OCD, Coincidences, and Faith.

[irish]

Oh, and please take your homophobic preaching somewhere else. As for your examples, it used to be illegal for women to hold political office, or for couples to divorce without a criminal ocurrance, and in some places it is still illegal to practice free religion, such as yours. Being illegal does not make it wrong.

I was talking specifically about legalizing drugs. Why the need for it?
Irish.

Were you raised on afterschool specials or something? "Drugs" are more complicated than many make them out to be. For example, people want to legalize marijuana, not meth or PCP. Namely beacuse pot doesn't cause people to try to rip their skin off.[/quote]

My nephew dropped out of  high school junior year because some "upper classman" said he could make money dealing to the high school.
I don't care if drug dealers sit in jail for years.  That said, if it was legal perhaps that would take out the money drug dealers make.  I don't know; I don't need drugs to get through a day.
Irish.

[Plu]

Sounds like your nephew is an idiot. Someone should've told him how to critically examine claims, he probably would've refused to do it then.

And yeah, if you legalise drugs then the dealers go away because they'll be replaced with businesses. Especially when it comes to things like weed, which are officially classified as less potent then coffee. Do you like coffee? It's a drug by all definitions of the word except the legal one. If you need coffee to get through the day, congratulations, you're a druggie. Or do you prefer alcohol? It's a hard-drug, scientifically speaking. Not to mention the most destructive drug out there. It's just that people don't refer to it as a hard-drug because of marketing and because there's money to be made. Or maybe smoking?

[irish]

Sounds like your nephew is an idiot. Someone should've told him how to critically examine claims, he probably would've refused to do it then.

And yeah, if you legalise drugs then the dealers go away because they'll be replaced with businesses. Especially when it comes to things like weed, which are officially classified as less potent then coffee. Do you like coffee? It's a drug by all definitions of the word except the legal one. If you need coffee to get through the day, congratulations, you're a druggie. Or do you prefer alcohol? It's a hard-drug, scientifically speaking. Not to mention the most destructive drug out there. It's just that people don't refer to it as a hard-drug because of marketing and because there's money to be made. Or maybe smoking?

You  make a valid point; I can't judge my nephew.  I was an idiot in my day at times but some pothead told him he could make money dealing in the high school so he did.  What the F now?

You are right then businesses will just sell drugs so what is better?  NEITHER.  You can drive around high on coffee and not kill people.  Alcoholics drive around loaded all the time and kill people.  I agree alcohol is the most destructive drug out there and I believe it should be outlawed too.  Smoking, watch someone choke to death from COPD and that says it all.
Then they get their oxygen and still smoke and start fires dumb son of a bitches.
Irish.

[Plu]

Unfortunately though, outlawing substances only makes the abuse worse. So that leaves you with two options. Either you can be realistic, and decide to go for the path of least destruction (which is legalisation supported by good information on just how bad this shit is and help for anyone who needs it), or you can decide to deny reality and live in fantasy-land, where outlawing drugs is pretending to solve the problem even though you're really just making things worse by refusing to see the world for what it is.

(Interesting statistic: there is a larger percentage of the US population using marijuana than there is in the Netherlands, even though in the US it's punishable by years in prison and in the Netherlands it's perfectly legal and available everywhere.)

(Interesting statistic two: just like you can be high on coffee and not kill anyone, you can be high on marijuana and not kill anyone, because that drug is completely harmless.)

When a problem doesn't go away, you can either hide your head in the sand or try to make the most of it. Unfortunately most people prefer hiding their heads in the sand, and that's why the world of drugs is as fucked up as it is.

[irish]

Unfortunately though, outlawing substances only makes the abuse worse. So that leaves you with two options. Either you can be realistic, and decide to go for the path of least destruction (which is legalisation supported by good information on just how bad this shit is and help for anyone who needs it), or you can decide to deny reality and live in fantasy-land, where outlawing drugs is pretending to solve the problem even though you're really just making things worse by refusing to see the world for what it is.

