Religious people are less intelligent than atheists
18 August 2013, 05:38 PM
#361
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Confirmation bias is one. I went to see www.godvsmindreader.com at the Fringe yesterday. Most interesting.
18 August 2013, 10:34 PM
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It was fantastic. My wife took part in some of the activities and was not an audience plant or stooge.
More impressive than any of the so called words of knowledge from Christian circles I spent too much time in.
More impressive than any of the so called words of knowledge from Christian circles I spent too much time in.
Last edited by john banks; 18 August 2013 at 10:35 PM.
18 August 2013, 11:00 PM
#365
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Really, anyone who believes in anything, including atheism should be aware of how fallible their intellect is and especially how skewed their perception of their own intelligence might be!
If you're reading this thread and thinking you're a liberated intellect, can see things others can't when presented with the same information, or are the master of your own mind ..... I've got some rather bad news for you!
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18 August 2013, 11:02 PM
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A pointless and silly debate. Meh, I think it was Niezche who said that atheism was just a continuation of a process that began with monotheism. Now that I've studied a little of Wittgenstein I just can't take the atheists seriously in their earnestness anyway. They seem naive.
18 August 2013, 11:09 PM
#367
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You might like this book, John it's a really good introduction into cognitive bias and heuristics. it gets the take home messages across without burdening the reader with all the experimental background. I teach Psychology at degree level and above and suggest that all students read this before commencing their studies!
You Are Not So Smart: Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, Why You Have Too Many Friends On Facebook And 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself: Amazon.co.uk: David Mcraney: Books
Really, anyone who believes in anything, including atheism should be aware of how fallible their intellect is and especially how skewed their perception of their own intelligence might be!
If you're reading this thread and thinking you're a liberated intellect, can see things others can't when presented with the same information, or are the master of your own mind ..... I've got some rather bad news for you!
You Are Not So Smart: Why Your Memory Is Mostly Fiction, Why You Have Too Many Friends On Facebook And 46 Other Ways You're Deluding Yourself: Amazon.co.uk: David Mcraney: Books
Really, anyone who believes in anything, including atheism should be aware of how fallible their intellect is and especially how skewed their perception of their own intelligence might be!
If you're reading this thread and thinking you're a liberated intellect, can see things others can't when presented with the same information, or are the master of your own mind ..... I've got some rather bad news for you!
"I have only read half the book. I find it gets a bit tedious after a while.
I got the message. I am not so smart, maybe because I bought the book."
18 August 2013, 11:40 PM
#368
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I think the best review I ever read was for the Iphone in response to an un-boxing video on Youtube
"I want this phone so badly it makes me hard ...... and I'm a a girl!"
Or
In response to a moving extract of a tear-jerker film e.g. Watership down:
"The hardest thing I've ever masturbated to"
18 August 2013, 11:46 PM
#369
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Sorry but you clearly don't if you think I have a problem with religion (or you are at the start of a promising career in politics and are merely practicing the fine art of spin).
I personally have no problem with religion what so ever, if you or anyone else choose to follow a religion that is entirely up to you and I full respect your right to do so.
The bit I have a problem with is the people who feel the need to try and enforce there views in others and belittle the opposition in any discussion. Be that the so called 'Atheists' who like to refer to religious types as simpletons, or your own use of semi derogatory terms to describe non-Muslims.
I personally have no problem with religion what so ever, if you or anyone else choose to follow a religion that is entirely up to you and I full respect your right to do so.
The bit I have a problem with is the people who feel the need to try and enforce there views in others and belittle the opposition in any discussion. Be that the so called 'Atheists' who like to refer to religious types as simpletons, or your own use of semi derogatory terms to describe non-Muslims.
Your beliefs have no relevance to me. It's nice that you have it some thought etc however I really don't care. As long as you are a good human to me the rest is irrelevant. If you don't like something then that is a hurdle you must pass yourself. Don't expect the world to change for you.
Last edited by Shaid; 19 August 2013 at 09:23 AM.
19 August 2013, 12:11 AM
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Hodgy might not have made the point particularly diplomatically, but would you honestly dispute that if you and your siblings hadn't grown up in a Muslim family to begin with, and that family hadn't had close social ties with numerous other Muslim people, the odds of you still being or becoming a Muslim by the time you reached adulthood would have been much bigger than you winning the lottery? I think you'd struggle to argue the opposite very convincingly.
Similarly, not only will the social pressure on you and your siblings to at least keep up the appearance of being a Muslim once you've reached adulthood be very real, but the opportunities for you to actually step back and take some proper time to dispassionately weigh up the validity of your faith in terms of hard-nosed logic and historical accuracy are probably going to be fairly thin on the ground also.
