Mark K. Bilbo wrote in message <379417C9.38FC92D9 at god.mminternet.com>...
>"Jeffrey P. Utz, M.D." wrote:
>>>> Is the truth gained from Christianity, Judism, Isalm or Buhddism any less
>> true than the truth gained from science?
>>Yes. The latter is useful in the real world, the former is mental
>masturbation.
>
Not So Fast. I can appreciate your attempt at "objectivity" by pointing out
that scientific "truth" is useful in the "real world", but you've unduly
sabotaged your argument by drawing a line between truth and truth.
Such cannot be done. Truth remains truth, no matter the source. If you
*doubt* the truthfulness of what the assorted prophets have said, that is
one matter, but it is not one you addressed. Mr. Utz's statement was
directed at truth. This precludes your anti-assessment of what is or is not
"truth".
Therefore either all "truth" is useful in the "real world", or all "truth"
is mental masturbation. You can have your choice, but remember this: Truth
is defined as "the true or actual state of a matter". Are you capable of
disproving any of the "truths" dispensed by the world prophets? Considering
that these "truths" are largely composed of guidelines for living one's
life -- statements of subjective principle, rarely of objective reality --
then you are incapable of rendendering any form of judgment save opinion.
As in "I don't like what they have to say." So don't even try. You can
prove that something *is*, but you can never prove that something is *not*.
It is, by logic, impossible to prove a negative. You are limited by your
limited perception.
So remember: just because you think religion is worthless does not mean it
is. You are disproven on statistical grounds anyway. There have been
numerous studies that illustrate that people who believe in *a* god, any
god, and who pray to any capacity, live longer and live happier. Think it's
funny? Call it a placebo effect if you will. It's still a reality, and
you're still wrong.
>>Oh and religion causes holy wars, inquistions, genocides, fun stuff like
>that.
Really now! Fancy how forgetful you are. Darwinism, perhaps the single
most powerful and controversial ideology that science has seen since the
heliocentric universe, is responsible for politically sanctioned racism,
genocide, the Nazi ideology, and the blind sequestering of anything that
dares to show its inconsistencies.
You show your ignorance here again: religion has never been responsible for
any known atrocity. Religion's name was used, but it was the men behind it
who caused catastrophe. With the possible exception of Islam, no major
world religion can, by their books, sanction such atrocities.
BTW Don't think I'm some idiot creationist, either. I'm not even a
Christian. In fact, I despise religion and I don't believe that there's a
god out there who could ever handle this universe. But unlike you, I take
everything there is to take with the same open mind, whether it is science
or not.
>Creationists say they aren't evolving. I believe them.
Neither are atheists. As any logic class will teach you, a non-existence
can never be fully proven. So if god doesn't exist, we'll never know.
Don't pretend you do. Otherwise you won't go anywhere.