(Interesting statistic: there is a larger percentage of the US population using marijuana than there is in the Netherlands, even though in the US it's punishable by years in prison and in the Netherlands it's perfectly legal and available everywhere.)

(Interesting statistic two: just like you can be high on coffee and not kill anyone, you can be high on marijuana and not kill anyone, because that drug is completely harmless.)

When a problem doesn't go away, you can either hide your head in the sand or try to make the most of it. Unfortunately most people prefer hiding their heads in the sand, and that's why the world of drugs is as fucked up as it is.

I'm almost a believer in legalizing marijuana.  What the hell?
Back in the day the people I knew that smoked pot just sat around stoned and ate snacks.  
I'd rather see some murderer in jail than some pothead.  Dealers I don't care.
Irish.

[Plu]

I'm almost a believer in legalizing marijuana. What the hell?

Good, then you're almost there :)

[stromboli]

Oh, and please take your homophobic preaching somewhere else. As for your examples, it used to be illegal for women to hold political office, or for couples to divorce without a criminal ocurrance, and in some places it is still illegal to practice free religion, such as yours. Being illegal does not make it wrong.

I was talking specifically about legalizing drugs. Why the need for it?
Irish.

Were you raised on afterschool specials or something? "Drugs" are more complicated than many make them out to be. For example, people want to legalize marijuana, not meth or PCP. Namely beacuse pot doesn't cause people to try to rip their skin off.

My nephew dropped out of  high school junior year because some "upper classman" said he could make money dealing to the high school.
I don't care if drug dealers sit in jail for years.  That said, if it was legal perhaps that would take out the money drug dealers make.  I don't know; I don't need drugs to get through a day.
Irish.[/quote]

And yet it doesn't stop you from being judgmental and accusatory.

"For what have I to do with judging outsiders?  Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?" (1 Corinthians 5:12)

Matthew 7:3-5 Jesus said, "Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye,' while there is a beam in your own? 5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

You came on this forum. We did not force you. You have made judgmental statements and accusations. Paul taught that judgment was among your own people, not for outsiders. We are outside your religion. You are a hypocrite. "Judge not lest ye be judged?" Read your own damn scriptures.

[stromboli]

Have faith, Drunken. Irish is working on a devastating comeback. Or maybe got lost in the bathroom, you never know.

[irish]

And yet it doesn't stop you from being judgmental and accusatory.

"For what have I to do with judging outsiders?  Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?" (1 Corinthians 5:12)

Matthew 7:3-5 Jesus said, "Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye,' while there is a beam in your own? 5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

You came on this forum. We did not force you. You have made judgmental statements and accusations. Paul taught that judgment was among your own people, not for outsiders. We are outside your religion. You are a hypocrite. "Judge not lest ye be judged?" Read your own damn scriptures.[/quote]

Give  me a break!  I disagree with gay marriage and sex, so what?
I'm not a huge supporter of legalizing dope even marijuana, so what?

  So do others.  From what I've seen about why people are atheists is bizarre.  PROVE TO ME THERE IS A GOD: nope the burden of proof is on you.  Prove there is not a God.
Irish

[Plu]

Give me a break! I disagree with gay marriage and sex, so what?

The problem is that you're giving other people shit over something that doesn't affect you. You're basically trying to ruin the life of other people, but as soon as it comes to something that would harm you, you ignore everything your bible says.

(If the above thing about ruining people's lives comes as a surprise to you, it's time to take off the blinders and start looking at the real world.)

So do others.

Just because most people suck doesn't mean you have to. Nor is it an excuse.

From what I've seen about why people are atheists is bizarre.

That's because you've seen basically nothing except a bunch of people who like getting into arguments hanging out on an online forum. Most people who are atheists are atheists because nobody told them about god when they were kids, and people get smart enough not to buy into it once they hit the age of 16 or so.

