True skeptics are 'conspiracy theorists'

[gumboot]

My great-uncle is a lay-something-or-other in the Episcopalian(sp?) church, but he's one of the sanest people I know. The rest of the believers are all run-of-the-mill midwestern Protestants who know well enough to stay away from certain topics when I'm back home for a visit (my profanity has been known to peel paint - quite useful when renovating a house). None of them are as much fun as your Aunt sounds...

I wasn't invited to either of my cousins' weddings...

-Gumboot

 

[AZCat]

I wasn't invited to either of my cousins' weddings...

-Gumboot

Wow!

We're used to contentious relationships in my family, I guess (there wouldn't be many relationships at all if we weren't).

 

[gumboot]

Wow!

We're used to contentious relationships in my family, I guess (there wouldn't be many relationships at all if we weren't).

To be fair none of my brothers and sisters were either... go figure.

I like to think it's because we intimidate them. While most of the cousins were always pretty normal kids, both my parents were teachers, well travelled, and highly educated, and encourage debate in their house, so us four kids have always been highly intellectual and totally unafraid of engaging adults in discussion (ever since we could talk!).

Being lectured about religion by a 12 year old never went down well in a "children should be seen and not heard" family!

-Gumboot

 

[Foster Zygote]

Is that really rational?

Is what, specifically, really rational? Your response is incoherent.

All beliefs, religious or otherwise can have several contradicting sides.

<(((><

That's my point. Faith can be held in anything, true or false. If two scientific theories are proposed that contradict one another then they can't both be correct, although it is possible that neither is correct. Ultimately, evidence will be the deciding factor in whether either of them models reality. If someone's defense of his faith is "It's what appeals to me the most" and someone else's defense of his contradictory faith is "It's what appeals to me the most" then neither has made any sort of case that his faith models reality.

 

[Belz...]

In my experience contradiction is a fundamental requirement of religious beliefs...

It's probably in the priest's employment contract, in fact.

Bishop: "Do you renounce Satan and all his evils ?"
Priest: "Yes, your eminence."
Bishop: "Good, good. Do you accept Jesus Christ as you personal saviour ?"
Priest: "Absolutely"
Bishop: "Excellent. Do you have the ability to ignore contradictions ?"
Priest: "No, sir. Everything must be consistent..."
Biship: "GET OUT OF MY CHURCH!!!"

 

[Belz...]

So religious guys are OK as long as they exhibit no morals and are funny?

Where do you hide all these strawmen?

Yup! Same old tricks as your hero the Bush.

Wow. You build'em by the thousands, don't you ?

 

[The Doc]

Just a heads up guys, from Darat's April 10 announcement:

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/announcement.php?f=64

Finally, the Conspiracy Theory section is a sub-section of the JREF Forum, if you wish to discuss issues that are not Conspiracy Theories that should happen in the appropriate sub-section of the JREF Forum. So if you wish to discuss a religious issue you should create your thread in the "Religion and Philosophy" section for questions and comments about the Moderation of the Forum in "Forum Management" and so on.

I have no problem with this thread, but judging by that post, the mods might.

 

[Arkan_Wolfshade]

That would be between you and Randi.

I don't BELIEVE you though. =P

Do I KNOW you? =P

<(((><

Discussion on solipsism belong over in Religion and Philosophy

 

[Arkan_Wolfshade]

Odd comment coming from a Bush-Backer.

<(((><

Circumstantial ad hominem attack for two reasons:
1) gumboot is a kiwi and you present no evidence to support your assertion that he is a "Bush-Backer"
2) Even if gumboot is a "Bush-Backer", it is completely irrelevant to the discussion at hand and his comment.

To attempt to discredit his comment based on your accusations of association is logically fallacious.

 

[Arkan_Wolfshade]

So religious guys are OK as long as they exhibit no morals and are funny?

<(((><

Strawman fallacy. gumboot stated that his opinion had reason, not that he thought he was "OK". You do realize that opinions can often be represented on a spectrum, not just as an either/or boolean, right?

