The Hazards of Belief

Sarky

Will they forbid looking up in the last days of Ramadan in case anyone notices they were talking sh*te?

legspin

robindch wrote: »

In a surprise move, religious people disagree with scientists. This time over the moon.

http://rt.com/news/muslims-observatory-lunar-month-110/

I haven't laughed so heartily in a while.

recedite

I think I see the problem here. The supreme spiritual leader had already predicted the new moon for at least 24 hours later, and now this boffin comes up with a new date.

Khydyr Mikhailov, deputy director of the observatory, announced that the new moon would appear during the night of August 6-7 at 2:52am...

...According to the Muslim religious calendar, the new moon’s appearance will mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.....


..The Baku-based Caucasus Muslims Office, the supreme spiritual and administrative body of Muslims in the Caucasus, earlier presented its own calendar, according to which the last day of the month of Ramadan falls on August 8.

Note that the cleric's date is very imprecise, allowing for a big margin of error, but it would have to be some time on the night of 8th/9th.

I reckon Khydyr Mikhailov is making a bid for the position of supreme spiritual leader :pac:
If his predicted date proves correct he will be entitled to take over the job, and have the other guy thrown into a snake-pit. At least that's how it worked in the good old days.

Turtwig

A cesspit could work today.

endacl

robindch wrote: »

In a surprise move, religious people disagree with scientists.

But they're not disagreeing with scientists!! They're actually disagreeing with a massive ball of rock and iron that they can see with their own eyes!!!

'Is the moon up? Hang on, I'll take a peek. ..... Yep, she's up there all right' is not a matter of opinion. There's no argument. No room for debate....

They've known about and measured this stuff for centuries! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomy_in_medieval_Islam They even built astrolabes!!!






Oh. Muslim 'clerics'....




.....

robindch

endacl wrote: »

'Is the moon up? Hang on, I'll take a peek. ..... Yep, she's up there all right' is not a matter of opinion. There's no argument. No room for debate....

There are none so blind as those who will not see...

Anyhow, here's somebody equally perplexing - a guy who has multiple advanced qualifications in godology, teaches religion to kids, researches religion, and who wants to be a US Navy chaplain. The only problem is that he's an atheist:

http://www.stripes.com/news/the-would-be-navy-chaplain-who-doesn-t-believe-in-god-1.232494

kylith

endacl wrote: »

But they're not disagreeing with scientists!! They're actually disagreeing with a massive ball of rock and iron that they can see with their own eyes!!!

'Is the moon up? Hang on, I'll take a peek. ..... Yep, she's up there all right' is not a matter of opinion. There's no argument. No room for debate....

They've known about and measured this stuff for centuries! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomy_in_medieval_Islam They even built astrolabes!!!






Oh. Muslim 'clerics'....




.....

It's, it's a false moon, put there by the infidel to trick the faithful.

Or a Deathstar. One or the other.

Bannasidhe

kylith wrote: »

It's, it's a false moon, put there by the infidel to trick the faithful.

Or a Deathstar. One or the other.

Or...it's a hologram put there by the Yankee infidel after they 'accidentally' blew up the moon rather than let the Soviets land on it....:eek:

PopePalpatine

That, and the spark plugs are Jewish! :pac:

TheChizler

robindch wrote: »

There are none so blind as those who will not see...

Anyhow, here's somebody equally perplexing - a guy who has multiple advanced qualifications in godology, teaches religion to kids, researches religion, and who wants to be a US Navy chaplain. The only problem is that he's an atheist:

http://www.stripes.com/news/the-would-be-navy-chaplain-who-doesn-t-believe-in-god-1.232494

Atheism is less a philosophy than a belief that there is no god. Most humanists hold the belief that god does not exist

Why do people insist on repeatedly getting this wrong?

wp_rathead

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_phoenix_metro/central_phoenix/hannah-gastonguay-arizona-family-to-return-home-after-fleeing-us-due-to-religious-conflict

was gonna post this in "funny side of religion" but decided to throw it in here seen as they put their children in danger.. eejits

The Black Oil

Just read about on another site...somewhat depressing.

endacl

Darwin again. Let nature take its course. Those Chinese fishermen disobeyed the Prime Directive.

