Comments by mspadorchard

1. Turek vs. Hitchens Debate: Does God Exist?

Comment #276971 by mspadorchard on November 2, 2008 at 10:02 pm

#274214 "actually Turek is looking for an answer as to how a materialistic/naturalistic worldview accounts for morality. He takes it as an unspoken fact, to which he was trying to get I assume, that there must necessarily be an absolute standard independent of human thought. If this is what he was after, he worded the question very poorly."

There is no absolute morality... in real life or even in the so called sacred bible, or religious literature. IF there were and absoulute morality in the bible, the bible could never have "allowed" god to kill the first born sons (innocents and babies also) of the Egytians, or asked a man to kill his son, or have ever sanctioned genocide (Hitchens did refer to the genocide once).

The Bible is it's own contradiction of itself... and therefore contradicts the teachings that proselytizers claim to have derived from it.

Mike

2. Couple charged in Norway over genital mutilation of daughters

Comment #190108 by mspadorchard on June 8, 2008 at 11:42 am

"Islam is not compatible with a modern liberal Western democracy"

When most of Islam wishes it to be, perhaps that will be... but until a newspaper in Denmark can publish a Mo caracature, Islam in many countries does not demonstrate itself to be compatable with a modern Western democracy.

Death to any infidel, or for that matter one who leaves the faith, is not compatable with any democracy... and freedom of religion must by definition also mean freedom from religion.

M.

3. Storm erupts over 'virginity' divorce

Comment #186849 by mspadorchard on May 31, 2008 at 12:27 pm

"I have to agree with the people who think this isn't a big deal. My fiance has told me he was a virgin when we met, and frankly, if I found out now that he'd lied, it would completely undermine my faith in him and we probably wouldn't stay together. I wouldn't have cared so much if he hadn't been, but the lie would eat at me forever. (Perhaps that seems extreme, but honesty is extremely important to me.)

Now, mind, I think it's absurd that Islamic culture puts so much emphasis on female virginity, to the point of declaring a woman worthless if she has premarital sex. But we may be blowing this out of proportion. People in America get divorced for lesser reasons every day, and nobody bats an eye.

The real question, I think, was how much choice the woman had. Was it an arranged marriage, was she forced to lie, did she want the divorce, how will her family treat her now, will she be able to remarry someone of her own choosing, etc. I'm far more concerned for her welfare now than for the loss of what most likely would've been a troubled marriage. "

I have one small thing to say about truthfulness, especially in a close relationship. Truthfulness in a relationsip requires

1. The person getting the "truth" has shown and intellectual and emotional capacity to accept the other person for whom they are, what they are, as a three dimensional human being, who is an imperfect work in progess at all times... and trying to be whom they are, with good intent. That recipiect must be trusted to not be overly judgemental, or willing to condemn others for being imperfect.

2. The givers of the "truth" needs to have personal courage to admit their "faults" or mistakes in life (to accept themselves with all their imperfections... including the ones that they are confident are not faults at all, but things with which they simply disagree with another about.). This person(s) must also have enough security in their own situation to not need the approval of one other person enough that the ability to be truthful, or risking disapproval, is not compromised.

A person who gets the truth is one who usually has shown the ability to deal with it in a mature fashion. A person who gives the truth, is usually one who has shown the ability to not be unduly dependent on the recipient's approval.

If she had really wanted to deceive him, unless she had delivered a baby in the past.. I really don't think she could not have continued the deception. (Sorry, but I don't think I could tell if a woman I was with was or was not a virgin based on my perception of her equipment...)

Mike O.