 

[hellaeon]

So religious guys are OK as long as they exhibit no morals and are funny?

<(((><

Your made of straw

Is that ascii drawing meant to represent the fish synonomous with crazy people...er *ahem* Christians...?

 

[hellaeon]

My side of the family is thoroughly godless. Christmas get togethers can be fun.

My side are believers, my missus side are half godless, though not in the sense of myself being strongly anti-religious. Christmas is a bugger, one minute im straight, polite and mildly humourous, the next, drunk as hell, yelling, screaming and quite evil.

 

[Paulhoff]

So religious guys are OK as long as they exhibit no morals and are funny?

Is that to mean that the only way that one can be moral is that you have to afraid of a so-called god who can dam you to a so-called hell. Because if that is the only way one can be moral, then one is truly not moral.

Paul

 

[NeoRicen]

Is that to mean that the only way that one can be moral is that you have to afraid of a so-called god who can dam you to a so-called hell. Because if that is the only way one can be moral, then one is truly not moral.

Paul

Amen... oh wait....Dammit!

 

[The Doc]

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/announcement.php?f=64

Finally, the Conspiracy Theory section is a sub-section of the JREF Forum, if you wish to discuss issues that are not Conspiracy Theories that should happen in the appropriate sub-section of the JREF Forum. So if you wish to discuss a religious issue you should create your thread in the "Religion and Philosophy" section for questions and comments about the Moderation of the Forum in "Forum Management" and so on.

Come on guys. This section of the forum is obviously under close watch by the mods. There hasn't been any discussion about conspiracy theories in this thread for ages. Take it to the Religion and Philosophy forum.

This sub-forum is obviously under watch. Let's keep the mods happy so we can continue the intelligent conspiracy discussion that goes on here.

 

[NeoRicen]

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/announcement.php?f=64



Come on guys. This section of the forum is obviously under close watch by the mods. There hasn't been any discussion about conspiracy theories in this thread for ages. Take it to the Religion and Philosophy forum.

This sub-forum is obviously under watch. Let's keep the mods happy so we can continue the intelligent conspiracy discussion that goes on here.

As soon as a topic gets too big the original point of discussion becomes irrelevent, I say just keep the convo going the way it is, if it needs to be moved it will.

 

[The Doc]

As soon as a topic gets too big the original point of discussion becomes irrelevent, I say just keep the convo going the way it is, if it needs to be moved it will.

It doesn't become irrelevant. The mods have reminded us several times that non-conspiracy theory discussion doesn't belong in the conspiracy theory section.

If people wish to discuss religion, do it in the religion forum. Simple.

Now I'm the big bad witch

 

[NeoRicen]

It doesn't become irrelevant. The mods have reminded us several times that non-conspiracy theory discussion doesn't belong in the conspiracy theory section.

If people wish to discuss religion, do it in the religion forum. Simple.

Now I'm the big bad witch

I'm just saying let the convo flow, if it becomes a religion discussion can't a mod just move it?

 

[The Doc]

I'm just saying let the convo flow, if it becomes a religion discussion can't a mod just move it?

Yes, the forum software allows them to do so. But the "meh.. they mods will do it" attitude is the reason Darat is having to increase the moderation of this sub-forum. It's not secret that this forum is causing trouble, and it's up to all of us to make sure it doesn't give the mods more issues.

I've posted a specific quote from Darat that says that the CT sub-forum is for CT discussion, in which he specifically mentions keeping religion out of it. Instead of waiting for him to come in here and fix it, how about we all just obey the rules in the first place.

 

[Davidjayjordan]

In my experience contradiction is a fundamental requirement of religious beliefs...

-Gumboot

Exactly which is one reason why atheists and evolutionists RELIGION is so demoralising with its contradictions and nothingnesses. But true religion or better phrased true spirituality is based on the real world whereas false relgion and philosophies are based on mind games and the unreal world.

But Gumboot do watch out these religionists are nasty when faced with these truths.

SEE The church (of athiests and evolutionists and religionists) are dangerous thread