Comments for Freethought.com http://freethought.com Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:31:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Atheists and God’s Flock Get it Wrong but God’s flock get it right more. by howard Menzer http://freethought.com/2011/12/28/1906/comment-page-1/#comment-333 howard Menzer Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:31:22 +0000 http://freethought.com/2011/12/28/1906/#comment-333 That should have been ten commandments That should have been ten commandments

]]> Comment on Atheists and God’s Flock Get it Wrong but God’s flock get it right more. by howard Menzer http://freethought.com/2011/12/28/1906/comment-page-1/#comment-332 howard Menzer Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:30:33 +0000 http://freethought.com/2011/12/28/1906/#comment-332 I am a theist. That is to say I do believe in a higher power. If one reads the torah with knowledge they will find that this deity is spoke of as a male and, at times, a female. It is also spoken of in the singular and in the plural. This G-D which I profess exists is all powerful but mad man as the only creature with choices. Making the wrong choices does have its consequences though. There are errors in the translation of torah from Hebrew to German and then to Greek. The Messiah will come from a young woman, not a virgin. We are built in the essence of the holy one, not the image. There are other errors but space is limited. Anyone with knowledge of Hebrew sees the errors and moves past them. Your thoughts were interesting though. Many of the laws we look at came from the 19 commandments many years ago. You accept them as though they were your own but they are not and the old tablets you speak of prove that. As older copies of the Torah are found they are exactly as the ones we read today. HMmm:) I am a theist. That is to say I do believe in a higher power. If one reads the torah with knowledge they will find that this deity is spoke of as a male and, at times, a female. It is also spoken of in the singular and in the plural. This G-D which I profess exists is all powerful but mad man as the only creature with choices. Making the wrong choices does have its consequences though. There are errors in the translation of torah from Hebrew to German and then to Greek. The Messiah will come from a young woman, not a virgin. We are built in the essence of the holy one, not the image. There are other errors but space is limited. Anyone with knowledge of Hebrew sees the errors and moves past them. Your thoughts were interesting though. Many of the laws we look at came from the 19 commandments many years ago. You accept them as though they were your own but they are not and the old tablets you speak of prove that. As older copies of the Torah are found they are exactly as the ones we read today. HMmm:)

]]> Comment on God is “Great” by Danladi Dele Agbeyo http://freethought.com/2011/11/22/1895/comment-page-1/#comment-294 Danladi Dele Agbeyo Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:34:47 +0000 http://freethought.com/?p=1895#comment-294 During the dark or middle ages, books on knowledge, which were acquired during the Greek and Roman civilisations were either burnt or banned by the church. The Islamic world kept and improved on this collection of books and phillosophy which include those of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle. Mathematics and Algebra were kept alive in Islamic institutions while most of Western Europe was kept asleep by the church. It was only during rennaisance that interest in science was rekindled. Thanks to the Arabs. However, rather than build on this advantage, the Arab world was made to make a catastrophic u-turn when an leader pronounced mathematic as satanic knowledge and stopped the teaching of Mathematics in Islamic institutions. That singular misconception changed the history of human advancement for ever and the Islamic world was never to recover to date . Meanwhile, the western world woke up from its slumber and made steady progress by separating religion from state. This gave birth to the age of reason or enlightenement and later the industrial revolution. Power was no more based on number of soldiers with swords on horse backs but on scientific knowledge and technical know how. Now, Its the number of Guided missiles and Inter Ballistic missiles or capability for star wars that indicate the strength of a nation or a people. For Islam to remain relevant, there has to be reforms and peoples revolution. That revolution has started in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya and would probably spread to all other Arab nations and other Islamic countries by extension. And just like the collapse of the Soviet Union, Islam would be liberalised and become more accomodating to changes. The end result wold be secularisation of Islam like the rest of christian western Europe. Sooner or later. Change is a natural phenomenon. During the dark or middle ages, books on knowledge, which were acquired during the Greek and Roman civilisations were either burnt or banned by the church. The Islamic world kept and improved on this collection of books and phillosophy which include those of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle. Mathematics and Algebra were kept alive in Islamic institutions while most of Western Europe was kept asleep by the church. It was only during rennaisance that interest in science was rekindled. Thanks to the Arabs. However, rather than build on this advantage, the Arab world was made to make a catastrophic u-turn when an leader pronounced mathematic as satanic knowledge and stopped the teaching of Mathematics in Islamic institutions. That singular misconception changed the history of human advancement for ever and the Islamic world was never to recover to date . Meanwhile, the western world woke up from its slumber and made steady progress by separating religion from state. This gave birth to the age of reason or enlightenement and later the industrial revolution. Power was no more based on number of soldiers with swords on horse backs but on scientific knowledge and technical know how. Now, Its the number of Guided missiles and Inter Ballistic missiles or capability for star wars that indicate the strength of a nation or a people. For Islam to remain relevant, there has to be reforms and peoples revolution. That revolution has started in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya and would probably spread to all other Arab nations and other Islamic countries by extension. And just like the collapse of the Soviet Union, Islam would be liberalised and become more accomodating to changes. The end result wold be secularisation of Islam like the rest of christian western Europe. Sooner or later. Change is a natural phenomenon.

