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 A World Where Lies Are TruePosted on Mar 26, 2007
By Chris Hedges “Before they seize power and establish a world according to their doctrines, totalitarian movements conjure up a lying world of consistency which is more adequate to the needs of the human mind than reality itself; in which, through sheer imagination, uprooted masses can feel at home and are spared the never-ending shocks which real life and real experiences deal to human beings and their expectations. The force possessed by totalitarian propaganda—before the movements have the power to drop iron curtains to prevent anyone’s disturbing, by the slightest reality, the gruesome quiet of an entirely imaginary world—lies in its ability to shut the masses off from the real world.” —Hannah Arendt, “The Origins of Totalitarianism” In the middle of the lobby of the 50,000-square-foot Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., a 20-foot waterfall tumbles. Two life-size figures of children with long black hair and in buckskin clothes play in the stream a few feet from two towering Tyrannosaurus Rex models that can move and roar. The museum, which cost $25 million to build and has a sea of black asphalt parking lots for school buses, has a scale model of Noah’s ark that shows how Noah solved the problem of fitting dinosaurs into the three levels of the vessel—he loaded only baby dinosaurs. And on the wooden model, infant dinosaurs cavort with horses, giraffes, hippopotamuses, penguins and bears. There is an elaborate display of the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve, naked but strategically positioned so as not to display breasts or genitals, swim in a river as giant dinosaurs and lizards roam the banks. Before Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise, museum visitors are told, all of the dinosaurs were peaceable plant-eaters. The evidence is found in Genesis 1:30, where God gives “green herb” to every creature to eat. There were no predators. T-Rex had such big teeth, the museum explains, so it could open coconuts. Only after Adam and Eve sinned and were cast out of paradise did the dinosaurs start to eat flesh. And Adam’s sin is a key component of the belief system, for in the eyes of many creationists, in order for Jesus’ death to be meaningful it had to atone for Adam’s first sin. The museum has a theater equipped with seats that shake and gadgets that spray mist at the audience as the story of God’s six-day creation of the world unfolds on the screen and the sound system rocks the auditorium. There are 30-foot-high walls that represent the cliffs of the Grand Canyon, floors that resemble rocks embedded with fossils, and rooms where a “Christian” paleontologist counters the claims of an “evolutionist” paleontologist. It has the appearance of a real science museum, complete with a planetarium, a gift shop and plaques on the wall with quotes from creationist “scientists” who have the title doctor conspicuously before their names. It has charts, timelines and graphs with facts and figures. It is meant to be interactive, to create, like Universal Studios, a contrived reality with an array of costly animatronic men and women as well as moving dinosaurs. The danger of creationism is that, like the pseudo-science of Nazi eugenics, it allows facts to be accepted or discarded according to the dictates of a preordained ideology. Creationism removes the follower from the rational, reality-based world. Signs, miracles and wonders occur not only in the daily life of Christians but in history, science, medicine and logic. The belief system becomes the basis to understand the world. Random facts and data are collected and made to fit into this belief system or discarded. When facts are treated as if they were opinions, when there is no universal standard to determine truth, in law, in science, in scholarship, or in the reporting of the events of the day, the world becomes a place where people can believe what they want to believe, where there is no possibility of reaching any conclusion not predetermined by those who interpret the official, divinely inspired text. This is the goal of creationists. Other creationist museums are going up in Arkansas, Texas, California, Tennessee and Florida. Museums are part of a massive push to teach creationism in schools, part of a vast Christian publishing and filmmaking industry that seeks to rewrite the past and make it conform to the Bible. The front lines of the culture wars are the classrooms. The battle is one we are slowly losing. Twenty states are considering changing the way evolution is taught in order to include creationism or intelligent design.1 Only 13 percent of Americans in a 2004 Gallup poll, when asked for their views on human origins, said life arose from the strictly natural process of evolution. More than 38 percent said they believed God guided evolution, and 45 percent said the Genesis account of creation was a true story.2 Courses on intelligent design have been taught at Minnesota, Georgia, New Mexico and Iowa State universities, along with Wake Forest and Carnegie Mellon*, not to mention Christian universities that teach all science through the prism of the Bible. The museum is an illustration of the movement’s