I'd have to agree with space marine that atheism is mentally INflexible, and he actually stated all the reasons I was thinking of while I read your position. Yet, I can't call myself a true believer of a higher being. I don't know what I believe. I do know, however, that I do not belong on either extremes (atheism or I wear God on my shoulder.) After living here and putting up with people's hypocritical bullshit (this is the Bible Belt after all,) I don't know how I can believe the same as them. I know people personally that have never done anything immoral, they have gone to church religiously (pun), and couldn't curse if they tried. Those are the people that are ignorant in my eyes because they will never live life to the fullest. Part of human nature is to do questionable or promiscuous things, but there is a line you're not supposed to cross (that is a different issue entirely.) At the same time I've seen sluts who are just as religious. What's the point? From my utilitarian views, wasn't religion supposed to give you a sense of morals? Religion doesn't have anything to do with that, it's up to the person. Religion is simply not necessary. I'm simply not going to worry about it.
Some of you can say that you believe in God (with a capital 'G,' the Christian God.) You can think that your religion is right and others are wrong. You could believe is so much that you think you know it. From their perspective, they believe they are so right they know you're wrong. The point is, Christianity is just as valid as some tribal religion in a hut in Africa. And to point out a fact, the only reason 99.9% of people today are Christian, is because somebody told them to. In the first decade of the fourth century AD, six men vied for the leadership of Rome, among them Maxentius (proclaimed emperor by the Roman Praetorian Guard) and Constantine the Great. In 312, Constantine advanced across the Alps toward an army commanded by Maxentius and challenged him at the Mulvian bridge over the Tiber. On the afternoon before the legendary battle, Constantine had a vision: a flaming cross outlined against the sun, emblazoned with the Greek words "En toutoi nika" (In this sign you shall conquer). Then, as he slept that night, a voice addressed him in a dream, commanding him to have his soldiers mark the chi rho (the monogram for Christ) upon their shields. Constantine obeyed, attacked Maxentius, and won. Constantine legalized Christianity in 325 and force Christianity upon the population. You are only Christian because your parents told you about it. Your parents are only Christian because their parents told them about it. You are only Christian because Constantine made your ancestors Christian. You only believe in God because someone told you to. Now you do it yourself because you've been programmed to, through the way you've been raised.
I love meat. I love animals because I can eat them. Yet Michael, something has to die in order for you to live, that's how life works. Since you're vegan, you increase the demand for vegetables, fruits, etc. Since the demand has gone up, the supply will need to go up to meet that demand. To meet that supply, producers have to farm more land. In order to farm more land, they have to take it away from nature and animals. The animals die because they don't have anywhere to live. In some way or another, you still kill animals. 0.o This way is just more gradual. You could say, that you are just one person and don't matter. I am just one person. I eat meat. They have to kill an extra something to feed me. I am damn well glad they do because it tastes good and provides sustinence.
I don't believe true Communism could ever work because it goes against the human nature of people to better themselves.
"You are only Christian because your parents told you about it. Your parents are only Christian because their parents told them about it. You are only Christian because Constantine made your ancestors Christian. You only believe in God because someone told you to"
That is not always true. I know plenty of people that are christian for diffrent reason, more personal reasons. Yes passing it down through family is the biggest trend but its not the only.
My point was that you wouldn't even have been exposed to Christianity if it weren't for Constantine. If he had not done that, Christianity would seem just as foreign and unfamiliar as any other religion to which you are not affiliated.
While that is very true that people are Christian for different reasons, I think it would have been unusual to have become so if Christianity wasn't MADE popular. It would be the equivalent of me becoming Shinto by today's standards.
"I love meat. I love animals because I can eat them. Yet Michael, something has to die in order for you to live, that's how life works. Since you're vegan, you increase the demand for vegetables, fruits, etc. Since the demand has gone up, the supply will need to go up to meet that demand. To meet that supply, producers have to farm more land. In order to farm more land, they have to take it away from nature and animals. The animals die because they don't have anywhere to live. In some way or another, you still kill animals. 0.o This way is just more gradual. You could say, that you are just one person and don't matter. I am just one person. I eat meat. They have to kill an extra something to feed me. I am damn well glad they do because it tastes good and provides sustinence."
