Mario Smith

Moto: I defy you to point out one instance where I have misquoted you. The quotes are your words not mine. I'm going to respond to what you said.

"Ahh, Mario-- Religion is a d*** fine thing. It's what people do with it that's usually rotten and warped." Wrong, what most people do is keep their religion to themselves trying to live their lives as best they can in accordance with their own belief system.

" I don't get bent out of shape about beliefs..." Well, apparently Mr. Moto you do get bent out of shape. Otherwise, how do you explain your irrational fear of people praying for other people--regardless of the reason? People that pray for other people's conversion do so as a manifestation of their belief system. Normal people don't take offense to this. Now if they were murdering them (instead of praying for them) then that would be worth getting bent out of shape.

"I just get bent out of shape when people use those beliefs as an excuse to behave ignorantly, or treat other people badly." That's exactly what you are doing to others. You are treating other people badly (calling them vile) because your belief is that they shouldn't pray for the conversion of others.

"I don't care what your Good Book says..." Now this is the only honest thing I think you've said so far. Why don't you just come out and say the truth, that Christians bother you.

"And is there anything more condescending and vile than when someone says 'Oh, you don't agree with my religious beliefs? I'll pray for you!'" Yeah, there are lots of things more condescending and vile than when someone says that. You sound pretty intolerant to me.

You accuse others of being condescending when you yourself are very condescending in your posts. You say that other people's beliefs don't bother you, but they bother you a great deal. You have very poor reasoning in your arguments bordering on completely illogical. You should seriously rethink your very high opinion of yourself.

By the way, you labeling me as some sort of "offender" speaks volumes about your biases. Not that it's any of your business, but I think others out there might be curious. I don't hold a literal interpretation to the Bible. I rarely talk religion with anyone, and only then if they bring it up first and never in an effort to convert anyone to my way of thinking.

MiyamotoMusashi

Mario--
I don't have time to respond now, but I will. I know our debate is heated, but I enjoy the discussion! I'll post a propper rebuttal tomorrow.

And I like your abbrev. of my name,
--Moto

Travelair

Someone asked why no-one was rebutting scabhaters posts. I'll try for it.

Scabhater, this isn't aimed directly at you, only the ideas which you put forth. I will no longer try to convert you or anyone else, I am simply representing the Christian school of thought.

Regarding fast motorcycles and in particular, permiscuity: These are what we call "false idols". Here are some questions to consider:

How would I feel if I became disfigured and no girl would come near me?
How would I feel if I met a girl that I respected, and wanted more from, blew me off when she found out about my past?

The reason there is a next girl, and a next, and a next is because you are trying to fill a void in your life. Your void is like a bucket and the girls are your well, but your bucket has holes in it. You will never be satisfied.

A girl could say to you, "come, lets go enjoy each other's bodies until the sun comes up". The sun will come up and the longing for the next experience will start over again. This is what we mean when we describe a life which is un-fulfilled.

The sad part is that you couldn't stop the cycle if you wanted to.

interested

A girl could say to you, "come, lets go enjoy each other's bodies until the sun comes up". The sun will come up and the longing for the next experience will start over again. This is what we mean when we describe a life which is un-fulfilled.
quote]


This is perhaps not a great example - wouldn't most of us want to go for the second inning? Perhaps not un-fulfilled - but enjoying life and wanting more of a good thing....

HD

Since we all, at one time or another, need to regulate our desires, appetites and passions, suggest a more appropriate means than Faith, Hope and Values.
The natural man is a waste of carbon, if not for purpose. Without purpose, my existence is worthless.

Chuychanga

Geologists overwhelmingly agree that the Earth is about 4.5 Billion years old. and was here at least a billion years before life began. Scientists have only been working on it for a couple of hundred years. Not exactly a fair competition, wouldn't you say?

It reminds me of the people who don't believe in evolution who argue that we haven't found the missing link yet. How much mass does the Earth have, and how much of it has actually been dug up by archaeologists? You haven't exactly given them a fair chance this early in the game.

Matt789er

Airplanes dont work by faith?! ....... How do helicopters fly?

Roger the Shrubber

i believe it has something to to with the flux capacitor

__________________
There is a pestilence upon this land, nothing is sacred. Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress in this period in history.

Dave

Best post up to this point.

Mario Smith

Yeah, you guys are right. Wars have never been fought for politics, land, greed, lust for power, xenophobia, etc.

Tens of millions of people weren't killed last century because of agrarian reforms. Millions of people weren't killed during the holocaust because of ethnic hatred and racism. Millions of people aren't starving to death in developing countries because of corrupt and incompetent governments.

I see it now; things would be so much better if we just didn't have religion.