, our distant relations, the primates have them of a sort as do lions, etc, etc.

So Penny, why did the moral codes of Israel differ from the Babylonian and pagan cults of throwing the first born into fires?

 

Can we get it back on topic or take it elsewhere?

[paul65]

yup works for me?? i suppose its a case of what came firs the chicken or the egg??? or the priest before the choirboy perhaps???

 

Aboriginal peoples (including stone-age Europeans) had (and still have) religious beliefs. There were not masses of them.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Surely it was THEIR way of explaining the UNEXPLAINABLE!

[Penelope]

Bit off topic, but hey ho!

 

 

 

So Penny, why did the moral codes of Israel differ from the Babylonian and pagan cults of throwing the first born into fires?

 

Can we get it back on topic or take it elsewhere?

 

It's Penelope (Latin name for the Wigeon) and not Penny. So please don't be so disrespectful and use the correct one .

Edited March 15, 2013 by Penelope

[cockercas]

Aboriginal peoples (including stone-age Europeans) had (and still have) religious beliefs. There were not masses of them.

and my dad wrote on his census form he was a jedi, dosnt make jedi real tho.

[paul65]

and my dad wrote on his census form he was a jedi, dosnt make jedi real tho.

 

Did I say that it did?

Edited March 15, 2013 by paul65

[flynny]

and my dad wrote on his census form he was a jedi, dosnt make jedi real tho.

 

Eh Jedi aint real????? damn you cockercas you blasphemer, youre going to tell me next that father xmas and the tooth fairy aint real , you big liar ha ha ha ha .My mam says they are so they must exist ha ha ha ha

 

ATB

 

Flynny

[henry d]

It's Penelope (Latin name for the Wigeon) and not Penny. So please don't be so disrespectful and use the correct one .

 

My apologies, however I am well aware of the name as my springer is Anas (ana for short). So any chance of explaining why the moral codes of Israel differed from the Babylonian and pagan cults of throwing the first born into fires?

[Kes]

How does this topic become 7 pages?

Surely even the most ardent god botherers now accept that Darwinian theory is the ONLY theory of human and animal evolution that has any shred of truth about it?

Darwin even predicted that the fossil record would eventually show the stages of evolution that had, to his day, not been fully understood.

 

How so many Americans despise the evolutionists is well beyond my understanding.

Creationist have lost the plot, as have the other god botherers looking ceaselessly for a possible link back to creationist theory and to some benevolent 'magic' being.

[Vince Green]

One of the things that is strange is that so many religions from all round the world, even the remotest of regions, have recurring themes and ideas.

[cockercas]

 

 

Did I say that it did?

My dad is one man so religon dosent need masses.

But if my dad and 10 of his mates all belived in jedi and my dad wanted to control the 10 mates he could tell them the ' dark side' will come for them and strike them down.

Today they would tell him hes mental.

2000 years ago they was uneducated so belived it.

[Kes]

One of the things that is strange is that so many religions from all round the world, even the remotest of regions, have recurring themes and ideas.

 

Similar topic similar beliefs - how many types of God can you create to believe in ?

[cockercas]

One of the things that is strange is that so many religions from all round the world, even the remotest of regions, have recurring themes and ideas.

Because they all wanted the same outcome.

[paul65]

My dad is one man so religon dosent need masses.

But if my dad and 10 of his mates all belived in jedi and my dad wanted to control the 10 mates he could tell them the ' dark side' will come for them and strike them down.

Today they would tell him hes mental.

2000 years ago they was uneducated so belived it.

 

Sorry mate, I really don't know what you are rambling on about your Dad for.

[FalconFN]

 

 

My apologies, however I am well aware of the name as my springer is Anas (ana for short). So any chance of explaining why the moral codes of Israel differed from the Babylonian and pagan cults of throwing the first born into fires?

I'm not sure that has any relevance to evolutionary theory. But as you ask, there are many terrible things done in the name of religion and Christianity is no different from any other belief system. Just look at the modern church where peace, love and acceptance of all is announced from the pulpit but where women, gays and pretty much anyone who dissagrees is second class or going to hell. Using past deeds of long extinct religion to hold up your own is like saying Harold Shipman is a decent bloke because Hitler was worse.

 

The bible has been interpreted in many ways since it was bundled together and only in recent, post enlightenment times has a literal interpretation been given any credence as when it was written scientific thought processes just weren't in the culture. I would recomend Karen Armatrong's The Bible: The Biography, as it explores the history of interpretation of the bible and dosent take religious or dogmatic view.