Add all of that up, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to say that being a Muslim in modern Britain is any more about actual belief than de facto membership of a group, at least not for the vast majority in your generation or younger.
Similarly, not only will the social pressure on you and your siblings to at least keep up the appearance of being a Muslim once you've reached adulthood be very real, but the opportunities for you to actually step back and take some proper time to dispassionately weigh up the validity of your faith in terms of hard-nosed logic and historical accuracy are probably going to be fairly thin on the ground also.
Add all of that up, and I think you'd be hard-pressed to say that being a Muslim in modern Britain is any more about actual belief than de facto membership of a group, at least not for the vast majority in your generation or younger.
Then I met a few what you would call extremists who told me how it is. The crap that is going down in the world that's being carried out by the country to our brothers and sisters and why all my life every other white person could call me a paki and nobody would batter an eyelid. Fortunately things have changed.
The 'extremists' were the most logical of everyone. However the current crop are plain wrong and too political.
Now what was that about atheists thinking they have authority to make judgement.
Oh well lets imagine I was goody two shoes and was a good little boy forever then yes I would be Muslim for ever and ever and ever.
Fortunately God has given me the capacity to think for myself and I have evaluated my religion many times over. I nearly left on a couple of occasions. Never for another religion but either agnostic or god believer with no religion.
Let me tell you something that will surprise you. When I argue with religious people and use atheistic type arguments I can get them tongue twisted and angry easily. The only people who I can't are educated Muslim youngsters. You guys would simply dismiss them as brainwashed. It's the atheistic cop out.
If you really want to know what is driving more Muslim youngsters towards Islam rather than away from it. It isn't their parents or the mosques. It is the constant attention and headlines Islam makes. A Muslim will do something daft or the media article will say 'oooo Muslims'. The youngster will say 'wtf this isn't Islam' do some research and learn the truth. It's an ongoing cycle.
You see in the Quran Allah stated that 'the (you guys) will plan, so will he. And he is the best of planners'. That's enough preaching for me
Oh and if it makes you feel better there was a cousin of mine who left Islam, turned into a Christian then shortly after turned to communism. No, we didn't execute him. He left because none of us gave a crap about him. Unfortunately life had been very unfair to him. I don't blame him for leaving.
19 August 2013, 10:06 AM
#372
A pointless and silly debate. Meh, I think it was Niezche who said that atheism was just a continuation of a process that began with monotheism. Now that I've studied a little of Wittgenstein I just can't take the atheists seriously in their earnestness anyway. They seem naive.
19 August 2013, 11:39 AM
#373
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A pointless and silly debate. Meh, I think it was Niezche who said that atheism was just a continuation of a process that began with monotheism. Now that I've studied a little of Wittgenstein I just can't take the atheists seriously in their earnestness anyway. They seem naive.
19 August 2013, 12:45 PM
#375
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Dude, seriously.
Your beliefs have no relevance to me. It's nice that you have it some thought etc however I really don't care. As long as you are a good human to me the rest is irrelevant. If you don't like something then that is a hurdle you must pass yourself. Don't expect the world to change for you.
Your beliefs have no relevance to me. It's nice that you have it some thought etc however I really don't care. As long as you are a good human to me the rest is irrelevant. If you don't like something then that is a hurdle you must pass yourself. Don't expect the world to change for you.
You post in this thread passing judgement on other people comments, yet the moment someone actualy tries to be reasonable with you and answer your comments then you spout crap like that. Serves me right for giving the benefit of the doubt really.
19 August 2013, 02:04 PM
#376
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My god what the hell goes through your mind? You post in this thread passing judgement on other people comments, yet the moment someone actualy tries to be reasonable with you and answer your comments then you spout crap like that.
Serves me right for giving the benefit of the doubt really.
You post in this thread passing judgement on other people comments, yet the moment someone actualy tries to be reasonable with you and answer your comments then you spout crap like that. Serves me right for giving the benefit of the doubt really.
Understand this bit.
Your beliefs are personal to you and are no business of mine. You might believe that the Cookie Monster will return or you might convert to Islam and be the best Muslim ever. Either way, your life is irrelevant to me.
I just hope you are a good human being. That is the end of it really. The only bit I actually care about is that you are a good human. The rest is irrelevant.
19 August 2013, 02:20 PM
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Religious arguments are always a waste of time and energy. It just is not possible to get everyone thinking along the same lines anyway.
Far better surely to work out your own ideas and go along with that than to have futile discussions which never come to anything.
I think the answer is to decide what you accept personally and to go along with that, then you will have a happier existence anyway.