marriage of primitive and intolerant beliefs with the modern tools of technology, mass communication, sophisticated fundraising and political organization. Totalitarian systems usually start as propagandistic movements that ostensibly teach people to “believe what they want.” This is a ruse. This primacy of personal opinion, regardless of facts, destabilizes and destroys the primacy of all facts. This process leads inevitably to the big lie. Facts are useful only if they bolster the message. The use of mass-marketing techniques to persuade and convince, rather than brainwash, has led tens of millions of followers to accept the toxic totalitarian line by tricking them into believing it’s their own. Ironically, at the outset the movement seemingly encourages people to think “independently” or “courageously.” At first all have, in the totalitarian belief system, a right to an opinion, or, in short, a right to believe anything. Soon, under the iron control of an empowered totalitarian movement, facts become worthless, kept or discarded according to an ideological litmus test. And once these movements achieve power, facts are ruthlessly manipulated or kept hidden to support the lie. Creationism is not about offering an alternative. Its goal is the destruction of the core values of the open society—the ability to think for oneself, to draw independent conclusions, to express dissent when judgment and common sense tell you something is wrong, to be self-critical, to challenge authority, to advocate for change and to accept that there are other views, different ways of being, that are morally and socially acceptable. We are beginning to see the growing intolerance that comes with the empowerment of these ideologues. There is a bill in the Texas Legislature to strip all mention of evolution from Texas school textbooks and institute mandatory Bible classes for all students. This is just the start. And yet, coming from the modern age, these Christo-fascists cannot discount science. They employ jargon, methods and data that appear to be science, to make an argument for creationism. They have created parallel research and scholarly institutions. They pump out articles in self-published journals to provide “evidence” that homosexuals can be cured, that global warming is a myth, that abortion can cause breast cancer, that something they call “post-abortion syndrome” leads to deep depression and suicide and that abstinence-only education is an effective form of birth control. This pseudo-science has seeped into the public debate. It is disseminated by nervous and timid media anxious to give both sides in every argument. Those who have contempt for facts and truth, for honest research and inquiry, are given the same platform by the press as those who deal in a world of reality, fact and rationality. The movement desperately needs the imprint of science to legitimize itself. It achieves this imprint by discrediting real science and claiming creationist science as true science. All attempts to argue the creationists out of their mythical belief, to persuade them with logic, evidence, scientific inquiry and fact, will fail. They have created a “fundamentalist science.” They know they cannot return to the pre-Darwinian innocence that let them believe the Bible alone was enough. They need, in the midst of their flight from reality, to reassure their followers that science, science not contaminated by secular humanists and nonbelievers, is on their side. In this they are a distinctly modern movement. They seek the imprint of science and scholarship to legitimize myth. This is a characteristic they share with all modern totalitarian movements, which co-opt the disciplines of law, science, medicine and scholarship to give a modern veneer to their primitive and superstitious belief systems, systems that allow the rulers to dictate reality and truth. The “paraprofessional” organizations formed by the Christian right, organizations of teachers, journalists, doctors, lawyers and scientists, mimic the activities of real professional groups. They seek to challenge the legitimacy and the power of the traditional organizations. The duplication of the structures and methods employed by the non-totalitarian world, the use of pseudo-science to dress up fantasy, is slowly undermining our legitimate scientific and educational institutions. It is destroying the foundations of our open society. It is ushering us into a world where lies are true. * Correction: A representative of Carnegie Mellon University states “Carnegie Mellon University does not teach a course on intelligent design. The contemporary issue of intelligent design is sometimes raised in discourse in courses such as Christianity and Science: A Multidisciplinary Approach. This fulfills an elective in the religious studies minor.” 1 Scott LaFee, “Local scientists, doctors and professors talk about ‘intelligent design,’ ” The San Diego Union-Tribune, F-1, June 8, 2005. 2 Frank Newport, “Third of Americans Say Evidence Has Supported Darwin’s Evolution Theory,” The Gallup Poll, Nov. 19, 2004, http://poll.gallup.com/content/default.aspx?ci=14107&pg=1. Previous item: Kucinich Blasts Democrats Next item: Outsourcing War Protest in an Imperial World Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.
