Ben Stein Expelled

[Arbitrary]

Originally Posted by Indiana

Thing is that is what public discourse is about. Resolving conflicting views through debate. The only reason you'd be opposed to having your beliefs challenged is when you deep down know, they are not based in reason.

There is no resolving conflict through debate, only confusion over terms leading to misunderstandings and arguments that are nonsensical when reduced to their base components and definitions.

[Asmadai]

A little side-topic, but I was curious as to what are the current scientific views on the existence of the conscience? Do they consider it to be the work of electronic signals and chemicals produced by the brain, etc. or do they refute the existence of it altogether?

[Loco]

The arguments concerning the meaning of the word 'theory' are very relevant to this discussion. I would like to offer the definition as I have come to understand it.

A (scientific) theory is a model used to connect observable phenomena, and known facts into a system which can be used to reliably predict what will happen and explain the phenomena and facts therein.

Whether or not evolution is correct should not even be debated in a modern classroom. Evolution is considered factual by many in the scientific community. The 'Theory of Evolution' concerns how it occurs, NOT IF! Gravity is also considered a theory in this same sense: that we know it exists, but not how it works. These people say it a little better...

Evolution is a Fact and a Theory
Scientific Laws, Hypotheses, and Theories - The Scientific Method

... ah why not, I'll throw this in there too for those who haven't seen it.
Skeptic's Annotated Bible / Quran / Book of Mormon

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, or enlighten me if you have a different understanding.

Zehn said:

My favorite part of these threads is that even after 15 years of religious/atheism debates on the internet, these threads are made up entirely of 3 distinct groups.

1) Two people going back and forth and having an actual conversation discussing their opinions and beliefs which would most likely be better off taking place in IM's so that it would die off in 20 seconds when they realize how retarded they sound.

2) One person who spends about 30 posts clarifying what he meant in every single preceding post.

3) And everybody else who just randomly posts their opinion on the subject, ~maybe~ quoting a post at random, without any regard as to whether or not it's actually relevant to the current direction of the topic at hand.

The thread never changes. The only thing that changes are the names of people who've written books about the subject.

Edit:

Oh, and 4) Asshole schmucks like me who feel they're somehow enlightened and above the topic so they post about how ridiculous it really is.

Excellent theory you have developed Zehn!

[Locithon]

Originally Posted by Arbitrary

Also, Locithon, go ahead and sit down. Make yourself a cup of cocoa and just quietly blend back into the crowd. Holy fuck man, seriously.

Maybe you should read Loco's post? I didn't think I would need to c+p the whole explanation but apparently I did.

[...]

Evolution is just a crackpot theory to back up the fake dinosaur bones planted in the ground by the Zionist Jews.

[PerritoBites]

Religion is baaaaaaaad, we won't advance until we get rid of it! Churches shouldn't be exempt from paying taxes, they should pay DOUBLE the taxes because they are as harmful to this society as cigarettes and alcohol. You don't see schools teaching kids how to drive drunk and get cancer do you?

[Asmadai]

Originally Posted by PerritoBites

You don't see schools teaching kids how to drive drunk and get cancer do you?

Most parents seem to do a good job of that already, but thats neither here nor there...

[The Ancient]

Originally Posted by Azrayne

So now that we've all more or less accepted that ID shouldn't be treated as a scientific theory on par with evolution, who wants to make fun of the movie in general for a bit?

I find it hilarious that they're trying for this whole 'anti-establishment rebel' image, like science is some big notorious organization trying to keep down the truth about intelligent design.

When I first came to this thread my first thought was to make fun of Ben Stein and "Bad to the Bone". I got sidetracked and I regret it.

[Dethfang]

I still have a hard time understanding why people can't accept natural selection causing evolution given very simple and clear evidence: the common cold.

[Millie]

My personal favorite ID belief is "God planted dinosaur fossils in the ground to test our faith!"

[The Ancient]

I think that's creationism, not ID.

[Indiana]

Originally Posted by Millie

My personal favorite ID belief is "God planted dinosaur fossils in the ground to test our faith!"

Yeah Bill Hicks said it best. He was always ahead of his time.

[Millie]

Originally Posted by The Ancient

I think that's creationism, not ID.

ID is just creationism with a clever name attached. Same kool-aid, different bottle.

Intelligent design - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Grumath]

Originally Posted by Millie

My personal favorite ID belief is "God planted dinosaur fossils in the ground to test our faith!"

Hehe, yeah, thats right up there with the infinite regression that comes with ID/Creationism. If they can get past that, I would be a bit more open to it as a valid idea or theory. If we need a creator who is much more complex than us, so does that creator, ad infinitum.

[PerritoBites]

ID is creationism without having religion on its name, but it is basically the same thing. Although you could believe we were designed by aliens... would that still be a religion?