SageAgainstTheMachine

Is that the best you have to offer this conversation? A poorly constructed metaphor?

I know this wasn't addressed at me, but I just want to thank you for the same. It's nice to discuss/argue with a Christian staunch in his beliefs who doesn't end up yelling at me for being a heathen I do enjoy discussing religion, even if I don't subscribe to a specific theory. I find it to be one of the most fascinating of human social conventions.

You're correct. This general debate does have political implications. But the specific debate we're having here at PPP does not. That's what I was referring to. Wisconsin was trying to derail the conversation into a divisive political issue by introducing the whole "stupid liberals believe...." nonsense.

Don't be so dense. I don't reject the notion of a creator being. I reject the popular notions of God that human beings have invented, and recognize that I personally will never know the truth, unless something is revealed after I die (which I also view as highly improbable).

My mistake on the first part, sorry for misunderstanding. As for the second part, that's an interesting thought. I went through a lot of Bible study when I was younger and never encountered this theory from my pastors, vicars, teachers, etc....It certainly meshes better with science than the old "ZAP ZAP ZAP ZAP the universe is created in 144 hours" hokum.

No, you're trying to make it into a politically charged issue, when it's not. This has nothing...and I stress NOTHING to do with liberal vs. conservative. If you believe it does, then your perception is irrevocably damaged.

We're discussing the theoretical creation of the universe. Nobody knows what they're talking about. That's sorta the point. We may have an idea, inkling, or thought...but nobody truly knows. It's really a beautiful mystery.

Ok, this makes sense. You believe in a higher being that may or may not have created the universe in a certain way. I can buy into that. But this thinking does not quite mesh with your earlier quoting of Genesis. Because if you're going to literally interpret Genesis, doesn't this also imply belief that you DO know how God created everything?

Except there is actual scientific theory behind the Big Bang. It may not be absolutely proven, but there is a foundation of rational thought there. Belief in a literal interpretation of the Bible (especially the creation myth of Genesis) is based on nothing but blind faith. But let's just assume that the biblical creation myth and the Big Bang are equally irrational. Why do you choose to believe in one, but not the other?

And interestingly enough, the main purpose of religious theory is to explain the parts of the world that we simply can't explain. Back in the good old days of Ancient Greece, almost nothing was known in the way of the natural world. So (naturally), they created gods that would explain why we have lightning, volcanoes, the sun, the moon, etc. Now that we DO have answers for all of those things, God has become largely irrelevant to daily life. But there are still things we don't understand, and that's where God comes into play. Where did the universe come from? What happens when we die? Do we have a soul? As far as I'm concerned, these things are unknowable. Maybe they aren't, but it sure seems to be that way. So God and religion will always have their niche in the human experience, regarding these abstract questions.

These are some pretty odd claims. Would you please explain how you know these things?

Rangers, I'll give you credit for. Cowboys, go f*ck yourself

A-Roid...you think of that one all by yourself? Oh yeah, and while A-Rod was getting a key RBI double tonight, Varitek was rotting away on the bench.

I agree with you here. Nothing regarding the origin of human life (or the origin of life in general) has been solidly proven. Some blowhards like to believe it has, but nothing yet truly holds water regarding where we came from and why. I don't believe in divine creation because it seems implausible to me, but I can't personally disprove the possibility. It's one of the reasons I now identify as an agnostic, instead of atheist. Claiming to know something unknown DIDN'T happen is just as arrogant as claiming to know something DID happen when no proof exists.

Will somebody tell me what retatta is? I see it constantly mentioned, but I guess it was before my time here.

Don't put words in my mouth. I always fall up!

What if he sacrifices his life to stop a puppy from drowning?

It puts the lotion on its skin or else it gets the hose again. It puts the lotion in the basket. IT PUTS THE LOTION IN THE BASKET.

Wow, sad. I guess I can believe that Burgess didn't intentionally pull the trigger, but why the F*CK was she pointing the gun in the first place? I guess Jesus doesn't approve of wearing revealing clothes on Easter Sunday, but he does approve of gunplay.

Divine creation is just as ridiculous and uproven as any other theory.

I'll admit they were a great story in 2004. As a Yankees fan, I wanted them to lose the series. As a baseball fan, it was a great moment. I think a lot of the Sox fans you see today are still residue from that 04 season.

Ok, nevermind, I take it back. I just imagined myself trying to teach my 4 year old nephew how to play intelligent baseball and realized how ridiculous a notion it is. Sorry.

This is always good advice. I disagree, though. Yeah, the kids won't soak everything in or put it to very good use on the field...but I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to establish a foundation of using your brain on the diamond.

One more thing...teach the kids to MAKE THE SMART PLAY. One thing that many coaches ignore when teaching fundamentals is decision making. Teach them to hold onto the ball when the runner has already crossed first base, instead of making an ill-advised throw attempt. On the other side, teach them to stay on first and base and not try to run to second when the ball is still in the infield. Some of this stuff is probably hard for 4-year-olds to understand, but it's important.

I never quite know how to feel about this. On the one hand, emphasizing winning as the ONLY objective is wrong. On the other hand, just throwing the score out the window is also a bad idea IMO. A little friendly competition at a young age can provide good perspective on how to handle losing. I remember my tee-ball team losing lots of games, and I don't think it emotionally scarred anybody.