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By Sue, May 17 at 4:24 am # RE: MitochondriaDear Mitochondria:Being skeptical is good and is a sign of normal intellegence. I also am skeptical of many things. I do not trust people easily and am always cautious when making financial, medical, and other daily decisions. Understanding things we cannot “see” can be challenging. It is not always easy. We depend on our environment to reveal things to us continually and directly. However, when it comes to things “not of this world” the rules are a little different. I see God’s presence through the relationship between my conversations (prayer with Him) and how my life continues to unfold. I have been through many trials in my life and have been rescued in many ways through prayer. I have seen miracle healings because of faith - not by some nut ball TV Evangelist trying to make a buck- but in my own family within an ICU Unit. There are days in my life when I doubt which is not a sign that God doesn’t exist but is a sign that I can become overwhelmed. I have spent the last year in severe pain and just went through major surgery Tuesday. Sometimes I ask why? But in my heart a small voice reigns - “not a hair on my head can be touched unless I (God) says so”. Telling a non-believer this opens me up for ridicule and insult. However, I cannot let my pride interfere with the truth of my relationship with Jesus. You have every right to believe what you believe. However, please understand that evil loves to hide within good because it is a perfect cover. A gun is smuggled inside a hollowed out Bible not a book of murder. The terrorists came in on commercial passenger jets not on enemy attack planes on 9-11. Please understand that what you see in the media or hear about within some organizations does not necessarily represent Christianity and Christ. We are taught this within our faith but those on the outside must rely on what they see on TV or read in magazines. And honestly there are some sick puppies out there saying they believe and are contaminating the name itself. If you meet me I am probably similar to you...I love to shop, I love music of all types (except country:)), I love eating out, going to the beach, nature walks, growing flowers and plants, and picnics. However, Jesus goes with me everywhere I go because He lives in my heart. Because He lives there I also love to help people know what He has done for me. I do believe Jesus loves you....in fact maybe that is why I am here recovering stuck in my house - just to have the time to let you know. Blessings to you.
By Jim H. 5/14 /2008, May 14 at 7:40 am # Re: Dave, May 13 at 6:16 pm Dave says: “---to see God."(?) “I learned---from a 3 year old--” I say: So, you admit that your knowledge and intelligence is no better than that of a “3 year old”? Do you know what the word PROOF means? What “PROOF” do you now have, and can offer in support of your ‘beliefs’? Come up with ‘REAL SOLID PROOF’! And, ‘NO’ television “Pictures” of “The Men on the MOON”, taken in a Nevada desert! ----FOR ALL YOU RELIGIOUS ENSLAVED ROBOTIC IDIOTS! ------“JESUS” AND “GOD” ARE “FAIRYTALE” FARTS! ---------------------THE UNIVERSE ----------Wake up Dave? You have been dreaming! “3 year olds” know ‘only’ “Fairy Tales”! “3year olds” do not have enough sense to know “Fact” from “Fiction”! Have a literate adult explain all this to you? If you weren’t always ‘that way’, you have now successfully managed to (regress or increase,) lower or raise your mentality to that of a “3 year old”! ---------------------Congratulations!
By Dave, May 13 at 6:16 pm # never seen, heard or feltmitochondria: I have never seen, heard or felt your brain but I do believe you have one. All one has to do is look around to see God. I was 40 years old when I learned that from a 3 year old child. Amazing!