By being vegan you do not neccesarily increase the about of fruits and vegtables needed to be produced. You decrease the amount of those fruits and vegtables that go to waste and you do not give money to corporations that exploit and kill animals.i dont think they saw that I went vegan and said man we need about 2 more acres of land. Do you think that slaughterhouses are better for the enviroment then farmland? The biodiversity if more extreme with warehouses and big buildings than you know plants. "Pollution associated with AFOs( animal feeding operations) degrades the quality of waters, threatens drinking water sources, and may harm air quality". I don t think that farm land is any worse than commercial land.
It takes more land water and energy to produce meat than vegtables.What feeds animals? plants. both need land. So by being vegan or vegetarian s you are using less land than you would by eating meat.
Well, for starters, I love your view on religion. I agree--all are equally unnecessary.
But, the reason I don't believe in God, as I stated in a comment above, is not just because I see a world that doesn't match up with the concept of God (though that is part of it). There are just so many philosophical questions which, when answered, point to the nonexistance of God. Plus, I've thought that the idea of a higher being was kind of ridiculous for a while now. I just don't think it makes sense. I find it as ridiculous as fundamentalist Christians see the big bang theory. Also, I accept atheism because I see religion as destructive, and a roadblock to human happiness--which I think only reason will lead to.
And my problem with meat is not necessarily that it is killed--more that it a life wasted inside a factory, and THEN killed, often times inhumanely. Also, the same plot of land if used for crops will feed 3 times the amount of people than if used for raising meat. It takes much more land to raise meat. Environmental issues are, in fact, a very large part of why I'm vegan. One of the largest pollutants is the meat industry. I just don't think that, even if everyone went vegan, there would be so many crops that the animal populations would die out.
Human nature is a subject that I like to debate about. Yes, it is in human nature to better oneself, but that does not necessarily have anything to do with monetary gain. Marx never said that he was against people recieving recognition and praise for their work, in fact, that's probably encouraged. Collective ownership of the means of production does not make it impossible to better oneself.
Exactly. The purpose of civilization is to suppress human nature--or, I would rather say the humans' leftover animalistic nature. Murder, lust, stealing, etc, could all be brought under that blanket term "human nature." All of those are suppressed in virtually all human societies. In our own particular society, however, greed is given a very large place to grow and fester...and in fact, I have an argument that greed was rather learned as societies grew larger and more complex, rather than greed being part of "human nature." I could talk forever about this, but I think I'll just leave it at that.
Well, if you read and buy into the philosophy of Simone de Bevoir, then you'll see how she explains her feeling that humans are without instinct or nature. It's quite brilliant actually. One of her points is that the basic instinct of all creatures is survival; therefore, if humans have instinct, then explain suicide. Of course, all beings can do things that are out of character, or against the will of instinct; however, it is not likely that so many tens of thousands would commit suicide as an act against instinct, but rather an act of desperation or chemical imbalance. I don't really understand all of the science of it, and I'm not sure I believe it wholly, but it is quite interesting.
Pshh, it takes hardly any land to raise meat. Haven't you seen those PETA videos? Animals live in a box and are fed trash- just like mother nature intended.
Also, I'd like to say that I'm not going to tell you to stop eating meat. I think that's just as fair as, say, the government stepping in and telling you not to eat meat. I do think that the meat industry is in absolutely desperate need of reform, and if it does not, then I think that it should just be scrapped entirely, because it really does do more harm than good when you look at environmental issues, labor issues, etc. But I'm not going to police what you do...that's not my place, and that isn't anybody's place.