Why not just accept that we are all entitled to our own beliefs and what on earth is the point of trying to shout others down because they have a different outlook on the situation. So much easier to go your own way than trying to make everyone else think the same way as yourself. It never works and this thread shows that as well as anything.
Tolerance is such a good thing!
Les
Far better surely to work out your own ideas and go along with that than to have futile discussions which never come to anything.
I think the answer is to decide what you accept personally and to go along with that, then you will have a happier existence anyway.
Why not just accept that we are all entitled to our own beliefs and what on earth is the point of trying to shout others down because they have a different outlook on the situation. So much easier to go your own way than trying to make everyone else think the same way as yourself. It never works and this thread shows that as well as anything.
Tolerance is such a good thing!
Les
19 August 2013, 02:40 PM
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Religious arguments are always a waste of time and energy. It just is not possible to get everyone thinking along the same lines anyway.
Far better surely to work out your own ideas and go along with that than to have futile discussions which never come to anything.
I think the answer is to decide what you accept personally and to go along with that, then you will have a happier existence anyway.
Why not just accept that we are all entitled to our own beliefs and what on earth is the point of trying to shout others down because they have a different outlook on the situation. So much easier to go your own way than trying to make everyone else think the same way as yourself. It never works and this thread shows that as well as anything.
Tolerance is such a good thing!
Les
Far better surely to work out your own ideas and go along with that than to have futile discussions which never come to anything.
I think the answer is to decide what you accept personally and to go along with that, then you will have a happier existence anyway.
Why not just accept that we are all entitled to our own beliefs and what on earth is the point of trying to shout others down because they have a different outlook on the situation. So much easier to go your own way than trying to make everyone else think the same way as yourself. It never works and this thread shows that as well as anything.
Tolerance is such a good thing!
Les
19 August 2013, 02:45 PM
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I ask you this then, what could my alterior motive possibly be?
Last edited by neil-h; 19 August 2013 at 02:46 PM.
19 August 2013, 03:04 PM
#380
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Why not just accept that we are all entitled to our own beliefs and what on earth is the point of trying to shout others down because they have a different outlook on the situation. So much easier to go your own way than trying to make everyone else think the same way as yourself.
Les
Catholism and Africa is a good example
and your statement re tolerance begs the question “what is responsible for most of the worlds intolerance”
19 August 2013, 03:06 PM
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19 August 2013, 03:07 PM
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Jews will overtake once the numbers are big
enough
And then possibly the Chinese or Indians
19 August 2013, 03:19 PM
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Nice to see sticking around has paid off.
19 August 2013, 03:34 PM
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Les
19 August 2013, 03:36 PM
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So you're saying ignorance is the way forward to happiness. It's only through discussion we gain information and understanding of others different from ourselves. Only if we understand each other will we tolerate each other. Most bigotry stems from ignorance and fear of the unknown.
Les
19 August 2013, 03:39 PM
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Other example can include: Video Game Console - are you a Xbox player or a PS3 player? I bet if you said one or the other and I said how rubbish it was and my (opposite) console is better, it get right up your back. Follower.
Music. Any particular band or genre you like? You're a follower.
Vote a particular political party? You're a follower.
Go shopping to Tesco or Asda? You're a follower.
Own a subaru because you thought you wanted a piece of that Rally legend pedigree ? You're a follower.
Everyone follows. Very few people lead.
19 August 2013, 03:40 PM
#389
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Neil, I really do not want your benefit of doubt. Neither do I care about it. I doubt your reasoneability as no doubt just like many people there are ulterior motives behind any questioning. Hence why I don't take you seriously.
Understand this bit.
Your beliefs are personal to you and are no business of mine. You might believe that the Cookie Monster will return or you might convert to Islam and be the best Muslim ever. Either way, your life is irrelevant to me.
I just hope you are a good human being. That is the end of it really. The only bit I actually care about is that you are a good human. The rest is irrelevant.
Understand this bit.
Your beliefs are personal to you and are no business of mine. You might believe that the Cookie Monster will return or you might convert to Islam and be the best Muslim ever. Either way, your life is irrelevant to me.
I just hope you are a good human being. That is the end of it really. The only bit I actually care about is that you are a good human. The rest is irrelevant.
Les
19 August 2013, 03:52 PM
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But it's not that simple though is it Les, Because according to Shaids religion we're lower than snakes bellies for being non believers, according your Christianity we will be sent to Hell for Eternity and have red hot pokers rammed up our ar$es for being non believers.
So the whole thing Shaid says about being a good person and what you said about tolerance being a good thing dosen't wash with me, when your 'two' religions look down their noses at non religious types.
So the whole thing Shaid says about being a good person and what you said about tolerance being a good thing dosen't wash with me, when your 'two' religions look down their noses at non religious types.