By mitochondria, May 12 at 2:10 pm # If anyone is imagining it has to be the person who believes in something he/she’s never seen. For me its difficult to reconcile the images with the faculties I’ve been given . My focus is reality based in the here and now not on some golden streets or entering some pearly gates . I refuse to be drawn into such nonsense no matter how cushy it sounds . From the time we are a child we are taught that someone we’ve never seen or heard loves us very much (Jesus loves me tis “I KNOW") It is drilled into our heads and we must accept this guy to please our parentsIf he doesn’t he no doubt feels his parents will be mad at him and it’s a childs desire to be loved by his parents. It doesn’t sound like free will to me it sounds more like brainwashing . When Muslims act out in such a manner we label them criminal. Have you ever seen the documentary “Jesus Camp” with Haggard and company . Order it from Amazon and watch it . Talk about brainwashing . In summary if anyone is picking on anyone it’s the majority who claim to be Christians , even though I doubt many know the meaning, who gang up on those of us who are skeptical about ghosts , gods , and spirits aplenty
By Sue, May 12 at 10:58 am # Back to the articleTo play direction setter here let me respond to the beginning of this article - the drama. “Before they seize power (What the heck does this mean??? we’re not bossing you around with some plot or plan to rule the world - this is a paranoid statement to the max!") ..... which is more adequate to the needs of the human mind than reality itself; in which, through sheer imagination, (hilarious - manuscripts into the Word of God, healings, personal relationship with Christ does not equal imagination -but the statement is quite dramatic and eye catching) uprooted masses can feel at home and are spared the never-ending shocks which real life and real experiences deal to human beings and their expectations (we are very familiar with real experiences - we are taken hostage in other countries, suffer trials and tribulations and are asked to shut-up in a freedom to speak country - don’t even go there). (You could take off my head for proclaiming the truth in some countries) The force possessed by totalitarian propaganda— (this is a description of this article - not the Word of God.) before the movements have the power to drop iron curtains (reflective of more paranoia) to prevent anyone’s disturbing, by the slightest reality, the gruesome quiet of an entirely imaginary world—lies in its ability to shut the masses off from the real world.” (Why do you care so much - protesting others opinions to this point truly reveals doubt of your own beliefs.) Great job Chris....if you are a local sensationalist reporter on Fox News! Chris do you have a bomb shelter in your backyard to protect you from the boogy man Christians. Are you paranoid of everyone who disagrees with you or is it just us? News flash:
By Jim H. Monday May 12, 2008, May 12 at 10:46 am # ATTENTION!---ATTENTION!---ATENTION!---ATTENTION! ALL YOU RELIGIOUS ENSLAVED ROBOTIC IDIOTS! “JESUS” AND “GOD” ARE “FAIRYTALE” FARTS! -----------------THE ORIGIN OF NATURE
By Sue, May 12 at 10:22 am # Yes, "I dare to speak the truth""Dear Myronh:
By mitochondria, May 12 at 3:56 am # Once again I commend you and your fellows for the work that you do. I to know that being of assistance to those in need can be labor intensive and I’m glad there are people who are willing to help out in times of emergencies . Once more however I’d like to remind you that we’re getting off topic. This forum speaks to the validity of the ID museum and whether or not it’s a hindrance or help to the educational process. Religion deals with the supernatural. Its primary theme stems from an understanding of majik in a mystical sense . God’s , ghosts and personal spirits being the primary source of wisdom and a book that can be seen as controversial at best fill the bill. The first chapter of that book deals with how the earth and man came about and science has cast doubt on that . Proof has been offered that a worldwide flood never occurred for example and since then more than 207 similar stories from as many as 290 religions , many predating Christianity, have uncovered similar stories of flooding and death on a grand scale . In my eyes foundations are the most crucial element of understanding anything. I have no problem with people wanting to use Christ as a mentor but when it rises to the level of a God and you want to pass it on to my children, I have problems with that. The Christian god , in my opinion , is not the flawless character he’s portrayed as in some of the writings . In fact he’s rather bloodthirsty and , as we are finding now , far from perfect.Uncovering the secrets to all life through DNA/RNA and the Genome processes and how all life is so very much alike have given us new insights into origins and a solid foundation with which to work . We are now very much aware of disease processes and what we need to do to combat them . In addition we are now able to make bladders in the lab for transplant ( 6 so far) . We have created a miniature heart that beats and by 2010 we will be able to create human lungs and hearts . We didn’t need to rely on hocus pocus or mysticism . We simply had to discover things that were once restricted by the church with threats of eternal punishment and cultural mayhem.. We don’t have all of the answers but the scientific process offers a much more logical system of discovery
By Sue, May 11 at 4:06 pm # Dear Myronh & mitochondria,Thank you for your comments:
By mitochondria, May 11 at 4:29 am # Personally , I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit but that’s me. This board has a specific topic and that is whether or not there are any truths offered by what some consider a psuedo museum that’s falsifying the efforts of academia. What is presented at the museum are all lies that have been disputed by reputable scientists using reputable methods . You my dear are an enabler . Without considering relevance you insist on defying logic by going off into some fantasyland and skirting the actual topic as though we were attacking Christianity. No one is attacking Christianity per se’ , you can be as Christian as you wanna be and I would be willing to die to protect your rights , what many of us are attacking however are the unsubstantiated attempts at distorting the truth to satisfy your ego’(s) . Science has negated much of the book of Genesis by showing that those events most likely didn’t happen as is claimed . Those are not empty research results they are often challenged scientific methods. Maybe it’s me but it seems that every time Christians or Jewish people are challenged they cry foul . You are attacking us and we are persecuted at every level . All I have to say to that is “oh how powerful the brainwash">>>