Some of you can say that you believe in God (with a capital 'G,' the Christian God.) You can think that your religion is right and others are wrong. You could believe is so much that you think you know it. From their perspective, they believe they are so right they know you're wrong. The point is, Christianity is just as valid as some tribal religion in a hut in Africa. And to point out a fact, the only reason 99.9% of people today are Christian, is because somebody told them to. In the first decade of the fourth century AD, six men vied for the leadership of Rome, among them Maxentius (proclaimed emperor by the Roman Praetorian Guard) and Constantine the Great. In 312, Constantine advanced across the Alps toward an army commanded by Maxentius and challenged him at the Mulvian bridge over the Tiber. On the afternoon before the legendary battle, Constantine had a vision: a flaming cross outlined against the sun, emblazoned with the Greek words "En toutoi nika" (In this sign you shall conquer). Then, as he slept that night, a voice addressed him in a dream, commanding him to have his soldiers mark the chi rho (the monogram for Christ) upon their shields. Constantine obeyed, attacked Maxentius, and won. Constantine legalized Christianity in 325 and force Christianity upon the population. You are only Christian because your parents told you about it. Your parents are only Christian because their parents told them about it. You are only Christian because Constantine made your ancestors Christian. You only believe in God because someone told you to. Now you do it yourself because you've been programmed to, through the way you've been raised.
I love meat. I love animals because I can eat them. Yet Michael, something has to die in order for you to live, that's how life works. Since you're vegan, you increase the demand for vegetables, fruits, etc. Since the demand has gone up, the supply will need to go up to meet that demand. To meet that supply, producers have to farm more land. In order to farm more land, they have to take it away from nature and animals. The animals die because they don't have anywhere to live. In some way or another, you still kill animals. 0.o This way is just more gradual. You could say, that you are just one person and don't matter. I am just one person. I eat meat. They have to kill an extra something to feed me. I am damn well glad they do because it tastes good and provides sustinence.
I don't believe true Communism could ever work because it goes against the human nature of people to better themselves.
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That is not always true. I know plenty of people that are christian for diffrent reason, more personal reasons. Yes passing it down through family is the biggest trend but its not the only.
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Good fucking point.
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While that is very true that people are Christian for different reasons, I think it would have been unusual to have become so if Christianity wasn't MADE popular. It would be the equivalent of me becoming Shinto by today's standards.
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or since the puritans were christian.
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By being vegan you do not neccesarily increase the about of fruits and vegtables needed to be produced. You decrease the amount of those fruits and vegtables that go to waste and you do not give money to corporations that exploit and kill animals.i dont think they saw that I went vegan and said man we need about 2 more acres of land. Do you think that slaughterhouses are better for the enviroment then farmland? The biodiversity if more extreme with warehouses and big buildings than you know plants.
"Pollution associated with AFOs( animal feeding operations) degrades the quality of waters, threatens drinking water sources, and may harm air quality". I don t think that farm land is any worse than commercial land.
It takes more land water and energy to produce meat than vegtables.What feeds animals? plants. both need land. So by being vegan or vegetarian s you are using less land than you would by eating meat.
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But, the reason I don't believe in God, as I stated in a comment above, is not just because I see a world that doesn't match up with the concept of God (though that is part of it). There are just so many philosophical questions which, when answered, point to the nonexistance of God. Plus, I've thought that the idea of a higher being was kind of ridiculous for a while now. I just don't think it makes sense. I find it as ridiculous as fundamentalist Christians see the big bang theory. Also, I accept atheism because I see religion as destructive, and a roadblock to human happiness--which I think only reason will lead to.
And my problem with meat is not necessarily that it is killed--more that it a life wasted inside a factory, and THEN killed, often times inhumanely. Also, the same plot of land if used for crops will feed 3 times the amount of people than if used for raising meat. It takes much more land to raise meat. Environmental issues are, in fact, a very large part of why I'm vegan. One of the largest pollutants is the meat industry. I just don't think that, even if everyone went vegan, there would be so many crops that the animal populations would die out.
Human nature is a subject that I like to debate about. Yes, it is in human nature to better oneself, but that does not necessarily have anything to do with monetary gain. Marx never said that he was against people recieving recognition and praise for their work, in fact, that's probably encouraged. Collective ownership of the means of production does not make it impossible to better oneself.
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