TheChizler

They have problems with the "state-controlled church"??

U.S. "churches aren't their own," Gastonguay said, suggesting that government regulation interfered with religious independence.

So it's opposite land! Crooks chase cops, cats have puppies! Hot snow falls up!

recedite

She said they understood the island to be "one of the least developed countries in the world."

Sounds like they would have fitted in well there

Sulla Felix

US judge bars baby name Messiah http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23665106


Wasnt sure whether to put here or in funnys but given the judges reasoning that theres only one messiah and thats jesus, well...

wp_rathead

Sulla Felix wrote: »

US judge bars baby name Messiah http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23665106


Wasnt sure whether to put here or in funnys but given the judges reasoning that theres only one messiah and thats jesus, well...

*Enter joke about Messiah being a "Very Naughty Boy"*

Mickeroo

endacl wrote: »

Darwin again. Let nature take its course. Those Chinese fishermen disobeyed the Prime Directive.

The reboots have a lot to answer for.

Cork boy 55

Douma 4-Dec-12 Damascus Syria

A squad of shia loyalists is cut off in a courtyard
and surrounded by rebels.
They film their last moments while throwing their last grenades and cursing the enemies mothers. The video appeared on Insurgent propaganda channels
suggesting the position was overrun shortly.

Note how the Shia say "Ya Ali" while the Insurgents in background chant "Allah Al Akbar" the Sunni Slogan.
"Shia" is the short form of the historic phrase Shīʻatu ʻAlī meaning "followers" of Muhammad's son-in-law and cousin Ali, whom the Shia believe to be Muhammad's successor.
The conflict on one level is just a continuation of the 7th century Shia -Sunni schism over tribal warlords succession dispute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqnDLIRv4k0

recedite

Cork boy 55 wrote: »

A squad of shia loyalists is cut off in a courtyard
and surrounded by rebels.

That video is an excellent example of the hazards of belief.
Muslims tend to believe that their fate is already pre-destined. Also that it is good to die a martyrs death.
There is a heavy machine gun fully loaded with bullets in the video, which none of them is bothered to use. They are all reclining as if their legs were paralysed, instead of retreating to a safer position. Every now and then one of them lobs a grenade backwards over his shoulder, without even bothering to look where he's throwing it.

A good soldier, on the other hand, likes to make his enemies die a martyrs death.

PopePalpatine

Have any Muslims considered suing the Presbyterians for stealing the idea of predestination? :pac:

endacl

PopePalpatine wrote: »

Have any Muslims considered suing the Presbyterians for stealing the idea of predestination? :pac:

The copyright had expired.

biko

Why Muslim girls as young as 6/7 should cover up. Apparently they start to "look pretty and she would be desired" (as they start developing womanly shapes).
He doesn't mention covering up explicitly but that's how Islam deals with attractive kids, they must cover up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEINan4nWAE

endacl

^^^
:eek::eek:

"Symptoms of maturity". Speaks volumes...

robindch

Hardline religion - not quite making the world a better place:

http://www.jta.org/2013/07/31/news-opinion/israel-middle-east/haredi-protesters-smash-bus-windows-after-woman-refuses-to-move-to-back

Jewish Telegraphic Agency wrote:

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Haredi Orthodox assailants in Beit Shemesh smashed the windows of a bus after a woman refused to sit apart from men.

The trouble began Wednesday afternoon when a haredi man demanded that a female passenger move to the back of the crowded public bus in Beit Shemesh, a sprawling suburb located near Jerusalem. When she refused, four haredi men blocked the bus, smashed the windshield and broke other windows with a hammer, according to reports.

Haredi assailants later stoned two other public buses driving through Beit Shemesh, smashing their windows as well. Police detained the man who demanded that the woman move to the back of the bus and a haredi woman who tried to prevent police from detaining him. Two other men were arrested for blocking the bus.

