Philo

Finding cures for diseases does stop them - try antibiotics for example. Using a condom works pretty well for avoiding HIV too. I have no personal god. I judge my actions by my understanding of their effects on me and others. I don't entirely understand the rest of your post. You describe god as perfection of spirit, but surely that depends on what you define as perfection of spirit? Your perfection of spirit is unlikely to be the same as mine.

Boaz

Beliefs and morals based on reason and understanding are far from a "house of sand", and they are not particular to one particular cultural/religous system either, although I acknowledge that I have been lucky to inherit a reasonably "advanced" one (for want of a better word). A house of sand is unquestioning acceptance of a bunch of ancient doctrines in an old book. Answer me this: I know two gay people. They work in respectable jobs, pay taxes, don't sleep around, don't take drugs or drink etc etc. They don't dance in the street in G-strings, they don't try and convert anyone to homosexuality (even assuming such a thing could be done). They are exactly like anybody else, in fact they are fairly dull. They do not harm anyone. Why is the way they live wrong?

hellothere,
Antibiotics are to cure diseases once you have the disease. Two males will not a child make. They are a dead species in one generation. A healthy society has a future based in healthy children, and not based in self-centered sexuality. No children to tell stories too - their life must be dull.

Childrens stories tell the lessons of the past generations, and excite the next generation to retell and to add their own. Storytelling is a great legacy from the past that we transferr to future generations. They build family identity, culture and community

Hi DFXK

Kevin Donnelly here. I am researching an article about curriculum and religion. Love to know more about the NSW unit 2 course and its reading list. Can you please email me with more details? What are the books you suggest are anti-religious?

Best wishes,
Kevin

Thanks for reminding me, its not easy being

We never did get a response to my earlier question on whether the treatment the author received was a reflection of government policy, legal mandate, or just the whim of an uptight apparatchik.

Before this thread disintegrates into the usual suspects having a go at each other, it might be good to find out.

Anyone?

Pericles,
What an excellent idea, anyone?

Must say that this whole milieu of teddy (god) worship looks depraved and idiotic to most freethinkers. These teddies merely represent phallic like extensions of their followers own egos and psyches with which they often violently attempt to penetrate and spread noxiousness over the entire earth ........ enslaving the souls and the minds of as many people as possible. Some like to become a teddy cheerleader where finagling is endemic and a necessary requirement.

Just wish people would grow up quickly and realise there is something erroneous with this particular game ..... there has never been a true teddy, nor a default one (i.e. spirit only) and nor will there be a future one.

Religion should be kept out of school education full stop. Religious indoctrination is the logical use of fear among other things, as a very powerful inducement used on captive young minds. There is no thought of reason, free inquiry, dignity, participatory democracy, in this systematic manipulation. The end product of this process is simply one of damaged goods rather than the true achievement of human potential.

Surely we can progress from the notion that you only do what's right because someone bigger than you will slap you around if you don't.