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  1. TheTrendyCynic

    Right and wrong, Good and evil,

    Because I am aware that it profoundly challenges a moral framework that, for most people, has been accepted without question, and I'd like people to ask those questions. Because I am aware it is a controversial issue with a lot of potential for some really fun discussion... after the...
  2. TheTrendyCynic

    Right and wrong, Good and evil,

    Yes, it is. Well, I may be premature here -- I'm about 100 pages from the end of Atlas Shrugged, and I've yet to fully explore Objectivism on the web before I decide whether or not I agree with all of its finer points (I would, for example, like to see its take on disaster relief). But I am...
  3. TheTrendyCynic

    Can drugs and/or alcohol lead us to greater spirituality?

    This is a misleading statement; even if it is true, every possible definition of 'altered state' could likely be explained by a drug influencing the speed at which different parts of the brain function. From my own experiences, I assure you that every possible definition of 'altered...
  4. TheTrendyCynic

    Religion: Evolution Of The Perfect Lie

    Sorry it's taken me so long to respond -- I'm not usually near the computer over the weekend. It is clear that you are very familiar with Orthodox Judaism; much more familiar with the faith than I am. You clearly hold that Orthodox Judaism has not changed more than negligibly over the centuries...
  5. TheTrendyCynic

    Religion: Evolution Of The Perfect Lie

    I 'chatted' about Leviticus? We need an rolling-eyes smiley. ;) My defense of the evolution of Orthodox Judaism is whole. It may not be complete yet -- hopefully you'll help me refine it as you attempt to refute it -- but I'm happy with that defense. It's not my turn to 'better' explain it...
  6. TheTrendyCynic

    Can drugs and/or alcohol lead us to greater spirituality?

    At the heart of any drug experience (especially psychadelics like mushroom, peyote and LSD) is an altered mental state. It is hard to describe this altered mental state as better or worse than normal, as even characteristics that are traditionally thought to be impeded by drug use (mental...
  7. TheTrendyCynic

    Right and wrong, Good and evil,

    I agree -- though my standard for absolute morality is not a theological one. I think the claim being made by anyone who espouses absolute morality is that there does exist a universal standard of cross-culture morality. The differences in various moral codes are explained by errors in...
  8. TheTrendyCynic

    Religion: Evolution Of The Perfect Lie

    Deat. 32.8, you already asked me to do that. I already did do that. Please return to that post and the ones that followed for my take on Orthodox Judaism and evolution. If there's something you'd like expanded, or an issue you wish to refute, go right ahead and ask -- I'll answer every single...
  9. TheTrendyCynic

    Religion: Evolution Of The Perfect Lie

    I'm not sure if you mean this as a serious objection; do you believe I am making an equivocation fallacy by excluding you as a social influence of the type responsible for the natural selection of ideas? If so, please say so explicitly -- and explain why, or ask the explicit questions you need...
  10. TheTrendyCynic

    Right and wrong, Good and evil,

    I'm still interested in discussing this, if anyone wishes to address my posts.
  11. TheTrendyCynic

    Religion: Evolution Of The Perfect Lie

    You're right; 'perfectly evolved' is an extreme ideal that is impossible to differentiate. Let me reword the above rebuttal: [color=Black]You're right, which is why a necessary component to my argument is another statement: If an idea is based on objective fact, then it will not be able...
  12. TheTrendyCynic

    Objectivism & Original Sin

    :banghead3 How you feel isn't relevant to the point being made -- the point is that it is an illogical absurdity for a moral code to weigh life in favor of evil and set humanity along a life-long struggle with death as its only purpose. A good point; I agree with everything else you wrote too...
  13. TheTrendyCynic

    Right and wrong, Good and evil,

    You know, I have a novel idea: Instead of attacking my motives or my actions or my self-evident ignorance, why don't you attack what I wrote? I haven't made unsupported assumptions; I quoted specific Bible passages and explained what I've said and why I said it. If my points are so...
  14. TheTrendyCynic

    Objectivism & Original Sin

    I'm in the midst of exploring the philosophy of Objectivism. You may gather from my avatar and my signature that I'm quite the fan of Ayn Rand's unconventional wisdom. I'll be bringing up Objectivist morality in a few threads as I learn more about it, but it's too involved a subject to quickly...
  15. TheTrendyCynic

    Religion: Evolution Of The Perfect Lie

    Very well: Darwinian natural selection applies to the abstract concept of ideas. (1) Ideas will change involuntarily, unless resisted, in response to environmental stimuli as Darwinian natural selection describes. The environment in which ideas exist is society. (2, 3) Ideas will change...
  16. TheTrendyCynic

    Religion: Evolution Of The Perfect Lie

    That's irrelevant to what I'm claiming. I'm not talking about science. Did I mention science once in my entire argument? Not at all. My only point with regard to the comment about religion backing itself into a corner is that religion has fewer questions to answer today than it did a thousand...
  17. TheTrendyCynic

    Right and wrong, Good and evil,

    I've made points and I've supported them. There are clear lines of logic in all of my posts, lines of logic that can be followed and, should you deign to take the time, refuted. Here, I've given clear Biblical examples where Jesus Christ himself affirms a black and white decree with...
  18. TheTrendyCynic

    Religion: Evolution Of The Perfect Lie

    [/font][/color]I completely agree with you that science doesn't have all the answers. My point is that religion, over the centuries, has found itself left with fewer and fewer questions to answer. It once existed to explain everything from fire to the wind to thunderstorms to volcanoes. As...
  19. TheTrendyCynic

    Religion: Evolution Of The Perfect Lie

    I've been debating evolution vs. creationism/intelligent design for years. I feel your pain. :) As I have explained, my only intention in using the word 'compel' was to express that natural selection is not voluntary. You see evolution as a sieve. When you're sifting flour, do the small grains...
  20. TheTrendyCynic

    Right and wrong, Good and evil,

    I didn't mean to imply that at all -- my only purpose in bringing Bush up was to show that this man, who over half the country voted for, clearly and regularly violates the sacred morality of his faith while continuing to use that faith to justify his actions. It was only an example of someone...
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