Comments for The Velvet Megaphone http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com A blog by John Campbell Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:49:05 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Evolution and God: A personal problem. by Recent Links Tagged With "rationality" - JabberTags http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/evolution-a-personal-problem/#comment-15 Recent Links Tagged With "rationality" - JabberTags Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:49:05 +0000 http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/?p=11#comment-15 [...] on Tue 14-10-2008 Rationality Does Not Apply Here Saved by KogasLove33463 on Tue 14-10-2008 Evolution and God: A personal problem. Saved by rarantes on Mon 13-10-2008 Piper - Rationality and the Structure of the Self Saved by [...] [...] on Tue 14-10-2008 Rationality Does Not Apply Here Saved by KogasLove33463 on Tue 14-10-2008 Evolution and God: A personal problem. Saved by rarantes on Mon 13-10-2008 Piper – Rationality and the Structure of the Self Saved by [...]

]]> Comment on I’m not asking for an explanation. by Kestrel http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/im-not-asking-for-an-explanation/#comment-13 Kestrel Sat, 13 Sep 2008 19:29:59 +0000 http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/?p=37#comment-13 Jesus h christ, that was fucked up. Jesus h christ, that was fucked up.

]]> Comment on Spreeder is efficiently wasting all my time. by Matt http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/spreeder-is-efficiently-wasting-all-my-time/#comment-7 Matt Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:06:37 +0000 http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-7 Oh yeah, I'm going to check out Spreeder! =-) Oh yeah, I’m going to check out Spreeder! =-)

]]> Comment on Spreeder is efficiently wasting all my time. by Matt http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/2008/08/27/spreeder-is-efficiently-wasting-all-my-time/#comment-6 Matt Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:03:45 +0000 http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/?p=28#comment-6 Hey, you don't have to reply, and maybe this isn't the place for this(?), but anyway, I just saw your message on http://photosthatchangedtheworld.com/burning-monk/ , and I wanted to say that the exact same thing happened to me during a class once! (...now that I think about though, I wish I'd left it for future students heh.) # John Says: August 27th, 2008 at 2:06 pm I remember seeing this picture in my history books as a child. I was in the middle of ignoring a lecture, flipping through my textbook, and suddenly saw this. I was so moved I tore it out and kept it. So nice to know we aren't alone, right? hahah Hope you have a productive day Mr. Campbell. Hey, you don’t have to reply, and maybe this isn’t the place for this(?), but anyway, I just saw your message on http://photosthatchangedtheworld.com/burning-monk/ ,
and I wanted to say that the exact same thing happened to me during a class once! (…now that I think about though, I wish I’d left it for future students heh.)

# John Says:
August 27th, 2008 at 2:06 pm

I remember seeing this picture in my history books as a child. I was in the middle of ignoring a lecture, flipping through my textbook, and suddenly saw this. I was so moved I tore it out and kept it.

So nice to know we aren’t alone, right? hahah
Hope you have a productive day Mr. Campbell.

]]> Comment on Evolution and God: A personal problem. by James http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/evolution-a-personal-problem/#comment-5 James Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:07:28 +0000 http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/?p=11#comment-5 The last point is key; when it comes to matters of truth, subjects must be measured on how they pertain to truth. Does to make you feel good to believe in God? That's great! Does prayer comfort you? Does religious belief reduce crime rates? Stupendous! (It actually doesn't; religion is more strongly associated with crime in western society than atheism, but that's aside fromt he point) However, none of those things have any bearing on the truth value of the existence of a God, the accuracy of the Bible, etc. The last point is key; when it comes to matters of truth, subjects must be measured on how they pertain to truth. Does to make you feel good to believe in God? That’s great! Does prayer comfort you? Does religious belief reduce crime rates? Stupendous! (It actually doesn’t; religion is more strongly associated with crime in western society than atheism, but that’s aside fromt he point)

However, none of those things have any bearing on the truth value of the existence of a God, the accuracy of the Bible, etc.

