9th May 2010
“One does not need religious faith to find more in life than shopping. Believing only in the material world does not mean that one has to make a fetish of material possessions.”
Anon.
“One does not need religious faith to find more in life than shopping. Believing only in the material world does not mean that one has to make a fetish of material possessions.”
Anon.
May 9th, 2010 at 1:22
I often laugh when theists accuse me of being a “materialist”. Is that supposed to be an insult?
I can touch Christian Dior. Christianity? Poor quality, bad design.
May 9th, 2010 at 4:01
Sorry admin, a bit away from the quote, just temporarily, something crosses my mind….
Why is it the common ancestor evolves into only TWO species, man and ape? Why they don’t evolve to more than two or many species? The answer is “this is only a Hoax”.
May 9th, 2010 at 5:51
Solomon,
You’re not only a liar, you’re a coward, too.
I knew you would not be man enough to own up to the FACT that Islam is fostering hatred and murder around the globe.
The saddest thing, though, is that by denying it you actually – implicitly – endorse and condone it. You endorse the terrorism being waged in the name of your religion.
You are a sad, sad excuse for a human being.
May 9th, 2010 at 5:53
For goodness sake, Solomon, go to the library and read of fricken’ book on evolution before posting nonsense.
You must have no humility because you continue to make a fool of yourself with every post.
What a sad, frustrated person you must be.
May 9th, 2010 at 7:07
Greg, I don’t even have to go thru the lousy evolution stuffs to refute it.Its a a chicken feed job. Answere my questions first before you say its nonsense. I don’t have to be a hero to defend anything. Truth speaks for itself and heaven knows you all are damned Liars!
May 9th, 2010 at 7:17
I believe Capt’n, BAT and the rest are now busy working out some lousy scheme to bash my question…
Whaaa…..ka….ka….ka…
May 9th, 2010 at 8:17
What an odd quote? Religious types often accuse atheists of being materialistic. They should take a good look at the Saudi oil barons, the Pope and the 48% of American billionaires who are apparently Jewish.
May 9th, 2010 at 9:13
Anything I have in life all belonged to God. I make to excuses for them.Most people and I include myself worked for what we have.There is enough food and wealth in the world today that no one should be starving or without clothes and shelter. But greed is the mind set of those who hold the purse strings.
May 9th, 2010 at 9:26
I’m not sure who is equivocqting here, “Anon” or the people “Anon” is referring to. Materialist has two different meanings dependent on context.
Atheists are materialists in the sense that they assume the universe has only a material bais for its existence. A social materialist thinks only “things” or more usualy the wherewithall to obtain things is important i life. On the other hand “Anon” could just be attempting a bad pun.
However on scientific materialism, Paradoctor, a commenter on Daylight Atheism, made this observation recently
Which strikes a chord with me.
May 9th, 2010 at 10:38
sol: “Why is it the common ancestor evolves into only TWO species, man and ape?”
Where did you get that idea?
For the full family tree have a look at: http://tolweb.org/Hominidae/16299
This tree can be confirmed not just from morphology but also by genetic studies.
May 9th, 2010 at 11:05
Islam apparently recognises the general idea of life development through stages. However for some reason this doesn’t apply to the human race.
It is much more believable that allah created Adam from clay and Hawwa (Eve) from water.
May 9th, 2010 at 11:55
Dear Admin, if so their guessing of the existence of a few other species, why few other species out of one(human) are ape like in nature and walks on 4 legs & is heavily covered with hair compared to humans. Its odd isn’t it species that developes much of at the same time only one out of the many have able to build a civilization. I was thinking a few civilised species roaming this earth.
May 9th, 2010 at 13:21
sol: “Its odd isn’t it species that developes much of at the same time only one out of the many have able to build a civilization.”
Not odd – it’s called competition.
May 9th, 2010 at 13:53
Dear Admin,
I don’t think competition is the ideal word. Everybody competes. If evolution is true it should have go on… on its own process gradually. Competition is only to the point of defeat or elimination of the other species, not to the point of retarding the transformation process itself. The significant oddness is only one species…ONE out of the many seems to transform at a tremendous rate. This oddness have to be analyze and rethought.
May 9th, 2010 at 14:44
Well since Admin is feeding the troll, let’s see if I can give him indigestion:
As of about 1m to 800000 yrs ago several species of erect, hairless hominins of roughly comparible brain size had dispersed from Africa into Eurasia, starting with Homo Erectus and then Heidelbergensis. The European branch of Heidelbergensis evolved into the Neanderthals. Homo Sapiens evolved from the African population around 200000 years ago and spread rapidly, displacing and outcompeting the previous groups (neanderthals survived in Europe until about 30,000 yrs ago). Once homo Sapiens became the dominent hominid in Africa and beyond it became less likely that even had another species arisen it would compete successfully. Nor is it certain that selection pressure on other anthropoid apes would necessarily result in the evolution of intelligence. The accident of evolution that resulted in one branch of hominids “pursuing” the brainy route need not happen twice. The “planet of the Apes” scenario, while theoretically possible is extremely unlikely.