PROVE TO ME THERE IS A GOD: nope the burden of proof is on you. Prove there is not a God.

That's not how the burden of evidence works. You claim there is something; you prove it. Otherwise you are hereby required to accept that dragons exist, until you can prove they don't. Because they totally do, and I'm not going to prove it. That's your job.

[Moriarty]

And yet it doesn't stop you from being judgmental and accusatory.

"For what have I to do with judging outsiders?  Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?" (1 Corinthians 5:12)

Matthew 7:3-5 Jesus said, "Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye,' while there is a beam in your own? 5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

You came on this forum. We did not force you. You have made judgmental statements and accusations. Paul taught that judgment was among your own people, not for outsiders. We are outside your religion. You are a hypocrite. "Judge not lest ye be judged?" Read your own damn scriptures.

Give  me a break!  I disagree with gay marriage and sex, so what?
I'm not a huge supporter of legalizing dope even marijuana, so what?

  So do others.  From what I've seen about why people are atheists is bizarre.  PROVE TO ME THERE IS A GOD: nope the burden of proof is on you.  Prove there is not a God.
Irish[/quote]

Sorry, no. You are incorrect. The burden of proof does not lay with Atheists. Partially because I do not care what you, or anyone else believes. You want to believe in the tooth fairy? Go ahead. Just don't try to convert me. Nor have I seen an Atheist try to convert anyone else to believing there is no God, they just point out how ridiculous of a story and concept it is.

The only thing else I can think to say is that I firmly believe one thing: Even on the outside chance that there were some type of "God", it is not any of the ones worshiped on this planet, especially the three main religions.

[irish]

Give me a break! I disagree with gay marriage and sex, so what?

The problem is that you're giving other people shit over something that doesn't affect you. You're basically trying to ruin the life of other people, but as soon as it comes to something that would harm you, you ignore everything your bible says.

(If the above thing about ruining people's lives comes as a surprise to you, it's time to take off the blinders and start looking at the real world.)

So do others.

Just because most people suck doesn't mean you have to. Nor is it an excuse.

From what I've seen about why people are atheists is bizarre.

That's because you've seen basically nothing except a bunch of people who like getting into arguments hanging out on an online forum. Most people who are atheists are atheists because nobody told them about god when they were kids, and people get smart enough not to buy into it once they hit the age of 16 or so.

PROVE TO ME THERE IS A GOD: nope the burden of proof is on you. Prove there is not a God.

That's not how the burden of evidence works. You claim there is something; you prove it. Otherwise you are hereby required to accept that dragons exist, until you can prove they don't. Because they totally do, and I'm not going to prove it. That's your job.

No it's your job...

[Hijiri Byakuren]

No it's your job...

To disprove something that was never proven? You have an odd notion of how the burden of evidence works.

[Manodo]

So do others.  From what I've seen about why people are atheists is bizarre.  PROVE TO ME THERE IS A GOD: nope the burden of proof is on you.  Prove there is not a God.

If a statement is not backed by evidence and/or convincing argument, the logical default is to assume a position of non-belief about that statement.

This is why you do not believe in Allah, Zeus, Unicorn, etc. We apply the same reasoning to one extra agent: Your god.

This, in a nutshell, is the thought process behind most athiests. There is no reason to believe in your God compared to the infinite number of other possibilities if we don't have evidence or reason to eliminate candidates and narrow down the search range.

God is not sufficiently defined to be disprovable anyway, although one can argue that if he has any definite attributes that are contradictory then he cannot logically exist (Example: It cannot be the case that any being is all-loving, all-powerful, and all-knowing).

[Plu]

No it's your job...

Why? I'm perfectly content not believing in god until you prove he's real.

That you're willing to believe in god without him being proven as real is your own problem.

But as others have said; if you want proof that he's not real, just go over all the reasons you don't believe in the existance of any gods other than your own. The reasoning is the same.