]]> Comment on Evolution and God: A personal problem. by Misanthropic Scott http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/evolution-a-personal-problem/#comment-4 Misanthropic Scott Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:44:48 +0000 http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/?p=11#comment-4 forknowledge has it right. Think of twenty questions, the first is usually animal, vegetable, or mineral? Well, which would you want to be? Me, I'm an animal. Further, I have done a lot of traveling and wildlife viewing. I have looked in the eyes of wild chimpanzees and mountain gorillas. I have seen for myself that they are my cousins. What else could explain the ease with which we can read each others faces almost as easily as those of our own species? But, the proof of evolution is obviously far greater than that. Such stories are merely anecdotal. In much the way that the religious know they are right without doubt, I know evolution is true without doubt. But, that does not make it so. That is emotion, in my case bordering on a form of spirituality of its own. The proof is in the abundance of scientific evidence. I'd suggest reading some of Steven Jay Gould's writing. He could explain Darwin's line that there is grandeur in this view of life as well as anyone. Try <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Full-House-Spread-Excellence-Darwin/dp/0609801406/ref=pd_bbs_sr_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219804834&sr=8-11" rel="nofollow">Full House</a> as a start. I think it might help you get past some of the issues you seem to be having. As for your bitterness to your former self, I can say that even with only a very mild indoctrination to religion, it takes time to come around to trusting evidence rather than faith. The more deeply held your beliefs were and the more deeply you were indoctrinated, the harder it has likely been for you. Rather than beating yourself up for your former beliefs, take some time to congratulate yourself on your growth. You've earned it. Welcome to a world of reason. There is a lot of beauty yet to be discovered in reality. Wallow in it!! forknowledge has it right. Think of twenty questions, the first is usually animal, vegetable, or mineral? Well, which would you want to be? Me, I’m an animal.

Further, I have done a lot of traveling and wildlife viewing. I have looked in the eyes of wild chimpanzees and mountain gorillas. I have seen for myself that they are my cousins. What else could explain the ease with which we can read each others faces almost as easily as those of our own species?

But, the proof of evolution is obviously far greater than that. Such stories are merely anecdotal. In much the way that the religious know they are right without doubt, I know evolution is true without doubt. But, that does not make it so. That is emotion, in my case bordering on a form of spirituality of its own.

The proof is in the abundance of scientific evidence. I’d suggest reading some of Steven Jay Gould’s writing. He could explain Darwin’s line that there is grandeur in this view of life as well as anyone. Try Full House as a start. I think it might help you get past some of the issues you seem to be having.

As for your bitterness to your former self, I can say that even with only a very mild indoctrination to religion, it takes time to come around to trusting evidence rather than faith. The more deeply held your beliefs were and the more deeply you were indoctrinated, the harder it has likely been for you.

Rather than beating yourself up for your former beliefs, take some time to congratulate yourself on your growth. You’ve earned it. Welcome to a world of reason. There is a lot of beauty yet to be discovered in reality. Wallow in it!!

]]> Comment on Evolution and God: A personal problem. by forknowledge http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/evolution-a-personal-problem/#comment-3 forknowledge Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:30:04 +0000 http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/?p=11#comment-3 The 'evolution tells us we're animals' thing has always confused me. For one thing, it's flat-out wrong; basic biology tells us we're animals. It's blindingly obvious to anyonoe with even a tiny amount of scientific education. And what exactly is so bad about being called an animal? The ‘evolution tells us we’re animals’ thing has always confused me. For one thing, it’s flat-out wrong; basic biology tells us we’re animals. It’s blindingly obvious to anyonoe with even a tiny amount of scientific education.

And what exactly is so bad about being called an animal?

]]> Comment on On Beginning by coleki http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/on-beginning/#comment-2 coleki Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:52:37 +0000 http://velvetmegaphone.wordpress.com/?p=3#comment-2 And what better time-- or better reason-- to start, really? Is it 1:37? And what better time– or better reason– to start, really? Is it 1:37?

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