]]> Comment on Razing the Flag of Democracy. by Peter http://freethought.com/2011/10/31/1875/comment-page-1/#comment-269 Peter Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:50:50 +0000 http://freethought.com/?p=1875#comment-269 Unfortunately the flying of the al Qaeda flag represents the true result of the Arab spring. If anyone for a moment thought that Arabs would truly embrace freedom, tolerance, respect for all others, they are sadly mistaken. This is just a trade of a despot for Islamic theocracy - ultimately no different in denial of freedoms and human rights. Already Jews are banned from the new Lybia - good ole time Islam, and the formation of a new nation based on shariah. Won't that be just nice for the girls. The Arab spring is a figment of the world medias mind, not a reality! Unfortunately the flying of the al Qaeda flag represents the true result of the Arab spring. If anyone for a moment thought that Arabs would truly embrace freedom, tolerance, respect for all others, they are sadly mistaken. This is just a trade of a despot for Islamic theocracy – ultimately no different in denial of freedoms and human rights. Already Jews are banned from the new Lybia – good ole time Islam, and the formation of a new nation based on shariah. Won’t that be just nice for the girls. The Arab spring is a figment of the world medias mind, not a reality!

]]> Comment on Thinking more about ‘Religion’ as a bad word by Noam http://freethought.com/2011/07/29/1843/comment-page-1/#comment-246 Noam Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:38:14 +0000 http://freethought.com/2011/07/29/1843/#comment-246 I enjoyed your essay. I, being ex-religious for some 3+ years, have found myself transforming in debates from having a reactionary oft condescending tone to one where I try to evaluate what they are thinking. To see how they got there. I suspect that belief is not a malfunction. That there was a time in our history where believing was necesary for survival. Many propose it is a bybroduct of the trust children put in their parents which protects them from trying to snack on a poisonous mushroom. I personally think it relates back to a time when fires were kept lit before 'we' knew how to start new fires or when it was extremely difficult to do so. Only tribes with an obsession for keeping it lit survived. Later, in many temples, rome included, a remnant of this was seen when they would put to death the 'fire keeper' who failed at their job. I hope to be able to get thru to people once I can figure out how to not get upset. I enjoyed your essay. I, being ex-religious for some 3+ years, have found myself transforming in debates from having a reactionary oft condescending tone to one where I try to evaluate what they are thinking. To see how they got there.
I suspect that belief is not a malfunction. That there was a time in our history where believing was necesary for survival. Many propose it is a bybroduct of the trust children put in their parents which protects them from trying to snack on a poisonous mushroom. I personally think it relates back to a time when fires were kept lit before ‘we’ knew how to start new fires or when it was extremely difficult to do so. Only tribes with an obsession for keeping it lit survived. Later, in many temples, rome included, a remnant of this was seen when they would put to death the ‘fire keeper’ who failed at their job. I hope to be able to get thru to people once I can figure out how to not get upset.

