Religion

[Valsum]

Indeed. And Revelations was written by St. John, Pie.

*sighs*

[Pie]

Really? I thought it was written by paul when he was imprisoned, and about to be executed. Hmm.

And I wasn't using it as an argument, I was saying that everyone has there unquestionable beliefs. Hey... Didn't H.f. say that? Maby it was west.

Anyhow, I think we should drop the argument. It's getting kinda boaring, and time consuming, and it's usless. Nomater if I win(becous I know if you win, I'le be SERIOUSLY secon't guesing my life..... like i was there about paul..... but then i thougt, HEY, not even 1% of the world has been excevated. Of course, all the good things are probably alredy in the musyoms, but there probably is more info about him.)

Ok, back to topic. So... Nomater if I win, you guys won't change your life. You, as I compleatly think, are believers. Will you be questioning your beliefs? probably. I don't know. It just really won't be a good use of time.

[Jack Dudeman]

Questioning one's beliefs is healthy. Whether they are science-based, or faith-based. And there's no winning or losing a philosophical debate. This conversation has been going on for millenia, and will continue long after all of us are dead and gone.

I like what West had said... Live your life according to the Golden Rule, and there will be peace. But using religion to justify unreasonable acts, like the crusades, the witch hunts of New England, or the attacks on Sept. 11, is deplorable.

Dee, I have a question that I hope you wont mind answering...
I see that you reside in Egypt. Excuse my ignorance, but are there Islamic laws in place there? I mean, are there laws on the books that punish people for doing something that could be interpereted as against Islam, like public displays of affection between the unmarried, or a woman not wearing her scarf? (I don't remember what the head-wrap is called... forgive me)

[Dee]

Dee, I have a question that I hope you wont mind answering...
I see that you reside in Egypt. Excuse my ignorance, but are there Islamic laws in place there? I mean, are there laws on the books that punish people for doing something that could be interpereted as against Islam, like public displays of affection between the unmarried, or a woman not wearing her scarf? (I don't remember what the head-wrap is called... forgive me)

Jack Dudeman, the head-scarf is called hijab.

Now, there's no punishment against those who do not wear the hijab, I don't wear it, and there millions other than me who are not wearing it. There is no law against not wearing it.

Now, when someone commits a sin (a couple having an intercourse without being married) then yes, the law is against it. I'm not really sure about it, but I think that the law is against it. I know for sure that prostitutes are punished for, you know, prostitution.

And there is this one thing that the relegion is strongly against (I know some people are going to be mad at this), it's the sexual relationships between homosexuals. I don't know what's the punishment for this, but I think it's death sentence.

[Jack Dudeman]

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but don't you find it intrusive into your personal life that the government can punish you if you are intimate with someone? Or even worse, kill you if you find love with someone of the same sex as yourself?

That's a good example, in my opinion, of people using religion to justify totally unreasonable acts or laws.

[deadboy]

I agree, sexuality should not be something defined within laws

[Dee]

I don't mean to be disrespectful, but don't you find it intrusive into your personal life that the government can punish you if you are intimate with someone? Or even worse, kill you if you find love with someone of the same sex as yourself?

That's a good example, in my opinion, of people using religion to justify totally unreasonable acts or laws.

This is going to be hard to explain, with my not so perfect english and all, so I hope you'll understand.

Most of the egyptians are relegious, sure there is a big percentage of them that have sex without being married and also some are homosexual, but the big majority are relegious.

God does not prohibit us from doing something unless it is harmful to us. Now, we know that homosexuality can be very dangerous, HIV disease and all, and sex can get you in trouble by making an unwanted baby. We are all convinced that it is for our best that these things are prohibited, and some do avoid it, and some don't.

Personally, I don't find it intrusive that the government punishes people if they are intimate with someone. Call me ignorant, call me whatever you want to call me, it's the best for us all, and I don't mind it.

[Antichrist_Online]

HIV is spread more through hetrosexual sex than homosexual sex, especially in females, so that isn't good justification. Homosexuality has the same downsides as hetrosexuality without the chance of accidental procreation so arguing it is more dangerous is a missinformed perspective. HIV was introduced into humans by consuming Apes with the disease not through sex, and was originally caused by canabalism in the Apes.

