551. Functional Neuroimaging of Belief, Disbelief, and Uncertainty

Comment #122185 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 9:35 pm

your link doesnt work

552. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #122173 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 9:04 pm

You are all sheep. It makes me sick.

553. Some non-Christians feel left out of election

Comment #122167 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 8:55 pm

Obama for prez

554. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #122165 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 8:50 pm

This thread is dumming everyone down. I think we should start ignoring it. It is going nowhere and we have much better things to dicuss on other threads.

555. Sprinting down the evolutionary highway

Comment #122079 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 3:36 pm

I do hate it when people say we stopped evolving. The frequenceies of a specific gene in the worldwide population are always changing and certain genes of course can still give someone a selective advantage for reproduction over a variant of the same gene.

556. Sprinting down the evolutionary highway

Comment #122077 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 3:30 pm

Its too hard to define the selective pressure.

Because of things like wellfare and other things that help the people who do not thrive as well as "successful" people, the most fit dont have an advantage.

Actually statistics show that more of the lower class/poorer/uneducated people have more kids than upper class/educated.

Im not saying that the lower class are genetically inferior but what exactly constitutes the selective pressure. You could make the argument that poorer people have a selective advantage in the sense that they are having more children.

557. Sprinting down the evolutionary highway

Comment #122048 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 2:37 pm

A lot of you probably already know this but I will tell you anyway.

Most people carry a few mutations in important genes. What gets around this is the fact that we have two copies of almost all of our genes(one from mom and one from dad) so if one is bad the other one makes up for it. When inbreeding happens it increases the chances of getting two copies of the same mutation thus causing a genetic disease.

558. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #122038 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 2:24 pm

This thread is dumming everyone down. I think we should start ignoring it. It is going nowhere and we have much better things to dicuss on other threads.

559. Sprinting down the evolutionary highway

Comment #122029 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 2:16 pm

"I wonder whether the widespread habit in muslim populations of marrying cousins is restricting genetic diversity in those groups? "

It absolutely is. I work in a lab that does research on growth hormone insensitivity which is usaully caused by mutations in the growth hormone receptor.

We get samples from all over the world from people with very short stature, between 3-4ft final height. A great majority of these cases come from pakistan. We also get a lot from south america/ecuador where people live in small communities. Also, Utah.

560. Sprinting down the evolutionary highway

Comment #122018 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 1:55 pm

Sorry, off topic.

Someone should do a study on the link between alzheimers disease and religion.

I would hypothesize that it would be more prevalent in the religious and less prevalent in the atheist. My initial hpothesis is backed up by the religious not using the critical thinking parts of thier brains as much as atheists. An inactive brain has been linked to an increase in alzheimers.

561. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #122016 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 1:47 pm

WASTE OF TIME

562. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121999 by righton on February 4, 2008 at 1:26 pm

"All I ask, all the vast majority of the billions of people of faith on the planet ask, is to be left alone to believe what we choose to believe and live how we decide to live. But the Unholy Trinity have no intention of leaving me alone".

I can just see dawkins, hitchens and harris, egging his house every nite.

563. Letters: Theology has no place in a university

Comment #121637 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 9:29 pm

dlitt,

explain you avatar, is that you?

564. Letters: Theology has no place in a university

Comment #121633 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 9:21 pm

Pascals Wager???

HAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHH

I got this one rawandi

Booya, time of death, 914pm

565. Are Darwin's Theories Fact or Faith Issues?

Comment #121567 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 5:24 pm

Considering how racist our species is, imagine if other closely related species were around. It seems likely that we would want to kill them whenever we saw them.

566. Are Darwin's Theories Fact or Faith Issues?

Comment #121559 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 5:04 pm

"Because Homo sapiens spread out from Africa and out-competed them, probably being better at hunting."

Has anyone suggested or is there any evidence that homo sapiens killed off the other species?

567. There Are No Ghosts in Your Brain

Comment #121492 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 1:42 pm

"but this reminds me very much of the god hypothesis."

Thats what I was thinking.

568. There Are No Ghosts in Your Brain

Comment #121483 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 1:21 pm

I think using the phrase, "an arrangement of particles" makes it hard to understand.

Why dont you say an arrangement of neurons. Or an arrangement of many millions of neurons.

569. There Are No Ghosts in Your Brain

Comment #121476 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 1:12 pm

I havent read much about conciousness research.

The brain is of course extremely complex. Ive always thought that consciousness is the manifestation of all the the connections of neurons.

Do you have some recomendations for reading on this subject

570. There Are No Ghosts in Your Brain

Comment #121465 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 12:57 pm

"I believe there is something odd going on in terms of the fact that we have sensations. The strangest thing for me is that in expressing that we have sensations, whatever it is that is experiencing them (and it must be an odd thing - why should an arrangement of particles experience "redness"?) is interacting with the physical brain so that we can express this."

Im not sure I agree/understand you steve.