By Sue, May 11 at 3:38 am # People are PeoplePer Andrew’s comment: Worship: everyone worships something - I could spend 30 minutes with you and tell you exactly what or who you worship (food, money, your job, your degree, your spouse, your kids, your car, God, Jesus, Holy Spirit (all three in one), on an on. Faith: you have faith is something and practice it every day. It might be the mighty paycheck, TOE, Jesus, or whatever you alone may have conjured up. Again 30 minutes alone with you would reveal what you have faith in. Destiny: you have one whether or not you ignore that fact or not. I have chose mine and selected to “believe” in Jesus (my choice not yours)it is called “free will”. Purpose here: everyone wonders what they are doing here whether they admit it or not. There has to be a method to this madness called earth - the world. Again I choose to believe that God has chosen me to do what I do (ministry) and to share the love and assistance to others that Jesus would want me to share. Now if the discussion board was healthcare, drug abuse or any other subject why would people be less insulting and judgmental???? Again my thoughts are: If someone suspects he is going to hell because he has not accepted the free gift of Christ, it would be an instinct to rebel against the one bearing this news. In order to agree with the Christian one must realize he is a sinner and is not connected with God because of that fact. If you are hungry I will give you food. If you are old I will come and visit you. If you need a friend I will be loyal to you. If you need an ear I will listen to you. Why? Not because of me - because it is not at all about me - it is about Jesus.
By mitochondria, May 11 at 3:38 am # First of all if you look at the definition of cult: “ A system of religious worship with references to rites and ceremonies “ and analyze what goes on in Christianity you will find that it most definitely fits and as far as the brainwashing goes it stands to reason , at least in some people’s mind, that the worship of ghosts and spirits takes on a certain amount of fanatical thinking and that amounts to brainwashing in my eyes . Think about it , no one would fall to his knees in the center of New York and say don’t you feel,see my friend there . He is going to save the world from all of its horror. Don’t ya see how great he is and what he can do for us humans ?? No doubt you’d be taken in to be evaluated because they wouldn’t want you to get hit by a car, etc. I don’t go around naming groups of people and offering prejudicial remarks but it’s clear that Christianity has its problems .
By Jim H., May 10 at 7:21 pm # RE: Sue, May 8, 2008 at 3:10 pm ---------SUE, YOU ARE A BEYOND HOPE IMBERCILE! -----"Sue" is a lying ‘RELIGIOUS FANATIC NUMB-SKULL! This MINDLESS Sue A//Ho, is a perfect example of what happens when someones mind is WARPED by proselytizing indoctrination,and association with those fanatical imberciles who believe “Santa Claus” and the “The Tooth Fairy, are real! She also no doubt, would donate money to buy “Mickey Mouses” food.
By Devin_MacGregor, May 10 at 10:39 am # Re: The FloodSeriously Dave ... what is your point? Multiple flood stories do not validate Bible God. It does not validate that the biblical flood story happened. This seems to be a ploy by many Christians in the last few decades. That is to keep playing the shell game. That is to ignore that Bible God is THE story and not just one of them. The fact that we have different flood stories points to a common theme for all of humanity and a story that may go back far farther than we will ever know. To all of them the flood was the world but it was actually a region flood and not a world encompassing flood. The Bible is like a Tom Clancy novel. If I go on an archeology find I will discover a Baltimore. I will discover evidence that dirty bombs do exist. If I look in a phone book I will find a Jack Ryan. Does this mean that Tom wrote about events that actually happened or that he wrote about an event to convey some form of morality while using something contemporary to make the story more real sounding. All those factors above are more or less common sense. If I am in a flood then I want to be on a boat. If I am in a flood then I will eventually find higher ground and to anyone in a non flood situation would look up at the mountains around them and point to them. People will ask the story teller, hey how did all the animals survive then. The story teller will than have to say well that is simple ... they were all taken on the boat and saved. Primitive man would not understand the delicate ecosystems that some animals live in could not have been taken from that environment and if so would had died. Primitive man did not know how to explain his world other than through some supernatural means. It was our fault the crops died. It was our fault it rained so much that the fields got washed out. It was our fault that the sun heated up the ground so much water was hard to find etc. So they made up stories to explain it. Then the stories became a way to control people. Archeology is NOT proving a Bible God. It is not proving any of the stories actually took place or even took place as described. Finding Babylon does not prove Bible God etc any more than it proves the existence of Babylonian gods etc. What is intolerance is bearing false witness against all other religions of the world and trying to use them to legitimize a belief in Bible God. Because no Christian is actually accepting that these other gods do in fact exist but will arrogantly say well they just worship “our” god with another name.
