Rownery Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Morons believe in reincarnation? Obviously you have not done research on this subject, because if you did you would know there is quite convincing evidence out there. Atheist are spiritually retarded
Pedroskini Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Rownery, show me your evidence of reincarnation. When you prove it, you will be the first human being in history to prove it beyond any reasonable doubt.
Pedroskini Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - And if you fail to prove it, then you are intellectually retarded, which would explain why you believe in such fairy tales despite being an adult.
Rownery Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Look up the research done by Ian Stevenson where birthmarks were shown to correspond with traumatic injuries on autopsy reports of whom the child previously claimed to be. But I'm pretty sure you'll deny the evidence and research presented by him as a "fairytale" regardless. Ignorance101
Pedroskini Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Rownery, if this is your best evidence for reincarnation, then you need to go back to Ignorance 101. Dr. Stevenson himself said that he did not have compelling evidence of reincarnation and that his data could be interpreted in many ways. He relied mostly on the "testimony" of 2 and 3 yo kids whose families claimed the kids were saying or "acting" in a certain surprising way. He did not have controlled scientific experiments, and used translators, some of which were proven to be dishonest.
Pedroskini Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Rownery: Furthermore, Dr. Stevenson was raised by a mother who had strong beliefs in the supernatural, a tradition that he followed and dedicated his life to, but could not, ultimately, demonstrate. His reports came from cultures or communities that believed in reincarnation to start with, each one throwing their own variation about reincarnation, and whose 2-3 year olds validated, creating conflicting theories about the "mechanism" of reincarnation. So I am still waiting for your EVIDENCE.
Rownery Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Funny how you ignore the birth/death mark correspondence! Dr.Stevenson believes that he DOES have compelling evidence for reincarnation but still admits he doesn't not have enough to put the rocks on the table. "used translators, some of which were proven to be dishonest" source please. As far as I'm concerned his research has me pretty convinced.
Pedroskini Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Rowney, read "Some of My Journeys in Medicine - The 1989 Flora Levy Lecture in the Humanities" by Dr. Stevenson, he outlines one of his dishonest interpreters, whose work he eventually dismissed in favor of other more trustworthy individuals. He accepts the fact that cultural bias is a MAJOR role in the children's testimony. Now tell me where he says that he has COMPELLING evidence. Show me a scientifically, controlled, replicable test that supports your evidence. Specifics.
Pedroskini Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Rowney, also, I find it interesting that you will totally accept reincarnation despite all the lose ends about Dr. Stevenson's theory: (1) Reincarnation is an act of will (2) Diseases and conditions are reincarnate with the individual (3) Cultures that believe in cross-gender reincarnation have cases of such. Cultures that do not believe in such mechanism, do not claim cases of that type. (4) Some cultures believe in span between reincarnations, some do not, each with examples of it.
Pedroskini Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Rowny: So tell me which kind of the different "kinds" of reincarnations do you believe. Since Dr. Stevenson died last year...should we expect any minute for a child (littile Ian Stevenson) to start talking in detail about the mechanism he went through in reincarnation ? Did he cut a specific part of his body as an identifier ? What honest scientists are overseeing such controlled test ? Evidence please, not just tribal superstition.
Rownery Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - There is no known scientific evidence yet, but there could be some day, but that doesn't mean this isn't a real phenomenon. And yes I'm aware that one of his interpreters was supposedly dishonest, does that invalidate all his work..? I couldn't find you a quote where he does say he has compelling evidence, but he does implies that he believes the evidence he has is compelling enough for him. For you to brush reincarnation off as a fairytale is quite close minded.
Pedroskini Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Rowney, I try not to be close-minded. I am trained in the sciences and most of my work has been in the scientific field. I do not think that presently science has an explanation for everything. However, I believe you realize that without strict evidence to support a specific theory, just about any "belief" could be defended as "real". Despite how I might "feel" about something I like, I cannot accept it as "factual", or I would be lowering my standard and then anything goes.
