How apropos; a talking ass

Though I disagree with the majority of that last post, I’ll call it a gentleman’s disagreement. We found common ground, however small. I’m willing to leave it at that.

Then it stands to reason that we shouldn’t care about anything.”

I disagree. Lack of extrinsic value does not imply lack of intrinsic value. I’ll never understand the people (and I’m not claiming you’re among them, though you may be) who seem to think that the lack of a compassionate (or moralizing, or punitive, or all three) deity somehow implies chaos and ruin. It is incumbent upon all of humanity to establish and advance its own value, achievement and harmony. Both the godless and the godly have sometimes failed dismally, and both have at different times done great things. If those who didn’t believe in the Abrahamic god were truly inclined toward anomie, the world would be a lot more fubar than it already is.

If these people, corporations, and organizations get a constant barage of letters and emails they will have to listen.

Fair enough.

“This does not mean that humanity is not as “special” or “powerful.”

But then what makes us so? (The special part) Who are we special too?

“In short, nothing cares about us.”

Then it stands to reason that we shouldn’t care about anything. I also want to point out that there is nothing in science that makes the idea of God ludicrious. I don’t dispute the validity of science (I like to know when its going to rain) I’m disputing your arrogant claim that evolution is so undisputable and that belief in God constitutes some kind of lack in intelligence. This is more interesting since plently of the smartest people that have lived on this earth, including scientists, (like the ones that took us to the moon) believed strongly in God.

No, not “close enough.” Is a dolphin a fish? You might think that saying so is “close enough,” but you’d sound like a jackarse if you did.

“You expressing your very emotions this way give clear evidence that we are more than flesh and blood.”

And no evidence that anything generated by our biological underpinnings (including that which we call “consciousness”) stems from a biblical creator.

“You expressing your very emotions this way give clear evidence that we are more than flesh and blood.”

We are distinct from the animals only in degree. That doesn’t mean that humanity is not as “special” or “powerful” or what have you as we as humans choose to label it; only that we are not chosen or otherwise held in any special regard by external agents in the universe. In short, nothing cares but us. This hardly diminishes the value I or anyones places on life.

“You have beliefs, unless you’ve seen ape-like creatures evolve into a human.”

The evidence for common ancestry afforded us by molecular genetics and embryology is overwhelming and growing stronger all the time. Since you can’t pretend to know what this evidence consists of, you are not in a position to dispute it.

Again, I am amused that even as you effectively assert that the only non-faith-based evidence for evolution would be a six-million-year-long motion picture or time-lapse film, you blindly claim that god is responsible for this and that. Your “evidence”? A book written by men in need of religious propaganda.

“You’re right, facts are facts, and you don’t have any.”

Given that you cannot distinguish fact from fiction and myth from history, your throwaway indictments do not concern me.

“Even if you could back up your claims, you act as if science would somehow disprove God.”

Wrong. Science is concerned with procuring and securing knowledge about the natural world, not in “disproving” (or “proving,” for that matter) anything. The burden of providing evidence for gods falls upon those who subscribe to them, and they of course can’t supply any. The fact that scientific discoveries (e.g., a heliocentric solar system; evolution; plate tectonics) routinely render skygod consructs less and less useful is a by-product of the knowledge-pursuing process, not its aim.

I’m quite certain you’ve noticed that the only aspects of science that religious types routinely complain about are those that render the Bible more and more ludicrous in terms of it being “inerrant” or even remotely historically accurate. This is not a coincidence.

“All credible scientists agree that science can only take us so far. Even belief in the Big Bang Theory, science will never be able to tell why.”

You’re clearly desperate to move the goalposts by repeatedly bringing up the Big Bang, the details of which scientists freely admit they do not have a grip on — yet. To pretend that the mistaken idea that “science can only take us so far” (given enough time, science will always further our knowledge about the universe, not detract from it) naturally leads to the conclusion that biblical deities are involved is just another clumsy “god of the gaps” argument, something near and dear to the shallow-minded religious crowd.