By Andrew, May 10 at 10:27 am # WHY?Why is it that anyone who challanges “science” is attacked on this board? The intolerance does not come from christianity, it comes from ignorant people such as yourselves who arent willing to listen to both sides of the story. Many people disagree with you and you still make the claims into “fact”. Many people on this board have called christianity a cult and claimed that it tries to brainwash children and weakminded people, yet you are the ones saying that anyone who doesnt believe what you believe is “idiots”.
By Dave, May 9 at 7:09 pm # Scientists and scholars have learned a great deal about the history of the early times of which the Bible speaks. This method of study, now known as archaeology, is quite useful. In giving thought to this branch of study. I consider it as the echo of God’s voice. If men will not praise God as they ought, then even the stones will cry out in praise. When people, through pride and ignorance, fail to give God’s Word the honor that it should have, then God Himself will defend His Word by showing us the evidence that the Bible is true. The stones of the earth will collaborate the truth of the Bible. In speaking originally, God is to be believed; but if in man’s rebellion he will not hear, then the echo of what has already taken place will doubly convict him. But the fact remains that if sinful man is not willing to hear God’s voice he is not likely to appreciate the validity of the echo. This Website could keep you busy.
By Dave, May 9 at 6:48 pm # The FloodFlood stories have been discovered among nearly all nations and tribes. Though most common on the Asian mainland and the islands immediately south of it and on the North American continent, they have been found on all the continents. Totals of the number of stories known run as high as about 270. Although these traditions have been modified through the ages and some have taken on fantastic elements, most of them have certain basic elements in common. 1. 88% of them single out a favoured individual or family. 2. 70% point to survival due to a boat. 3. 66% see the Flood coming as a result of human wickedness. 4. 67% speak of animals saved along with human beings. 5. 57 % record that the survivors end up on a mountain. 6. 66% indicate that the hero receives warning of the coming catastrophe. The assertion that many of these flood stories came from contacts with missionaries will not stand up because most of them were gathered by anthropologists not interested in vindicating the Bible. Moreover, they are filled with fanciful and pagan elements, evidently the result of transmission for extended periods of time in a pagan society. A third factor is that the ancient accounts were written by people very much in opposition to the Hebrew-Christian tradition. Most important of all the flood stories is the Babylonian account. Interest in it rises because it comes from the same Semitic context and the same geographical area as the Genesis narrative and because it is similar to the Genesis account in so many ways. The Babylonian flood story was part of the library of King Ashurbanipal of Assyria (668 - 627 B.C.) found during the British excavations at Nineveh in 1853 and 1873. The story was the eleventh tablet of a twelve-tablet piece entitled the Gilgamesh Epic, an account of Gilgamesh’s search for immortality. Gilgamesh (king of Uruk, biblical Erech) interviewed Utnapishtim, the “Babylonian Noah,” and learned from him the story of the flood and his securing of immortality. Subsequently an early Akkadian story of the flood, written in Mesopotamia about 1600 B.C. and known as the Atra-hasis Epic, and a Sumerian version of the Babylonian flood story (dating circa 1700 B.C.) have come to light. The story in all these texts is similar and the flood hero is known variously as Ziusudra in Sumeria and Atra-hasis or Utnapishtim in Akkadian. Amazing work of Archaeologists!
