[Soup forgot his password]

Enh. I have no idea what a veil of conceptual thought is. Basically you have to understand that religions have been around for 35-50,000 years and aristotilian logic, the basis for all logical rational thought, has been around since like 300 bc, and it wasnt until some smart guy in Persia realized Aristotle from ancient greece was onto something that it became popular. Before then, EVERYTHING was attributed to gods. If you stubbed your toe in ancient Mesopotamia, it was because god's mad at you for doing something you weren't supposed to. It wasnt because you werent looking where you were walking. If the euphrates river flooded and wiped out everyone's crops (like it always did... stupid Moses) and there was some shitty band playing music the night before the storm, everyone figured that god must've hated the music. Life in a civilization lead by religion (or a government with an emperor who claimed to be a son of god, or a constitution based on god's will) is just fear, panic, chaos, and preists controlling what people thought.

Even in ancient rome they thought the gods controlled you. If your neighbor raped your kid, that was the god's will, so if there was any investigation it would be into why the gods wanted that to happen—What you did to deserve that.

Aristotilian logic, the scientific method, rational thinking, psychology, RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE all are very, very modern ideas.

[McLovin]

off topic sorta- are you still living with that indian guy, is he still trying to convert you?

[Soup forgot his password]

He's realizing all it takes for americans to be cool with you is to stick to talking about chicks, stupid youtube videos, and how all americans are retards. Plus he's from this hindu sect called Sikhism (prononounced sick-ism), which makes me laugh because traditionally they all have turbans, beards, and by law (for religious reasons) Sickhs are allowed to carry swords.... so in a way they're like the religious gun nuts in the south who carry guns JUST because it's legal and it's their god-given right. I joke that he's from India, but he was born American.

Plus I get to say wildly racist/retarded shit. He rode his bicycle into a bush and nearly crashed so I yelled at 'em "That's what you get for 9-11!" Which is funny, because at first he was embarassed for running into a bush, and now he had a bunch of random white passerbys shooting looks at him like he's a terrorist... even though he's the most indian looking indian you can imagine. Which REALLY brings me to the best answer to the title of this thread: Being white and ignorant is fucking awesome.

THE BEST REASON TO BELIEVE IN GOD: If you lived in the bible belt, and you were white, why WOULDN'T you believe in jesus christ?! WHY DENY YOURSELF THE FUCKING HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF BEING A WHITE, LOVED BY ALL, EMPLOYABLE BY ALL, GOD FEARING CITIZEN OF THE FREE WORLD? YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO READ OR LEARN ANOTHER FUCKING THING AS LONG AS YOU LIVE.

[Fist 666]

amen.
white power.

[Soup forgot his password]

Al Sharpton and Christopher Hitchens arguing about religion.

http://fora.tv/2007/05/07/Al_Sharpto...opher_Hitchens

Hilarity ensues.

[Soup forgot his password]

http://fora.tv/2007/10/11/Christophe...lister_McGrath

Christopher Hitchens vs Alister McGrath
"Is religion poison or the cure?"

[dignan]

Alvin Plantinga & Dan Dennett (not a debate, presenter and commentator) on the compatibility of science and religion. (not thread specific but fitting none the less)

http://www.brianauten.com/Apologetic...ett-Debate.mp3

[vour]

Shit, I'm still alive. enough said.

[Fist 666]

hitler, stalin, pol pot, etc could have said that many times through out their lives... what was your point?

[nsmbfan]

crossfire: where an arrogant thread idea sparks 32 pages of conversation about nothing