Israel’s Transportation Ministry maintains a voluntary segregation plan for public buses under which riders may sit separately if they desire, but passengers cannot pressure other passengers to sit separately. The plan was approved by Israel’s Supreme Court.

Beit Shemesh gained international notoriety in 2011 when a group of haredi men spit upon and cursed at an 8-year-old Modern Orthodox girl, Naama Margolis, as she walked to school through their neighborhood. The city is currently in the midst of an acrimonious mayoral race, with two Modern Orthodox candidates running to unseat the sitting haredi mayor.

biko

I've watched some docs about those ultraortodox jews
This one is pretty good https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGJg1lHPPZw

An insight into jewish women and covering up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK0P9NtH_wM

robindch

Religious group discovers that religious groups should be allowed to promote political campaigns while remaining tax-exempt.

http://www.christianpost.com/news/regulation-of-church-nonprofit-political-speech-untenable-report-finds-102292/

robindch

Pentecostal preachers tell HIV patients in their flock to stop taking their meds and use this water instead. Some of them do.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23729684

endacl

robindch wrote: »

Pentecostal preachers tell HIV patients in their flock to stop taking their meds and use this water instead. Some of them do.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23729684

Pentecostal homeopathy? Irrational synergy!

biko

Iran traffic police to help catch people not dressing to spec.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110614/iran-tightens-dress-code-dogs-necklaces-men

2011 but first time I've heard about it.

Also in the article:

Under Islamic customs, dogs are deemed to be "unclean." Iranians, in general, avoid keeping them at home, but still a minority, especially in north Tehran's upper-class districts, enjoy keeping pets.
Last year Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, a prominent hardline cleric, issued a fatwa against keeping dogs and said the trend must stop.

Sarky

An Indian skeptic and proponent of laws against superstition-peddling quacks has been murdered.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-23756353

SebBerkovich

So, Pope Benny been out of the job for a while, but the good news is that it has given him a good long time to think of a reason to tell people he quit....

and for those of you who had your money on "The Gay's made me do it" you're only a few letters off.
Turns out that this could be one of the few times someone has publicly said "God made me do it" without having just perpetrated a hideous crime. . . . actually...

More of this... in The Guardian

Sarky

He saw the new guy doing a better job or at least being more popular, and suddenly it became clear that it was god's will that he step down.

Isn't there a story about an animal who wanted some grapes, but couldn't reach them, and made up a story to explain that he never wanted them and they were probably sour anyway so he was actually glad he couldn't reach them?

smacl

biko wrote: »

Iran traffic police to help catch people not dressing to spec.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/middle-east/110614/iran-tightens-dress-code-dogs-necklaces-men

2011 but first time I've heard about it.

Also in the article:

Reminds me of a part of Persopolis (an all time favourite), check out the scene from about 26:50 onwards;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNx4Pa2Gqfk

Penn

Sarky wrote: »

He saw the new guy doing a better job or at least being more popular, and suddenly it became clear that it was god's will that he step down.

Isn't there a story about an animal who wanted some grapes, but couldn't reach them, and made up a story to explain that he never wanted them and they were probably sour anyway so he was actually glad he couldn't reach them?

No, but there is a story about how someone brought a bunch of grapes to Muhammad and Muhammad ate them all. Then when Muhammad's followers asked why he didn't share the grapes with them, he said that the grapes were sour, but he didn't want the man to feel bad at having brought sour grapes so Muhammad ate them all to prevent anyone else eating one, being disgusted and making the man feel bad.

Which is exactly what I would say if I wanted to eat a bunch of grapes without sharing them.

kylith

Penn wrote: »

No, but there is a story about how someone brought a bunch of grapes to Muhammad and Muhammad ate them all. Then when Muhammad's followers asked why he didn't share the grapes with them, he said that the grapes were sour, but he didn't want the man to feel bad at having brought sour grapes so Muhammad ate them all to prevent anyone else eating one, being disgusted and making the man feel bad.

