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San Francisco, 9:55 AM
Thu Nov 26
22 posts in the last 24 hours
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04/13/09
(And what does any of this have to do with science fiction?)
04/13/09
Oddly enough, the idea that early Hebrews and Christians were monotheistic is really more of a grey area:
[search.barnesandnoble.com]
That's an awesome book if you at all interested in learning some history concerning religion without the dogma usually attached.
04/13/09
Eventually this evolved into a pure monotheism.
Although you have to wonder about the Angle of Death and so on. Not a god sure, but not mortal either. If you look at all the monotheisms you find pantheism and lesser spirits lurking in dusty corners. Sometimes it gets a little like Shinto's kami at times.
04/13/09
Islam says there is no god but Allah, and yet many Muslims believe in djinni and such.
Real, complete, 100% monotheism without other angels, saints, spirits is a tough thing for people to handle.
04/13/09
Maybe we should run some MRIs of people reading studies about contentious issues.
04/13/09
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04/13/09
This sample and methodology is too limited and not well-constructed. Worse than Jamie and Adam on their worst day, without even the fun of an explosion at the end.
It's proved that people who believe in God believe in God. Duh?
04/13/09
I agree, do this with small children and see what they think regarding Santa (vs. God vs. objectively real folks vs. things they know aren't real).
04/13/09
So, identical sections of the brain trigger when making a personal prayer (to God) or making a request to Santa, therefore God is real because Santa is fake?
Lolwut? There must be something missing from this story that bridges the gap between the results and the conclusion.
04/13/09
I know science happens in steps and that it's important to establish a sometimes really basic foundation before moving on to more complex questions, but man, this study reveals nothing especially interesting: "'Atheists said it shows that it's all an illusion,' says Schjødt, while Christians said it was evidence that God is real. And people who used their brains said it didn't show either of those things, but we're publishing this quote anyway."
04/13/09
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04/13/09
Film at 11.
People who don't enjoy that activity or who have no interest in it, apparently don't need it to be happy.
And yeah, if they scanned kids brains while they talked to Santa, the results would probably be remarkably similar.
04/13/09
Your comments are ironically very unscientific. In fact, there a number of studies that show prayer and meditation to have very significant effect on brain waves and blood flood and acitivity in the brain.
Monks in particular have brain patterns that are rarely seen in the general population.
04/13/09
And is this brain activity really necessary for the best mental health? Do we know that?
And from what I've read, the brain activity of trancing, self-hypnosis and monomania can be induced in a variety of entirely secular ways.
This suggests to me that religion is not a requirement good mental health nor really necessary for anything actually.
04/13/09
"And is this brain activity really necessary for the best mental health? Do we know that?"
Oh. I don't know.
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03/11/09
The evangelical how we know already is dying. What is coming on is the Ultra, mega, hiper pentecostal groups. they use the FREE WILL that the bible give-us with all the catholic kind of mambo-jamboo( bless roses, saint grooves, ask and the GOD/SAINT just give you).
Another point is that Christians around glob are falling down in different way. In Europe the spirit ism like groups ( new age, scientology, cardescism, and all kind of necromancy/african things), become much more strong. North Americans much more, because is being invaded by A SPANISH CULTURE PSEUDO CATHOLIC that believe in anything ( if someone know a peanuts have a image that far away remmber some SAINT, they start to say HOOO MARIA) and miracles start to happens.
In south America the hiper, mega, ultra Pentecostal ism become more and more strong. at a point same the catholic church start to do the same ( who dont know, in Brazil, catholic church have a movement called "CANçÃO NOVA", that become each day more, and more strong inside ROMAN CHURCH). For north Americans or Europeans that never see that, think they are a Evangelic kind of creed ( but when start to ask money and all the idolatry just we see the difference). We say that the new PENTECOSTAL ISM become more and more catholic, and The Catholics become more and more EVANGELIC ( just the worst of each one they use to be equal of course.).
The same way in Brazil, we already cant call some Evangelic churches " EVANGELIC any more because the "GOD & COMPANY" they created. The catholic church in Brazil and north Tmerican NEW THINKS ( THAT EAT THE SAME GOD AND DRINK THE SAME BLOOD RITUAL?) will be the next CRASH in ROMA STRUCTURE. ( CRASH LIKE IN PAST, ANGLICANISM, ORTHODOX. WILL BE A BIG THING, AND THIS WILL HAPPENS SOON).
At END what still in both sides is the loose of the more deep thing the Bible give us. The Salvation. and the forgot of another basic thing. GOD do. He CREATE us to cult him. Because HE IS GOD. NOT BECAUSE HE GIVE MONEY doing me rich, or a kind of store where you pay and something happens ( iam speaking the new evangelicals and catholic church). Peoples in a way or another, inside herself know this is wrong. and start to search for new things, more spiritual or transcendental, that is exact what happens in Europe.
About the catholic church be more doctrinal. Its wrong. how catholic church think they will still use the " VERSION OF HISTORY" they have with internet? today anyone can search and learn the that crusades ALREADY HAPPENS and was not a mith how they speak. That CHURCH HELP nazy and not is video/photo cuts that someone do in a lie or that they never kill anyone or persuit anyone, taht this was PEOPLES IN NAME OF CHURCH and non THE CHURCH.
What this guy speak is true in a lot of ways, but i can be global, what is diying is the christianism. For a side is GOOD, because ROMA ( that do all Occident lose almost 1400 y of evolution) is dying in a fast way. maybe 2 or 3 generations before a complete crack down. but is sad, that other Christians are become more and more catholic in what they "SELL" to peoples. At the end My hope is internet become a point of balance. where the people can understand and search the true and challenge this ones about what they are doing. Just same way is happening today with ROMA Empire.
03/11/09
Re-format. Try again.
03/11/09
The former can only really thrive long-term in a country of subjugated, poor or uneducated people. America, despite all her self-important whining, doesn't actually have a minority group that's impoverished or brutalized enough to really form a lasting religion. The vast, angry hordes of the Middle East are a good example of the kind of population you'd need to support that.
And the latter can't thrive because american materialism is going extinct. With the new, realistic American economy, America's unconscious "Calvinist" tendencies to believe themselves elect will suddenly vanish, and people will be left with an enormous religious monolith that promises wealth and happiness (a la "Secret") but delivers nothing. And delivers no spiritual comfort at all. Some will turn to extreme evangelicalism of the first type to negate hardship and promise themselves a reward, but most will simply turn to secular Christianities, which are based on compassion and community and ultimately the notion of failure (as all reasonable Christianity is).
03/11/09
There is no "right type" of religion for America. We currently have a vast majority of people who feel no religion is the "best" religion or picking and choosing what they believe, if anything at all.
However, in order to believe in the bible it doesn't negate intellect or wealth. One of the main issues is that people are spending more and more time on "other things" and don't care to put anything spiritual in the forefront of their lives. But, even those that do, are sometimes delusional or don't even know why they are doing it.
03/11/09
Preoccupation with the things of this world make you spiritually blind. You can have things, but only if you aren't really attached to them. But nobody in American is. And there isn't a "right type" of religion in America, but there's a kind of religion that suits the times and the culture, and evangelicalism is probably on the way out.
03/11/09
03/11/09
03/10/09
Wait, what?
Look, I've seen zero evidence that the gap between what, for shorthand, is the rural and the urban is narrowing any time soon. In fact, it's reached a point where blending is producing enclaves, rather than mixtures.
So unless homosexuality, the movie industry, and Islam disappear tomorrow morning, there are still going to be people who feel threatened and need a reactionary release.