“Humans evolved from ape-like creatures.”

Hmmm. Close enough. Where did Bigfoot get to anyhow?

“Primates are pretty damn smart.”

If flinging poo constitutes as intelligence I guess.

“Not exactly a hallmark of the alleged Christian mien”

Sure it is. You expressing your very emotions this way give clear evidence that we are more than flesh and blood. We have spirits. That is what separates us from the animals. You’re right, facts are facts, and you don’t have any. You have beliefs, unless you’ve seen ape-like creatures evolve into a human. Even if you could back up your claims, you act as if science would somehow disprove God. All credible scientists agree that science can only take us so far. Even belief in the Big Bang Theory, science will never be able to tell why. But I’m sure you can.

Okay, so you’re someone who isn’t a creationist, yet rejects evolution anyway. At least creationists have an excuse for wearing blinders — they’re committed to doctrine. The only conclusion I can draw, then, is that your are simply ignorant.

“You haven’t shown me anything!”

Sure I have. I keep indicating that there’s no fact-theory dichotomy and you simply choose to ignore it. I provide clear explanations in an effort to allay your confusion and answers to the questions you raise and you ignore these as well. You’ve set the bar impossibly out of the reach of earthly reason so that you can continually squawk about not being provided with sufficient evidence. The fact that it’s not sufficient to convince a man with his fingers stuck in his ears screaming “LA-LA-LA!” doesn’t diminish its value. But have it your way.

“You just get pissed off because someone questions the credibility of your field, and you lash back with insults to our religion.”

I don’t get pissed off. And I’d say the same things about your religion whether you questioned basic scientific principles or not. Facts, as I have already noted, are facts whether or not people choose to accept them, and simple beliefs — no matter how powerful — are nothing more than beliefs in the absence of evidence. Sorry.

“I must have missed the part where you’ve proven me wrong.”

Repeatedly and tenaciously.

“I can see I made you angry, for which I’m grateful.”

That’s at least three times you’ve expressed glee over the idea of getting under my skin. I don’t get rankled when dealing with bone-shatteringly foolhardy folk; I become energized. But that aside, the eagerness to anger people is not exactly a hallmark of the alleged Christian mien, is it? Well, maybe the Pat Robertson version.

“Once again there has to be an absolute truth somewhere…”

See my comments under the post one or two entries above this one.

“…if I believed I was an evolved chimp I’d feel pretty low as well.”

Again, you demonstrate a supreme ignorance of evolution. Humans are not believed to have evolved from chimps. But you offer a glimpse into the reality of apostle here — it bothers you greatly that we share common ancestry with bonobos and chimpanzees, and you’re going to struggle with this for the rest of your life because at some level you understand that it;s the truth. Why be bothered by this? Primates are pretty darned smart, and cute too. I know it’s easier in some ways to cling to the idea that we all are descended from two people created from a dirt heap and a rib respectively, but the incurious simpleton’s way out has never gotten anyone anywhere except full of faith (and other stuff we won’t mention).

Never said I was a Creationist.

“We’ve shown you ours…”

What? You haven’t shown me anything! You just get pissed off because someone questions the credibility of your field, and you lash back with insults to our religion. That isn’t showing me anything, and again, I must have missed the part where you’ve proven me wrong.

I can see I made you angry, for which I’m grateful. It exposes all of the horrible qualities that your line of thinking considers “progress.”

“moral standing in the population you inhabit.”

Moral? What authority are you basing this concept on? Yours? Is the moral law of Haldol the moral law of the land? Is there some natural sense of right and wrong that we are all born with? Sorry, history says otherwise. Once again there has to be an absolute truth somewhere, and it isn’t learned in physics class. [edited] to National Geographic all you want, but you know full well deep down its all garbage, and that if anyone could really see just how confused you were you’d die of embarassment. Sarcasm and arrogance are good smokescreens. But if I believed I was an evolved chimp I’d feel pretty low as well. But remember, despite your many faults, Jesus still loves you. Everyone else thinks you’re weird.