[paul65]

One of the things that is strange is that so many religions from all round the world, even the remotest of regions, have recurring themes and ideas.

 

Yes, that's maybe because some of those things, for example the great flood, really happened way, way back. Virtually all people in the world have a flood 'myth' and a Noah type character who survived with a small group of others and started again. You don't have to be religious to think that might have some truth to it.

[FalconFN]

 

 

Yes, that's maybe because some of those things, for example the great flood, really happened way, way back. Virtually all people in the world have a flood 'myth' and a Noah type character who survived with a small group of others and started again. You don't have to be religious to think that might have some truth to it.

Some have suggested the flood myth could have been passed down the generations for a few thousand years after the flooding caused by melt water after the last ice age.

[Vipa]

Also remember that pretty much all modern religious sects spawned from pretty much the same place and so had a common theme... over the centuries they have applied their own interpretations to things but it all comes from the same place so, in reality, it is no wonder they also appear to have similar stories/myths

[Vipa]

Yes, that's maybe because some of those things, for example the great flood, really happened way, way back. Virtually all people in the world have a flood 'myth' and a Noah type character who survived with a small group of others and started again. You don't have to be religious to think that might have some truth to it.

The only evidence of mass extinction of species is the dinosaurs... there is nothing anywhere to suggest a 'near extinction level event' occurred anywhere else in the archaeological or geological past.. Noah and his ark belong firmly in the same place as god creating everything in 6 days and then having a kip on Sunday! http://www.truthbeknown.com/noah.htm Apparently Noah was 600 years old when all this happened....... and people believe this hogwash!?

Edited March 15, 2013 by Vipa

[cockercas]

 

 

Sorry mate, I really don't know what you are rambling on about your Dad for.

I carnt really be bothered to explain it.

[henry d]

I'm not sure that has any relevance to evolutionary theory. I agree, but Penelope gave an opinion and I posed the question to him But as you ask, there are many terrible things done in the name of religion and Christianity is no different from any other belief system. Just look at the modern church where peace, love and acceptance of all is announced from the pulpit but where women, gays and pretty much anyone who dissagrees is second class or going to hell. Too much of a generalisation my fiend it would also be like saying all gun owners are potential murderers like X, Y OR Z (Insert any recent maniac)Using past deeds of long extinct religion to hold up your own is like saying Harold Shipman is a decent bloke because Hitler was worse.

 

The bible has been interpreted in many ways since it was bundled together and only in recent, post enlightenment times has a literal interpretation been given any credence as when it was written scientific thought processes just weren't in the culture. I would recomend Karen Armatrong's The Bible: The Biography, as it explores the history of interpretation of the bible and dosent take religious or dogmatic view. Don`t have the time, I wasted too much on the drivel that is the God delusion, I`l just never get the time back and I have an essay due Tuesday.

[henry d]

Also remember that pretty much all modern religious sects spawned from pretty much the same place and so had a common theme... over the centuries they have applied their own interpretations to things but it all comes from the same place so, in reality, it is no wonder they also appear to have similar stories/myths

The Murrin Patha people of Australia don`t, theirs is totally distinct, as are many Aboriginal myths, however oral tradition has been surprisingly accurate for them for around 10 000 years so the Judeo-Christian oral traditions and stories could also be said to be as historically accurate.

[Vipa]

_{Yep... OK Henry.. you win.. I really can't be ***** any more... It's all starting to get a little 'Nostradamus!" You can make anything fit somewhere within the fairy tales to back up your beliefs... You have an answer for everything... so... you are right, I am wrong.. let's just leave it at that and get on with life}

Edited March 15, 2013 by Vipa

[FalconFN]

Too much of a generalisation my fiend it would also be like saying all gun owners are potential murderers like X, Y OR Z (Insert any recent maniac)

Well not really as most of the Christians in the world are catholics and they pretty clearly state that women are forbidden to be in the clergy and that it is a sin to be gay, and may of the remaining believers in the cult of Jesus believe the same. Whereas only a tiny number of nutters kill with guns.

 

As for the book, there's plenty of time left in your life to read it, as I said it makes no judgement of God or religion but it explores the development and interpretation of THE book of Christian belief. I genuinely think that you would find it interesting and it won't make you question your belief in god but will put different branches of the same religion in cultural and historical context.