Dear maracas1,

Many people accept the basic principles of evolution within
the framework of their religious beliefs. For example,
some Biblical scholars interpret the story of the
Creation as a symbolic, rather than literal, account
of the origin of human beings and other living things.
They do not find this symbolic interpretation incompatible
with the findings of evolutionary biologists.

For many people, the idea that human beings evolved from
lower forms of life does not diminish the uniqueness of
human capabilities and the accomplishments of human
civilisations.

I was raised an Anglican, consequently went to Sunday School. In my late teens met a great girl, a Catholic. Thus, in order to develop this relationship fully, and at her parents insistence, I was baptised into the Catholic Church, at the tender age of nineteen.

A year or so later, and after my Catholic girl ditched me, I met a brilliant Seventh Day Adventist lady. Again, into the 'font' I went, though completely underwater on this occasion.

By this time the Military decided to send me to Malaya, and then on to South Vietnam. Returning home a year later.

At the expiration of my period of enlistment, I went for hols. overseas. And, on my return to Oz, I missed the uniform too much, and I decided to join the coppers. Staying in the job until my retirement.

The question is:- Atheism Vs. Christinity ? I reckon I know the answer ? Finding the solution(s) in Vietnam and later, during my long period working in the coppers.

Life's a bitch, and then you die ! An old urbane, throwaway line to be sure, but so very very true ! Just look closely at the face of a few cadaver's. There's absolutely NO life after death. I'm sorry.

*Christians start schools, hospitals, aged-care facilities, run soup kitchens, and provide shelter for the homeless.*

Err what about those mega Capitalists, Gates and Buffett, giving their
billions to worthy causes?

Schools and hospitals are great money spinners for institutions like
the Catholic Church. More true believers are brainwashed, more oldies
without kids, hoping for a ticket to heaven, bequest their real estate
to the Catholic Church. No wonder they are the world's largest owner
of real estate and the Vatican Bank is not exactly short of billions.
What else would they do with the money?

Congratulations on your courage in attending the Atheists gab-fest. In posing the question as to whether the Atheists will propose setting up schools well, they already control those. As for hospitals or hospices for terminal folk, that would directly contradict their ethical beliefs, so no joy for the dying here either. After all, survival of the fittest, euthanasia or infanticide are all part of the Eugenics strain in the Atheistic, so no joy for these folk either. As to whether God did actually create the Universe and all that is in it, I really think I might prefer Dawkin's confused mumble about pan-spermia to be incredibly enlightening, don't you? That solves the vexed question of irreducible complexity among many other claims.

When one readers naive stuff like this one wonders whether the 20th Century even happened.
Or the fact that comprehensive critical scholarship into the fabrications origins of the Bible even happened. Critical scholarship raised by the title of the book/essay by Albert Schweitzer titled The Search For the Historical Jesus. Or whether the entire branch of critical scholarship titled hermeneutics exists too.

All of which proves that ALL of the pre twentieth century stories and/or descriptions of the life and teaching of Saint Jesus of Galilee were fabrications. Fabrications created to enforce the worldly power of the then in power ecclesiastical establishment in all times and places, including the now-time of the 21st century.

Plus the obvious fact that the naive Christian story about the mommy-daddy good luck "creator"-God, and the presumed "resurrection" of Jesus do not even begin to take into account the overwhelming fact that death really does rules to here.

*As for hospitals or hospices for terminal folk, that would directly contradict their ethical beliefs, so no joy for the dying here either.*

Ps Stevo, there are of course plenty of non religious hospitals. They
charge about the same as the religious ones. Just let me know when
a hospital like St John of God in Murdoch, is doing discounts.

There is hardly a joy for the dying, with the religious system.
They lose all control about their own lives, as we stick them into
palliative care and force them to continue until their last breath,
wether they want to or not.Meantime the Catholic palliative care
system is cashing in all the way.

No wonder that thousands of oldies are spending their time figuring
out how to smuggle in their stash of Nembutal into Australia, so that
they actually have a say about their lives, should they land up like
poor Mr Rossiter of Perth, who was given only one choice, he'd just
have to starve to death.

Next you will be telling me that Christians are compassionate.
Pffffffft. Hypocrites in the name of religious dogma, is more like
it.