| 
			
			 | 
		#61 | 
| 
			
			
			
			 Resident Curmudgeon 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 80,782 
				Karma: 150249619 
				Join Date: Nov 2006 
				Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts 
				
				
				Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3 
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
		 
			
			It's not a real picture of Jesus if it's not on a grilled cheese sandwich.
		 
		
	
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
	
	 | 
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#62 | 
| 
			
			
			
			 Professional Adventuress 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 13,368 
				Karma: 50260224 
				Join Date: Sep 2009 
				Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) 
				
				
				Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle 
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
		 
			
			some people believe chritstianity is irrational, some believe paganism, some muslim... who is to decide?
		 
		
	
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
	
	 | 
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#63 | |
| 
			
			
			
			 Groupie 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 197 
				Karma: 6848 
				Join Date: Aug 2010 
				
				
				
				Device: Sony PRS-650, Kindle Touch 
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
		 Quote: 
	
 Deciding what is rational *should* be easy. Hint: beliefs without any evidence whatsoever to support them are not rational. Would you call belief in elves rational?  | 
|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#64 | 
| 
			
			
			
			 The Introvert 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 8,307 
				Karma: 1000077497 
				Join Date: Jan 2007 
				Location: United Kingdom 
				
				
				Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500 
				
				
				 | 
	
	|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#65 | |
| 
			
			
			
			 Grand Sorcerer 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 5,187 
				Karma: 25133758 
				Join Date: Nov 2008 
				Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA 
				
				
				Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié) 
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
		 Quote: 
	
 Force their kids to wear uncomfortable clothes? Okay. Scarves, turbans, plaid skirts in winter: all acceptable. Force their kids to wear clothes that make their bodies unable to grow properly? Not okay. No foot binding, regardless of how important it is to your religion. Force the neighbors to listen to annoying & disruptive chanting they don't want? Okay. For some levels of "annoying and disruptive." Force the neighbors' garden to live without sunlight? Not okay; no building an 80' wall to the glory of your god. Tell the person on the street that they're condemned to eternal punishment, hoping to shame and depress them into converting? Okay. Start that punishment yourself, with fists? Not okay.  | 
|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#66 | |
| 
			
			
			
			 Groupie 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 197 
				Karma: 6848 
				Join Date: Aug 2010 
				
				
				
				Device: Sony PRS-650, Kindle Touch 
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
		 Quote: 
	
 Second: I would argue that the idea that there is nothing wrong with irrational beliefs and that they deserve respect is harmful to society as a whole. People who believe in elves with their magical healing spells, or gods with their divine healing powers, are more likely to let their children die from easily treatable conditions. People who believe in elves with their forest magic, or gods who are close to destroying the world, are less likely to care about protecting our environment by mundane means.  | 
|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#67 | 
| 
			
			
			
			 eBook Enthusiast 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 85,560 
				Karma: 93980341 
				Join Date: Nov 2006 
				Location: UK 
				
				
				Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6 
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
		 
			
			But it isn't harmless, astra, when politicians suppress scientific research because it goes against their "religious beliefs". Until recently, I understand that the US government would not fund any research into stem cells precisely because of religious objections, despite it being an area that has a huge potential for benefiting society. That's why most of the advances in the field have been made in Europe, where no such suppression of research exists.
		 
		
	
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
	
	 | 
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#68 | 
| 
			
			
			
			 Grand Sorcerer 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 7,452 
				Karma: 7185064 
				Join Date: Oct 2007 
				Location: Linköpng, Sweden 
				
				
				Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW 
				
				
				 | 
	
	|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#69 | 
| 
			
			
			
			 Groupie 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 197 
				Karma: 6848 
				Join Date: Aug 2010 
				
				
				
				Device: Sony PRS-650, Kindle Touch 
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
		 
			
			At least some who hold religious beliefs are well aware how irrational they are. 
		
	
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
	
	The solution? Vilifying rationality. Is that harmless? http://i.imgur.com/pDV1E.jpg  | 
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#70 | 
| 
			
			
			
			 The Introvert 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 8,307 
				Karma: 1000077497 
				Join Date: Jan 2007 
				Location: United Kingdom 
				
				
				Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500 
				
				
				 | 
	
	|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#71 | |
| 
			
			
			
			 The Introvert 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 8,307 
				Karma: 1000077497 
				Join Date: Jan 2007 
				Location: United Kingdom 
				
				
				Device: Sony Reader PRS-650 & 505 & 500 
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
		 Quote: 
	
  | 
|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#72 | |
| 
			
			
			
			 Maratus speciosus butt 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 3,292 
				Karma: 1162698 
				Join Date: Sep 2009 
				
				
				
				Device: PRS-350 
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
		 Quote: 
	
 It reminds me of this very similar issue: http://www.religiondispatches.org/di...judge_says_no/ http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/...ian-stude.html And, well, this guy: http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/page...t-atorney.html  | 
|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#73 | 
| 
			
			
			
			 Grand Sorcerer 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 7,452 
				Karma: 7185064 
				Join Date: Oct 2007 
				Location: Linköpng, Sweden 
				
				
				Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW 
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
		 
			
			And I decide for myself that irrational beliefs should be minimised because that reduces the harm of irrational beliefs. I even think it is easy to argue convincingly for that opinion.
		 
		
	
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
	
	 | 
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#74 | |
| 
			
			
			
			 Grand Sorcerer 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 5,187 
				Karma: 25133758 
				Join Date: Nov 2008 
				Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA 
				
				
				Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié) 
				
				
				 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
		 Quote: 
	
 Of course, most of the results are meaningless if you think "quality of life" is irrelevant.  | 
|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
| 
			
			 | 
		#75 | 
| 
			
			
			
			 Maratus speciosus butt 
			
			![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posts: 3,292 
				Karma: 1162698 
				Join Date: Sep 2009 
				
				
				
				Device: PRS-350 
				
				
				 | 
	
	|
| 
		 | 
	
	
	
		
		
		
		
			 
		
		
		
		
		
		
		
			
		
		
		
	 | 
![]()  | 
            
        
            
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread | 
            
  | 
    
			 
			Similar Threads
		 | 
	||||
| Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post | 
| A nice non-controversial subject. | ardeegee | Lounge | 12 | 10-11-2010 10:25 AM | 
| Now for some controversial Christian artwork | ardeegee | Lounge | 17 | 10-10-2010 12:19 PM | 
| Almost destroyed my K1 | carld | Amazon Kindle | 9 | 08-26-2010 11:52 AM | 
| PRS-600 Help: it seems I just destroyed my reader | hahahut | Sony Reader | 3 | 07-30-2010 10:24 AM | 
| Destroyed reader trying to get a new one via warranty | Roy White | Sony Reader | 3 | 06-07-2008 09:29 PM |