By Jim H. May 9, 2008, May 9 at 6:29 pm # RE: Sue, May 8, 2008 at 3:10 pm ---------SUE, YOU ARE A BEYOND HOPE IMBERCILE! -----"Sue" is a lying ‘RELIGIOUS FANATIC NUMB-SKULL! This MINDLESS Sue A//Ho, is a perfect example of what happens when someones mind is WARPED by proselytizing indoctrination,and association with those fanatical imberciles who believe “Santa Claus” and the “The Tooth Fairy, are real! She also no doubt, would donate money to buy “Mickey Mouses” food.
By JIM H., May 9 at 6:22 pm # ------------------THE UNIVERSE ------ ---AN ENSLAVING FORCE J.H. 2/8/08
By Jim H. May 9, 2008, May 9 at 8:31 am # RE: Sue, May 8, 2008 at 3:10 pm ---------SUE, YOU ARE A BEYOND HOPE IMBERCILE! This MINDLESS Sue A//Ho, is a perfect example of what happens when someones mind is WARPED by proselytizing indoctrination,and association with those fanatical imberciles who believe “Santa Claus” and the “The Tooth Fairy, are real! She also no doubt, would donate money to buy “Mickey Mouses” food.
By Jim H., May 9 at 8:20 am # -------------------------------AN ENSLAVING FORCE
By mitochondria, May 9 at 5:07 am # Well I guess I eat crow but it does sound like you’re very young nonetheless , Perhaps it involves your educational maturity. I find your work very commendable because I know it must be difficult at times . I have friends who strive to make the world a better place in much the same way, but without the religious hodgepodge . I think we’re straying from the main theme however so I’ll try to readjust . I have a problem with worshiping ghosts and interpretations of the same . For eons people have taken orders from imaginary gods and all that results are wars challenging the validity of one god versus another . To me that’s all nonsense and goes beyond reasonable , rational thought . The study of molecular biology and the Theory of Evolution have lifted me above that level of reasoning and given me what I consider to be a believable premise with which to work. Your understanding of “scientific” theory may a bit off. The Theory of Evolution as all other theory in science will forever be theory no matter how long they exist. The ToE has many profound answers that have contributed to the advances in all of the sciences . It is a great foundation that has already helped us find cures and treatments for diseases that once baffled us . Looking far beyond 6,000 years of development and considering it to be millions has given us insight and hope . The bible on the other hand has been a hindrance . It placed restrictions on us and now we are actually proving that events in the bible never occurred . Take the Noah’s Ark event for instance . Archaeologists have concluded that there has never been a worldwide flood and especially not 10,000 years ago . Most of Genesis has been negated . So much for foundations hey, so in conclusion we need to ask ourselves if that is the case what about the credibility of the rest of the bible . Again, what you do is certainly commendable but attaching ghosts and spirits to it is merely what you do ,but that doesn’t make it true.
By Sue, May 8 at 3:10 pm # RE:mitochondria, Jim H.Greetings to both of you:
By Jim H., May 5 at 3:34 pm # ------------------------------AN ENSLAVING FORCE
By mitochondria, May 5 at 6:33 am # First of all we DO know how apes came about but this is not the forum to teach , however I think you should undertake a study of your own. You will be enlightened I assure you. I have never questioned whether or not Christ roamed the earth for 33 years . That is not a concern of mine . I am concerned with what was taught though , for instance , he being the son of god and all of the miracles . He and the apostles were preaching to desperate people and tricking them would have been incredibly easy.There primary need was food and shelter. Very few were educated . Christ on the other hand was very intelligent , he and many of the characters in the bible were with the Essenes for some time studying middle eastern religion (Hindu,etc .) and much of the teaching of Christ bears a striking resemblance to the teaching of Hinduism . The bible is hear say and if you feel a need to believe every word then there would be no use trying to persuade you of anything but I will say that you need to study biology in its current form so that you can master the theory of evolution . Then if you still want to challenge you won’t reflect the same ignorance and embarrass yourself . I realize many young Christian people aren’t allowed to study evolution but you need to ask yourself why and embark on a 6 month study of your own . Start with Darwin’s writings and work forward to modern day biology and the study of molecules of the cell. If by then you still have doubts you will have at least given yourself a firm background from which to argue your points . You seem intelligent but you sound young . I think you need to give every credible subject the benefit of the doubt until you understand ideas that are opposing to you.