]]> Comment on Stop “Stop SB 48 com” by Joey Okowitz http://freethought.com/2011/08/19/1856/comment-page-1/#comment-218 Joey Okowitz Sat, 20 Aug 2011 08:06:03 +0000 http://freethought.com/?p=1856#comment-218 I live a few miles away from Pastor Jack's "chapel" and have actually been a part of a weeding there and have met him personally (albeit briefly). I think it's about time I went back and paid Pastor Jack another visit and give him a piece of my mind. I live a few miles away from Pastor Jack’s “chapel” and have actually been a part of a weeding there and have met him personally (albeit briefly). I think it’s about time I went back and paid Pastor Jack another visit and give him a piece of my mind.

]]> Comment on Thinking more about ‘Religion’ as a bad word by Michael http://freethought.com/2011/07/29/1843/comment-page-1/#comment-214 Michael Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:47:13 +0000 http://freethought.com/2011/07/29/1843/#comment-214 Hi Jason, It is so refreshing to find your comment. I happen to be a Catholic Christian and have been studing Neuroscience and Relgion now for over a year. The world has become a fascinating place. But, you made joy for me today when you said, " I find myself to be less and less interested in saying 'religious people are stupid', or 'there are brain malfunctions causing beliefs in silly phenomenon'. " I have studied - and I do mean studied - Newberg's work and continue to do so. I find he is so patient in asserting anything and is willing to "open the doors" to where the science leads. Look out! The future promises to be exciting no matter where the information may lead and the different conclusions found. All the best in your studies! Michael Hi Jason,

It is so refreshing to find your comment. I happen to be a Catholic Christian and have been studing Neuroscience and Relgion now for over a year. The world has become a fascinating place. But, you made joy for me today when you said, ” I find myself to be less and less interested in saying ‘religious people are stupid’, or ‘there are brain malfunctions causing beliefs in silly phenomenon’. ”

I have studied – and I do mean studied – Newberg’s work and continue to do so. I find he is so patient in asserting anything and is willing to “open the doors” to where the science leads. Look out! The future promises to be exciting no matter where the information may lead and the different conclusions found.

All the best in your studies!
Michael

]]> Comment on Paraphrasing Confucius by George http://freethought.com/2011/07/25/1836/comment-page-1/#comment-207 George Wed, 27 Jul 2011 06:47:16 +0000 http://freethought.com/?p=1836#comment-207 not Abrahamic but see also Mozu/Mozi the suppressed Chinese alternate philosopher who seems to have drawn much of his morality from Jewish sources, if only indirectly (on Wikipedia) not Abrahamic but see also Mozu/Mozi the suppressed Chinese alternate philosopher who seems to have drawn much of his morality from Jewish sources, if only indirectly (on Wikipedia)

]]> Comment on Religion and Violence… Initial Thoughts by General Bill Ray http://freethought.com/2011/05/19/1806/comment-page-1/#comment-195 General Bill Ray Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:55:36 +0000 http://freethought.com/?p=1806#comment-195 You have ensured a Republican in the White House in 2013. You are all going to hell. The Christian "majority" are going to kick your Devil asses. You have ensured a Republican in the White House in 2013. You are all going to hell. The Christian “majority” are going to kick your Devil asses.

]]> Comment on God and the Constitution by Eric Alan Isaacson http://freethought.com/2011/05/11/1755/comment-page-1/#comment-170 Eric Alan Isaacson Thu, 12 May 2011 20:20:03 +0000 http://freethought.com/?p=1755#comment-170 John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, Millard Fillmore, and William Howard Taft all considered themselves Christians -- they merely didn't subscribe to the orthodox Trinitarian view that Jesus is God. Neither, I might add, did they subscribe the the rather peculiar views of modern "Christian nationalists." They seem to have forgotten the Baptist principle of a wall separating the church and the secular world. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, Millard Fillmore, and William Howard Taft all considered themselves Christians — they merely didn’t subscribe to the orthodox Trinitarian view that Jesus is God. Neither, I might add, did they subscribe the the rather peculiar views of modern “Christian nationalists.” They seem to have forgotten the Baptist principle of a wall separating the church and the secular world.

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