You think something odd is going on? By that you mean something a materialistic interpretation could not explain?

571. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121136 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 1:39 am

What a pathetic loser.

Someone called his arguments sub-Souza earlier, I liked that one.

572. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121133 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 1:33 am

"science isn't falsifiable"

What is that even supposed to mean?

573. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121130 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 1:30 am

Assayer,

Ya I thought you were mocking kardoshovel when we started this conversation but it turns out your serious. Oh well its ok, you will be fine.

Your not dumb.

574. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121125 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 1:26 am

"There are 8 reviews all of which give the book 5 stars and claim it to be logically unassailable. On top of that virtually everyone who voted found the reviews helpful."

So obvious, to quote dumb and dumber, VD is one pathetic LOSER"

575. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121123 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 1:24 am

Seriously mPhil, I thank you very much. I pretty much knew the book was crap but was interested in hearing the crappy arguments.

576. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121118 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 1:22 am

God should use all of our senses and not discriminate by just using our ears.

577. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121117 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 1:21 am

Why is it always, god talked to me? Why dont people ever say they smelled or tasted god?

578. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121091 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 12:37 am

Why does god hide from us? If we dont believe are we going to hell? Does it matter at all if we believe? Define your beliefs in god. Do you believe just from him talking to you the few times he did?

579. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121089 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 12:31 am

Hey Baeoz, your a little late on those but no worries, good points.

580. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121088 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 12:29 am

"To think that God talking to me is like "me talking to myself" is the assumption you have to take, inorder to keep feeling certain about what you believe."

Um no... I feel certain about what i believe because their is no evidence that their is a god, all religions are contradictory and evolution takes care of the need for a designer.

Im not impressed by your argument of, well god talked to me so I know he exists. He hasnt talked to me.

581. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121084 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 12:18 am

So I should believe in god because you told me he talked to you?

If many other people have made the same claim why should I take you seriously?

You must be pretty special since god only talks to you.

582. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121078 by righton on February 3, 2008 at 12:06 am

Hello? THis is god talking, you need to reply faster

583. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121076 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 11:57 pm

Interesting description of what it sounds like. Seems like it would be kind of scary.

Why hasnt he talked to me? Does he only talk to a few people?

584. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121073 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 11:50 pm

Which go was he?

585. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121071 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 11:43 pm

What else did he say? How do you know it wasnt your imagination?

586. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121067 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 11:26 pm

you got me assayer, whats your proof? How do you know u talked to god?

587. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121066 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 11:23 pm

kardashovel = Kirk Cameron

588. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121020 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 9:38 pm

"Those unfortunate children are at rest now, and someday they will arise and be with their families again. "

Dont count on it.

589. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #121010 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 9:25 pm

"but everyone is that special to God."

Even the childern that get cancer and die, they must feel realy special.

590. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #120989 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 8:57 pm

"And by the way, I do hate it when I have to refer someone to a dictionary, but testimony is most certainly evidence, Mr. Jennings."


Wrong, I testify that you are schizophrenic. Hows that for evidence

591. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #120987 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 8:54 pm

Karadashovel=blacknad

Go away your contributing nothing, just trying to antagonize.

592. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #120982 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 8:48 pm

karadashovel,

Go away, you are wasting everyones time.

593. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #120962 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 7:52 pm

"The first chapter or so is weak. It is the preamble."

This is so f-ing stupid. Just go away blacknad. You are wasting everyones time. Seriously.

594. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #120959 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 7:45 pm

Blacknad "Next time I'm around you can direct me to the evidence for your statement."


If you want to play that game, show me evidence for your statement,

"The fundies would be worse without the restraining arguments of the moderates."

595. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #120956 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 7:39 pm

"You have already ruled out any evidence I could bring by defining the terms of what are acceptable forms of evidence."

Yes we have, credible rational evidence, if you have some evidence that you think we have ruled out please share it with us.

596. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #120951 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 7:36 pm

"Scientific evidence is not the only type of evidence that exists."

Please tell me your unscientific evidence, please.

597. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #120948 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 7:33 pm

"The fundies would be worse without the restraining arguments of the moderates."

Wrong, the fundies are enabled by the moderates.

598. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #120914 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 6:42 pm

1. Steve already answered how growing up in a culture that is religious and being an atheist could cause mental distress.

2. Sources please on the, "Studies overwhelmingly show healthier psychological indicators in children from religious backgrounds."

3. Explain how this destroys dawkins, Hitchens and Harris arguments.

4. Is the conclusion of these statements, Therefore God exists?

5. Do you have some scientific articles to prove god exists?

599. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #120905 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 6:30 pm

Blacknad

You cant edit your comment after someone comments on it.

600. 'Irrational Atheist' trounces God-deniers

Comment #120900 by righton on February 2, 2008 at 6:26 pm

Telling a child they could go to hell is terrifying and will cause emotional distress. That is the point.

Is that it?