[Jack Dudeman]

Homosexuality should not be involved in any law anywhere, in my opinion. It has been taboo for so many years that it is, to some, a punishable crime.

I think that's why Christianity is against gay/lesbian relationships... The Romans who were occupying the 'holy land' during biblical times accepted homosexuality as a natural part of life, from what I understand. The early Christians were rebelling against the oppressive occupation by calling customs of the occupying force sinful.

I can't really back that up with anything, but it is what I think.

I can't relate that to the Muslim faith, because I am largely uninformed on that subject.

And maybe it's because I'm an American, but I can't imagine any government enforcing so-called morality laws, for example:

Sodomy, interracial relationships, homosexuality, intercourse before marraige, or anything else involving your personal life.

[Pie]

Here's a thought. America Is in the same prediciment. We make it so that people can't have sex, JUST BECOUS OF THE YEAR THEY WERE BORN IN(A.K.A. Minors) I mean, ISN'T THAT INTRUSIVE? And, we force people to stay away frome other people!! Isn't that intrusive? AND we make it so that people have can't deny someone a house becous of theyr race or color(Sure, you shouldn't, but FORCING SOMEONE????) AND WE FORCE PEOPLE TO BUCKLE UP!!! AND WE FORCE PEOPLE TO NOT HAVE METH(and other drugs) AND WE MAKE IT SO PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE A DOCTOR'S NOTE TO GET A DRUG!!!

It's the old, frog in a boiler. Turn the heat up quick, and the frog will jump out.turn it up slowly, and you can EAT FROG'S LEGS!!! WERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE!!!

And theres the other thing, about HUMAN RIGHTS!! IT'S MY DECITION!!
I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SKREW UP MY LIFE!!! I HAVE A RIGHT TO MY DICITION!! It's MY BODY!!

[Mykey]

In it something is. Clearly, many thanks for the information.

[Joshuamonkey]

JUST BECOUS OF THE YEAR THEY WERE BORN IN(A.K.A. Minors)

You think 3 years old should drive? When people are that young, they can't make as good decisions.

I also think an adult is someone with a good grasp of reality 16 yrs of age or older.

lol, that's definitely not adult age. How old are you?

I can't relate that to the Muslim faith, because I am largely uninformed on that subject.

We know a muslim family. We give their kid candy every Halloween.

And there is this one thing that the relegion is strongly against (I know some people are going to be mad at this), it's the sexual relationships between homosexuals. I don't know what's the punishment for this, but I think it's death sentence.

Yes! Another religion agrees! We're not into the whole death sentence thing though...

[Mykey]

It seems to me, you were mistaken

[formerly known as hf]

I all for the total abolishment of age-based restrictions, or, at least, lowering them quite extensively.

The 'childhood' we are trying to 'protect' is a modern, western concept. Teenagers may or may not be entirely able to make well informed, rational judgements about their own lives. The same way adults may or may not be able to make the same judgement.

By enforcing curfews, by assuming teenagers in public are a threat, by seeing most teenagers in urban areas as guilty until prooven innocent, we are alienating a whole generation.

By refusing to consider that teenagers themselves may know what's best for them, by refusing to involve them in decisions made about their lives, we are undermining their personal freedoms in deciding things about their own lives.

Children do not consider sexual activity to be inherently wrong. That is an adult assumption. We worry about destroying a child's innocence' if they experience sexual activity in any way. Even if it through normative 'exploration' with other children of the same age - something which probably has no sexual connotations in the adult sense. Yet, what really destroys a childs innocence are the parents and carers who make this activity - which seems so natural - into something which is wrong and dirty.

[formerly known as hf]

And there is this one thing that the relegion is strongly against (I know some people are going to be mad at this), it's the sexual relationships between homosexuals. I don't know what's the punishment for this, but I think it's death sentence.

Yes! Another religion agrees! We're not into the whole death sentence thing though...

Hooray! Yeah! Hang them all! Damn them to hell! All those horrible people doing things in their own home and not affecting anyone else! Send them to prison! Put them in the chair!