May 9th, 2010 at 15:41
Atheist MC,
That is a well put orchestrated Lie & nobodys gonna buy it without fossil proofs. I’ve heard of it many times before.
May 9th, 2010 at 15:49
If a person were willing to open their mind and investigate some of the studies of the primates other than humans (opposing thumbs) one would find that there are ongoing advances in language, logic, socialization skills, behavior, mathematics and the like. Can you say, “Jane Goodall”?
Moreover, the studies of members of the whale communities reveal ever advancing levels of intelligence and all that goes with intelligence.
These are just two simple examples of clear evidence of evolution. There are thousands more in both the plant and animal kingdom (where humans reside as routine members, evolving right along at just the right rate).
In order to learn about a subject, one must not – actually MAY NOT come to the table with ideas that have been provided by parents or clergy and expect to learn. One must clear ones mind and be ready to accept ONLY EVIDENCE in ones quest for truth – NEVER opinions or legends or folklore.
The EVIDENCE says that man and ape and whales and every other form of plant and animal life on the planet now and in the past evolved from a single-celled organism millions of years ago. To think otherwise leads one down a path of ignorance. It is no shame to be ignorant, for one can decide to learn and be ignorant no more. But to decide to remain ignorant in the face of evidence leads one to stupidity; and there is no cure for stupidity.
As for the quote:
“One does not need religious faith to find more in life than shopping. Believing only in the material world does not mean that one has to make a fetish of material possessions.”
It’s the lamest quote I’ve seen here in a long time. In the USA, we have created a greedy, materialistic mindset where people actually get excited about “going shopping” – other than that, I agree with what PEB and AMC said…
BAT
May 9th, 2010 at 16:11
BAT,
As for the evolution of intelligence in whales or apes that you mention, how long must one waits until they are at par with man. I will belief you if I come across either of them wearing tucksedo & seeping a glass of champagne or smoking a cigar.
Whaaa….ka…ka…ka…
May 9th, 2010 at 16:12
As AMC points out there are a couple meanings of ‘materialism’. I generally take it in the evidentiary sense in which case it’s a complement to be called a materialist. The word ‘theory’ gets a similar treatment by the faith camp. They like to bat it around like the only meaning is the same as when Bubba in a bar says ‘I got this theory about 9-11’.
There must be some instinct among the religionistas that if words don’t mean what’s convenient for them to mean then you can adopt and promote your own definition. The master work on the application of this self-interested dishonesty has got to be Orwell’s 1984.
May 9th, 2010 at 16:44
Thanks, pal. I was hoping you would finally listen to reason:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1047723/Monkey%20in%20a%20suit.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1047723/Monkey%20drinking.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1047723/Monkey%20smoking.jpg
BAT
May 9th, 2010 at 17:16
Solomon wouldn’t know evidence if it slapped him across the face.
Put your phasers on stun….
May 9th, 2010 at 17:31
Solomon it’s interesting you think the pinnacle of human evolution involves wearing a ‘tucksedo’. You haven’t listened. Evolution is directly linked to environment. The ability to wear a suit isn’t going to give one whale an advantage over another and so the smartly dressed whale DNA has the same chance of survival as all the other whale DNA.
May 9th, 2010 at 18:26
Is not evolution nature – nurture?
As for the preacher trying to learn a new gig, the only way for some to learn is via load speakers blaring daily chants, striking then on the bottoms of their bare feet with a stick when caught not properly reciting their rope learned lessons or at the tip of an AK – 47.
See evolution has taught a valuable lesson here. You can’t teach and old dog… a new trick!
Walmart as/is god?
May 9th, 2010 at 19:30
…and, it is a particularly human centric point of view to assume that evolution “aspires” to intelligence. It simply doesn’t. Natural selection is only “”interested” in survival and reproduction. Traits that increase the probability of passing on genes for that trait survive. Sol, the most successful organisms on this planet are the simplest, there are more bacteria on your body than there are humans in the world, they are as “evolved” as we are and suited to their environment as a result.
In fact, in some circumstances, big brains may be a selective disadvantage. Brains are energy hungry, requiring long gestations and childhoods to produce. In some post apocalyptic scenario it is quite possible that homo sapiens could become homo solomomensis as rational thought became a burden rather than a benefit.
May 9th, 2010 at 20:11
…and! it is a particularly theist centric point to be embarrassed, horrified or even ashamed of our evolutionary past. Your great Aunt Margaret wasn’t an ape. I simply do not understand how theists ‘don’t get’ something so beautifully simple like evolution but will believe in an invisible bloke in the sky.
May 9th, 2010 at 23:59
bAT,
Thanks for the photos, but neither one of them are wearing a tucksedo and smoking a cigar or seeping a champagne at the same time…
Whaa…. ka…ka…ka..
May 10th, 2010 at 1:48
For BAT & PEB,
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:5Zma_TFkoebu5M:http://home.comcast.net/~owenkl/Lions/Cartoons/worth1000-DandyLions.jpg
May 10th, 2010 at 1:50
Ooopss…too small, heres another one.
http://home.comcast.net/~owenkl/Lions/Cartoons/worth1000-DandyLions.jpg