Which is exactly what I would say if I wanted to eat a bunch of grapes without sharing them.

There is actually a story of a fox that can't reach some grapes and so decides that they look sour. It's one of Aesop's fables. Why a fox would want to eat grapes I'm not sure since they tend to be quite bad for canids.

Penn

kylith wrote: »

There is actually a story of a fox that can't reach some grapes and so decides that they look sour. It's one of Aesop's fables. Why a fox would want to eat grapes I'm not sure since they tend to be quite bad for canids.

Haha, don't know why I worded the start of my post like that. I didn't mean to say there was no such story

recedite

But the fox only said the grapes were sour because he couldn't reach them. Whereas Benny already had the grapes, but he just got tired of guarding them.
Nowadays he has all the perks and none of the work. It reminds me of the Green Party during the last government here. After a lifetime in opposition, they had one shot at being govt. ministers. As time ran out for them, they organised a system of rotating shifts at being the minister, so that as many as possible would live the luxurious life of an ex-minister afterwards, with both a TD's and a ministers pension.

Links234

There's a Measles Outbreak at Vaccine-Denying Pastor Kenneth Copeland's Fort Worth Church

Hazards eh?

Pantech

Hi lads,

I live in the US for the past few years. Since moving, I've become friends with many religious people, often evangelicals and even some young earth creationists. I'd love to find one of them who was willing to sit down over a beer and respectfully chat about how religion etc but I haven't found one yet. On a few occasions where I've questioned something they have said, they seem to want to end the conversation as quickly as possible unfortunately.

Every so often, something comes up on facebook - usually I try to ignore it, but engaged with one of them yesterday (Steve) on a post he made, where he praised God for working through the woman in the school in Georgia, where she talked the gunman down. I copied it below after removing names - thought you might find it interesting reading how their mindset works.

I was tempted to reply again and point out some of the many issues with his explanation (or rather, his justification), but decided against it in the end.



John

Attached screenshot: facebook.png

endacl

Welcome, pantech. You're amongst friends.

Pantech

endacl wrote: »

Welcome, pantech. You're amongst friends.

Thanks! Actually I pretty much read everything here for the past number of years, but am not that good at actually posting...

kylith

Pantech's post reminds me of a remark by the great Pterry*; no-one gives credit to God for the bad miracles: there was a patch of oil just there and the railing was broken in just the right place. Just because it's not nice doesn't mean it's not a miracle.

*That's Terry Pratchett, if you were wondering

Nodin

Pantech wrote: »

Thanks! Actually I pretty much read everything here for the past number of years, but am not that good at actually posting...

.....never stopped me.

Brian Shanahan

kylith wrote: »

Pantech's post reminds me of a remark by the great Pterry*; no-one gives credit to God for the bad miracles: there was a patch of oil just there and the railing was broken in just the right place. Just because it's not nice doesn't mean it's not a miracle.

*That's Terry Pratchett, if you were wondering

Soul Music. I think he was talking about the death of Susan Sto Helit's parents.

robindch

Small Gods is a great read -- elegant, thoughtful, biting satire of religion and its adherents.

Bannasidhe

robindch wrote: »

Small Gods is a great read -- elegant, thoughtful, biting satire of religion and its adherents.

It indeed all that - and more.

Brian Shanahan

robindch wrote: »

Small Gods is a great read -- elegant, thoughtful, biting satire of religion and its adherents.

My favourite is Night Watch. I've read them all, multiple times.

ibstar

http://www.euronews.com/2013/08/25/buddhist-mob-burns-muslims-houses-in-myanmar-sectarian-violence/

Did I miss something about Buddhists being peaceful? Always thought Buddhists act/react and do things differently.

Nodin

ibstar wrote: »

http://www.euronews.com/2013/08/25/buddhist-mob-burns-muslims-houses-in-myanmar-sectarian-violence/

Did I miss something about Buddhists being peaceful? Always thought Buddhists act/react and do things differently.

...bit of a myth. The Sri Lankan war was as a result of sectarian violence against Tamils by majority Buddhists.