Why Religion Fails
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Galileo was not convicted because of his belief in a heliocentric universe, in fact one of his supporters was the Pope at the time (Urban IIRC) who asked him to publish a book that contained the arguments for and against a heliocentric universe, showing both sides of the argument. While technically Galileo did this, the way he did it was problematic and was landed him in trouble. He did the book in the form of a dialogue and put the arguments that had been publically advanced by the Pope in the mouth of a character whose name translates to "the simpleton" or "the fool."
Now, no matter what you think about how the solar system works, this was a brash political attack on the Pope and his office. The Pope was left with no choice but to have Galileo, who he supported for a long time to be prosecuted. Had Galileo presented the arguments in a less inflammatory way he likely would never have been prosecuted.
In fact, (going by memory again here) the Pope that initiated the prosecution was well know as a patron and supporter of science.
And to start on the other issue, here is a piece about the head of the human genome project, a very religious man. I trust you will agree that the completion of this project was a scientific breakthrough:
http://articles.cnn.com/2007-04-03/us/collins.commentary_1_god-dna-revelation?_s=PM:US
More to follow.
murder in the name of a mythical, non-existent diety
A “deeply religious” Pennsylvania man, said to have been inspired by the Old Testament, stoned a 70-year-old to death, claiming that his victim was gay.
According to this report, John Thomas, 28, of Upper Darby, a Philadelphia suburb, told police he killed Murray Seidman of nearby Lansdowne because the Bible refers to stoning homosexuals.
Thomas, who was arrested and charged with murder last Friday, told police:
I stoned Murray with a rock in a sock.
Thomas claimed Seidman had made unwanted sexual advances towards him. He then read in the Old Testament that homosexuals should be stoned in certain situations. In answer to his prayers, Thomas said he received an answer from Above, telling him was to put an end to the victim’s life. He said he struck the victim approximately ten times on the head. After the final blow, John Thomas made sure the victim was dead.
Said Lansdowne Police Chief Dan Kortan:
He is a deeply religious man. Or so he says.
Delaware County Medical Examiner Fredric Hellman ruled that Seidman had been dead for five to 10 days before Thomas started banging on doors in the hallway of Seidman’s apartment building on January 12.
Police said Thomas, who is the executor and sole beneficiary of Seidman’s will, returned to the apartment and pretended that he had just discovered Seidman’s body.
Thomas had no comment as he was led out of the Delaware County Courthouse on Friday.
Seidman was a longtime worker in the laundry department at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, where he was “very popular,” Kortan said.
As far as we are concerned, he was a model citizen.
http://freethinker.co.uk/2011/03/21/us-man-stoned-to-death/
This man needs a psychiatric evaluation and treatment, hearing voices which claims to be God is a sign of mental illness
A “deeply religious” Pennsylvania man, said to have been inspired by the Old Testament, stoned a 70-year-old to death, claiming that his victim was gay.
According to this report, John Thomas, 28, of Upper Darby, a Philadelphia suburb, told police he killed Murray Seidman of nearby Lansdowne because the Bible refers to stoning homosexuals.
Thomas, who was arrested and charged with murder last Friday, told police:
I stoned Murray with a rock in a sock.
Thomas claimed Seidman had made unwanted sexual advances towards him. He then read in the Old Testament that homosexuals should be stoned in certain situations. In answer to his prayers, Thomas said he received an answer from Above, telling him was to put an end to the victim’s life. He said he struck the victim approximately ten times on the head. After the final blow, John Thomas made sure the victim was dead.
Said Lansdowne Police Chief Dan Kortan:
He is a deeply religious man. Or so he says.
Delaware County Medical Examiner Fredric Hellman ruled that Seidman had been dead for five to 10 days before Thomas started banging on doors in the hallway of Seidman’s apartment building on January 12.
Police said Thomas, who is the executor and sole beneficiary of Seidman’s will, returned to the apartment and pretended that he had just discovered Seidman’s body.
Thomas had no comment as he was led out of the Delaware County Courthouse on Friday.
Seidman was a longtime worker in the laundry department at Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, where he was “very popular,” Kortan said.
As far as we are concerned, he was a model citizen.
http://freethinker.co.uk/2011/03/21/us-man-stoned-to-death/
This man needs a psychiatric evaluation and treatment, hearing voices which claims to be God is a sign of mental illness
Please show us an article which states how many churches in Philadelphia (including suburbs) have said that this murder was appropriate behaviour. Can you in fact find any at all?
I suspect the answer is about as many modern atheists who stand behind the mass murders of Stalin and Mao.
And more importantly he doesn't even bother to make the causation argument.
Our resident dishonest cut and paste expert probably doesn't even understand causation. For a man who worships science his reasoning is really low order.
Because he likes using meaningless circular ontological arguments. If you repeat them enough they hypnotize you into deluding they are true. He must be a student of Duns Scotus....
Your dishonesty is overwhelming.
Firstly, as I have noted before, I am not religious.
The fact is that Mao and Stalin followed political doctrines, premised on atheism, and committed mass murder on that basis.
I don't suggest all atheists are violent...but the Mao/Stalin approach is the logical equivilent of the illogical and uniformed way you like to attack religion. What it shows is that you and WP, are hypocrits on this issue.
Again, please tell us how many churches in Philadelphia (including suburbs) have said that this murder was appropriate behaviour.
In time of War, they all say this....
They even sang a hymn on it.....
Praise the lord and pass the ammunition!
You bet...a fine song written in response to Pearl Harbour. They also say there are no atheists in foxholes.In time of War, they all say this....
They even sang a hymn on it.....
Praise the lord and pass the ammunition!
But personally I prefer Hadyn's Mass in a Time of War...
Hey Pecker and canada-man, why does religion bother you so much??! You dont see believers here starting thread after thread on atheism, do you?! So there's got to be something that really bugs you about religion.
Why not just let people live and believe what they wanna believe?! I dont see how this conflicts with your life in any way.
You wanna be an atheist, thats fine. Some people prefer to believe in a higher power, why dont you just accept that and leave it alone??
Why not just let people live and believe what they wanna believe?! I dont see how this conflicts with your life in any way.
You wanna be an atheist, thats fine. Some people prefer to believe in a higher power, why dont you just accept that and leave it alone??
Mainly because it you sit passively by going with the flow of the RR we could end up with an Iranian style or Puritanical type theocracy again ....
Bullshit!Mainly because it you sit passively by going with the flow of the RR we could end up with an Iranian style or Puritanical type theocracy again ....
US has separation of State & Church. In America's few hundred years of existence there has yet to be a Iranian style or Puritanical type theocracy to take place. If anything the US is moving away from Puritanism, not heading for it.
Try again
Ah....now I see the delusion. It becomes clear now.Mainly because it you sit passively by going with the flow of the RR we could end up with an Iranian style or Puritanical type theocracy again ....
And when you say "we" you of course mean the United States...
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