Pedroskini Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Rowney, if for you or anyone else evidence is not necessary to accept things, beliefs, faiths, etc. as factual, then it is your standard. However, my problem with religion/faiths, etc. is when it becomes so powerful that it steps over the rights of others who believe differently or who require evidence, to the point that entire societies become theocracies that destroy basic human rights. And all of it due to "beliefs" that are not supported by any shred of scientific evidence.
Pedroskini Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Rowney, I will commend you, though, for being honest in your statement of "there is no known scientific evidence" for reincarnation. Some people, especially fundamentalist religious, will point to the trees or the birds as their "evidence" for the existence of their particular god (but only "their" god). Very low standards indeed. However they will dismiss all the years of strict scientific evidence for Evolution and will say fossil are the work of the "devil" to test their faith.
conscab Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - I agree !! I hope, for the sake, sanity and peace of the world, that religion will dissaper once and for all. But we musn't forget about it, to let the children know what damage it can cause.
claoufaeng Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - You have a point about government money being spent on religion being a waste, but personal money that people spend on a pilgrimage is their money. Money wasted on a pilgrimage is not wasted if they enjoy it. The reason I believe in some description of divine is because I don't think random chemicals managed to arrange themselves into life, y'know?
Annickicki Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - I will gladly put my hand up and stand with you on this. Religion is not just unnecessary in society... it is detrimental to society.
1sakemartini Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - I dont fully agree it should be eradicated But scholars & academics need to write more history/evolution of religion media geared to the mainstream, giving religious literalists a rational view of their own religion or other religious traditions. illustrating that religion & holy books were/are man made rather than being divinely revealed.
prosedad Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - What basis do you use to prove, say, the Bible was not divinely inspired, since you make a definitive statement on the matter
prosedad Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Annickicki: Ya, let's take away the civil rights movement (birthed from religious people). Let's tell all the religious charities to get out of New Orleans cuz those evil jerks were the first ones in n r the last to leave Katrina victims. Let's get rid of hospitals and universities founded by religious people. Let's get rid of all of George W. Carver's inventions, which he said were divinely inspired, or he was guided to, or aided in birthing them through prayer. Let's get rid of feeding progrm
Annickicki Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - I can play this petty game if you want and we can sling examples for our side till we are blue in the face. And I hope we both know that it fails miserably as an argument. But the truth is, all the good that people can do with religion, they can do without religion. But there are certain kinds of evil that take a religious mind to perform.
prosedad Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - So a crackhead or a gangbanger can "cure" their own insatiable appetite for their habits/obsessions or incontinent addictions? How do you reconcile the plethora of people who got off drugs, got out of those things ONLY after they came to Christ? Lucky coincidence. U r coming from the irrational and impossible position that God doesn't exist. Sure u can play that coward cop out and accept the bigots' mantra that things been done bad in name of religion. That doesn't change truth, though.
Annickicki Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Not coincidence at all. The recovery rate and relapse rate of people who quit substance abuse due to personal conviction and those who did it "with the help of god" are actually equal. Belief in god (contrary to the 12 step program claims) makes no discernable difference. Your claim "irrational and impossible position that God doesn't exist" is baseless and without any evidence, merely your opinion. Your final sentence does not logically follow from your 2nd to last one. Make sense please.
Nickspasic Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - What if i told you that all problems in the world would be solved and this world would be heaven on earth if everyone was muslium, one pillar in islam is to give a certain percent of what you earn to charity regularly, if the 3 richest people in the world did this all of etheopia would never starve, and what if i told you that it is said in the quran that most are not blessed with belief, i am sure that god exsists more so then you believe that god doesnt exist i know god exsists using science.
IceneBoudicca Says:
Dec 5, 2008 - Dreams can become reality, brick by brick. There are too many apathetic people who just sit around, paying lip service to religious bullies, and say, "I've only got a little voice, what can I do?". Stand up and be counted, that's what you do and brick by brick change will happen. As for islam, it is a cult, not a religion and it is threatening our lives and freedoms here in the UK and it is terrifying.