Originally posted by SuzianneGreat analysis. What's your take on the other atheists the book's findings involve? I specifically hoped you'd comment on 4) “He uses this notion to illustrate just how it is that atheists and theists can see the other as ‘delusional’ without the one party or the other recognizing its own delusion – how such incompatible worldviews could coexist in the same world."
Nice theory, and it may look good on paper, but I believe Freud's best quality was his skill as a technician. He became the "father of modern psychoanalysis" for a reason: psychoanalysis (and related techniques, such as hypnotism) remains one of the best methods to discover psychological problems and the causal links of psychological disturbance. But in m ...[text shortened]... y million, at least. The handful of famous people examined by this theorist is just not enough.
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyWhy is it countries that have a high number of atheists are the most peaceful and the countries with the most religions are the most warlike?
Great analysis. What's your take on the other atheists the book's findings involve? I specifically hoped you'd comment on 4) “He uses this notion to illustrate just how it is that atheists and theists can see the other as ‘delusional’ without the one party or the other recognizing its own delusion – how such incompatible worldviews could coexist in the same world."
Originally posted by Grampy BobbyI am still waiting for your 'orderly progression' to get to the point where you actually answer my questions.
I'll avail myself of both asking and answering your questions in due time. Let's take it in an orderly progression. Okay?
To remind you of the first two most important ones:
1. Did you actually read what you posted?
2. Do you disagree with me that what you posted contains some obvious glaring logical errors?
Originally posted by SuzianneOverall, I would not call circumcision a 'bad' thing.
First off, GB, let me start by saying I do not wish to derail your thread, but something in this thread caught my eye and I wish to comment.
I am sorry that I did not follow this thread from the beginning. Because I missed the initial discussion in this thread about circumcision and someone made the comparison between circumcision and female genital mut ...[text shortened]... y is. Some girls do not survive the experience, it's that bad. Simple circumcision, it is NOT.
Well, you would be wrong. Performing an operation on a child - more specifically cutting off a piece of his body - for any reason other than medical necessity is wrong. Period.
Be honest: say you meet someone who says they're going have their son's left pinky toe cut off for religious reasons. It won't cause him discomfort for the rest of his live. Would you consider that perfectly ok? How about someone who decides to have a tattoo of an anchor put on his baby boy? You're ok with that?
How such a religiously motivated operation does not go against the principles of any doctor who has had a proper medical education, is beyond me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primum_non_nocere
I am perfectly fine with people deciding to have a circumcision, be it for hygienic reasons, sexual reasons or because they don't like the turtleneck look. Do with your body whatever you please.
What I am not fine with is altering a child's body for reasons other than medical reasons. You don't do that. You have a basic amount of respect for a child, even if that child is "under your care", and part of that respect is not to "do" anything to its body for no good reason.
I wonder how the world will look back on these practices say 500 years from now if and when all religions have disappeared.
Yes, you've correctly pointed out earlier in this thread the overlap between culture and religion.
So he runs the risk of having to answer some questions in the locker room. So he runs the risk of ending up with a woman for whom something as unimportant as an uncircumcised penis is apparently a dealbreaker. You consider those reasons important enough to have a young boy undergo surgery?? Basically, because he's not like everyone else. Oh, dear God (just an expression, GB), no! I'm unique! The horror!
How about we let the boy grow up to be 18 years old so that he can decide FOR HIMSELF whether he wants to have a circumcision?
You are right that it is common practice in America to be circumcised. I've seen quite a few American sitcoms (Off Centre, Scrubs and maybe Friends come to mind) where during an episode the joke was that someone was NOT circumcised.
I really wonder how American doctors view this practice of having a child (I assume it's done at an early age) undergo surgery that is from a medical perspective almost always unnecessary.
The post that was quoted here has been removedI understand your point and I will certainly admit that it's easy for me to say what I say not having to be part of such a culture. I maintain though that having a child undergo surgery only for instance so that he (and his family) can stay within a certain culture, sounds very wrong. As a parent, you should really ask yourself "Do I want my son to grow up in a culture that will dislike him only because his penis looks different?" and as a man you should ask yourself "Do I really want to be with a woman who will dislike me because my penis does not look exactly like what she expected? Is that not too shallow?"
Again, I understand I may be oversimplifying, but let's remember that we're talking about a human body here. Take away everything else, and all that we have left are our minds and bodies. Let's not tinker with that unless it's absolutely necessary.
Originally posted by Grampy Bobby5) "God delivers the sexually immoral over to a depraved mind. Jones sums it up well: “Sexual sins are corrupting. . . . The most insidious corruption brought about by sexual sin, however, is the corruption of the mind. One moves all too easily from sexual sins, which are probably the most common to mankind, to intellectual sins, which are the most pernicious.” (3 of 4)
[b]"The Causes of Atheism" Written by James Spiegel (Page 1)
“Book Review: Making of an Atheist Written by Richard Park on 18 February 2010. Dr. James Spiegel, Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Taylor University, has recently published a book called The Making of an Atheist: How Immorality Leads to Unbelief"
1) "… and his u ...[text shortened]... provocative quotations which may merit further discussion. (additional excerpt quotes to follow)[/b]
https://www.apologetics.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=469:the-causes-of-atheism&catid=96:bonus-content&Itemid=80