By Sue, May 4 at 9:07 am # God is knowledgeI believe… because I have been chosen to… by His revealing of truth through the Word (taken from the manuscripts and within them is evidence that demands a verdict).. and from the personal healing I have experienced in my life since I was 9 (now 51).Many miracles, many stories, much total peace! No fear of man, death or financial ruin. Enjoying the full life and friends who can testify to similar happenings. Knowledge does not come from man.......man is ignorant and has a pea sized mentality - our God teaches us that any knowledge we receive most certainly comes from Him alone. As I watch the world fret over the price of gas, the housing market, the war Iraq and famine throughout the world, it makes me smile because I know that “not a hair on my head can be touched unless God says so”. Peace through Christ. Simple gift from God - the owner of knowledge itself.
By mitochondria, May 4 at 7:12 am # Re: RE: Jesusoccasionally when I address a person as young as you on this board I need to be careful not to offend . Obviously , you are very intelligent, but you need to continue to study so that you can begin to understand the topics we are discussing . Nothing in the subject matter of evolution suggests we come from a monkey .(you need to read about the subject and tell your folks you are trying to understand ) That is a religionists description that was designed to get followers of Christ to steer clear of the true understanding for it may undermine your belief in a ghost who may or may not have claimed he was the son of a ghost who called himself god . Scientists are pretty much in agreement that the events in the Genesis chapter most likely never occurred and that it’s allegorical. Even the pope agrees with that assessment . If that is the case then all that is written in the bible is merely hear say (my opinion)and credibility has certainly been lost in the interim . Believers need to study the Theory of Evolution themselves . If you read about the topic and sincerely make an effort to understand it should take you about a year @ 1to2 hours a day. I have read the bible and quite frankly I don’t agree with much of it . There are some nice little fictional stories there but not much else
By Dave, May 4 at 6:09 am # To All (mito, Jim and Frank)mitochondria. microevolution YES. macroevolution or “supraspecific evolution” NO. Jim H. What did the ape evolve from and where is your physical evidence. Where is the physical evidence of any of it. Frank. OK no mention of God by scientist but I have heard and seen in writing the use of designer, if you have not heard or seen this I would have to question how much you read, They just can not bring themselves to use his real name.
By Sue, May 4 at 4:06 am # RE: JesusThe question isn’t if Jesus was here - even the false teachings of Mormons - Jehovah Witnesses - Muslims know of His existence, it’s been here for over 2000 years. That is not the question at all - the question is who do you believe Jesus is? A liar? An insane man? Or the Son of God (who He said He is)? I believe He is God and will return as He said He would. Just like you believe you came from a monkey? By the way, in your belief - who made the monkey? I would like to know because of the grand designer details in his eyes, nose, lungs, teeth, and every other part of his being ;how they all work together to form such an animal. Also why is 13% of the human population RH Negative (monkeys have the RH factor)? Please understand that renewing cells and aging bodies are a sign of life and creation to a believer - the thought that we came from an accident is foolishness to us. So “Who do you think Jesus is”? You really must decide. Using words like fairytale reflects your lack of overall knowledge of evidence available. I suggest you do more research and then respond back to me with your thoughts about Jesus instead of denying His existence. Even evolution scientists are laughing at your crazy statements.
By Jim H. 4/26/2008, April 26 at 1:08 pm # Re: Sue, April 25 Sue: Wise up!
By JIM H. 4/26/2008, April 26 at 12:54 pm # Re: andrew, April 19 This poor specimen of living creatures has the audacity to presume, and assert ‘pedantically’, comprehension of things far beyond his juvenile mentality! ROTE teaching has not afforded him, nor, has his ‘keepers’ added to the mesmerizing indoctrination he has been succored upon, any means by which he could possibly discern fact from fiction, or fiction from truth!
By mitochondria, April 26 at 5:38 am # God and Christ are images you’ve conjured in your mind and you hope above all else that your particular imagination supercedes all that others believe in today. Supernaturalism is a belief in ghosts and spirits that always reward us “tomorrow” if we endure the hardships of today. It is a soothing invisible ointment that we apply to keep us safe in an unstable world, but it’s all make believe . If it works for you though and it gives you comfort then perhaps you should continue to believe but realistically it’s just very impractical,good luck to you |
Newsroom Carnage Continues at The Washington Post
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