Kent Hovind vs. a Molecular Biologist (The limitations of science)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Wednesday, July 13, 2011, 01:25 (4664 days ago) @ dhw

TONY: If you get away from the religious organizations, and focus mainly on the core teachings of the major world religions, they are all designed to teach moderation, self-restraint, discipline, compassion, and wisdom.
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> "Mainly on the core teachings" is a splendid piece of channelling. Three of the major world religions ... Judaism, Christianity and Islam ... are based on man-made texts, and these contain material which has led to what some of us would regard as appalling acts of bigotry, inhumanity, persecution and terrorism. I am not, however, denying that these religions also have their compassionate side. I simply object to the assumption that belief in a creator helps to focus our thoughts on "profitable and productive action instead of wasting it chasing misguided ideals". Personally, I would regard humanism as a far more reliable guide, as I have never yet heard of humanists indulging in the inhumane acts listed above.
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Considering the current modern view, westernized ideology, revolving around materialistic idealism and physical wealth, over the wealth of knowledge or that of a spiritual nature, can you really say that we have produced anything better.-
> TONY: That does not mean to imply that they do not contain their fair share of brutality, but even that serves the purpose of teaching that even our destructive nature has a purpose, and should not be shut away and punished like the bad kid at school. 
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> I'd appreciate a little more detail here. I can't believe that you are defending religious bigotry, persecution and terrorism, but I can see no other way of interpreting this.
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Not religious bigotry, which I find to be as offensive as any other form of bigotry, or in defense of persecution and terrorism, but only a fool believes that there is never a cause for righteous indignation, a personal affront so severe as to warrant violence. If someone came in and murdered your family, would you stand by and uncaringly do nothing, or would you be moved by righteous anger to action in defense of their lives?
 -> TONY: If we judge faith by those that lay claim to it, then should we judge all humans by the relatively few sociopaths that lay claim to being human?
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> I am not judging faith. I am pointing out that faith in a creator does not provide objective criteria...see above.-By comparing the idea of faith to the remarkably few who behave in atrocious ways, you are judging faith. That is my point. If you say that all faithful should be judged by the few who commit attrocities, who are you really judging?