how did the extreme religious right get that way?

[Dravyk]

Originally Posted by Vick

but science doesn't embarrassedly ask for a bunch of your money
Nor does it say fucking out of wedlock is bad
Or the nude human body is something to be ashamed of (but that part helps us make $)
Or their guy in the sky is better than your guy in the sky and if you don't agree they will kill you


Science doesn't say we nailed this fucker to a cross and let him hang until he died to make you ok

Nicely said!!

[MorganGrayson]

Originally Posted by Dravyk

Nicely said!!

Yes, that was wonderfully said.

I still think it's comparing apples and oranges, though. I've never found sceince and religion to be the slightest bit incompatible. Even back when I was attempting to reconcile my internal beliefs to external teachings, I thought that evolution was a most wonderful way of "creating life." I absolutely refused to believe in a boring "God." And frankly, to me, a "God" that just goes "poof...the human is complete" strikes me as being boring. Tossing out a big bunch of stuff, sitting back in the barcolounger with a brew and saying "OK, let's see what happens next!" strikes me as being much more interesting. Creating intelligent, curious beings seems to me to be saying "OK, let's see exactly how much you guys can figure out about this gift you've been given!"

*sigh*
I got thrown out of Catechism a lot for such beliefs. Didn't believe in a boring "God," and refused - adamantly refused - to believe in that angry, vengeful, spiteful "worship me in fear or I shall smite thee mightily" "God" they were selling, either.

My formerly pregnant neighbor, with whom I've exchanged perhaps four pleasant sentences, brought over her 7 week old son in his Halloween costume for me to see last night. The kid gave me big smiles, the "you're wierd and I can tell and I just love it" smile collection, so I knew I had the baby's thumbs up. I was wearing a long black gown and spider earrings, which probably gave her a clue that I was doing *something* for Halloween, so I thought I'd give the nice lady an intro into my wittle life...and told her I was Wiccan. She handled it well. I answered a few questions that were written on her face, but never escaped her much too polite to ask mouth. I said "basically, that means I have to run around being much nicer than I happen to feel like being." She laughed. I told her *all* major religions have a version of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" and she agreed that once you get past that, it's all noise. She also mentioned something that made her my new best friend: you bring that line home. It doesn't mean you're only nice to strangers...you teach your children how to behave to each other with that line. (She has two step-children of whom she is very fond.) You treat your spouse with courtesy. I think I'm going to like being "the old wise witch next door." I *know* I'm going to love having an infant to buy presents for.

[Dravyk]

Originally Posted by MorganGrayson

I still think it's comparing apples and oranges, though. I've never found sceince and religion to be the slightest bit incompatible.

Agreed. They aren't!

That is, not until moronic primates with a God fetish keep forcing two square pegs into the same round hole ... and think the Bible is the New York Times of record for all history.

[MorganGrayson]

Originally Posted by Dravyk

Agreed. They aren't!

That is, not until moronic primates with a God fetish keep forcing two square pegs into the same round hole ... and think the Bible is the New York Times of record for all history.

The Bible isn't even the Bible anymore. It's been translated, retranslated, then retranslated again...to the point where no one with any sense can believe that what's between the covers are even the original words anymore. It does have some lovely metaphors and some great poetry in it, though.

It also has a section or two that will justify any murderous impulse one has if it's read carefully, which thoroughly sucks.

I once caused a Protestant to go wide-eyed when I sat beside him with my Catholic Bible playing "let's compare it line by line and see." A word here, a word there...and the difference in meaning was astounding.

[Trev]

Originally Posted by MorganGrayson

The Bible isn't even the Bible anymore. It's been translated, retranslated, then retranslated again...to the point where no one with any sense can believe that what's between the covers are even the original words anymore. It does have some lovely metaphors and some great poetry in it, though.

It also has a section or two that will justify any murderous impulse one has if it's read carefully, which thoroughly sucks.

I once caused a Protestant to go wide-eyed when I sat beside him with my Catholic Bible playing "let's compare it line by line and see." A word here, a word there...and the difference in meaning was astounding.

It was interesting having my son baptized a catholic with his mother being a methodist... lazy religion methodism... she and I had to go to mass twice a week for 6 months... her paganism came and bit me in the ass

[venturi]

Originally Posted by Dravyk

That is, not until moronic primates with a God fetish keep forcing two square pegs into the same round hole ...

Well, I guess that sums up why they don't much like the fucking, eh?