"One may pray for rain, but not pray that the car will repair itself."

Wanna bet? Just a fortnight ago I heard an interview with an American faith group who were espousing the power of prayer to bring down gas prices.

Mr Right seems to be of the opinion that what people believe matters little - it is what they do that counts. If so, I am in general agreement in that I would support the notion that actions count more than words - or as my father used to say 'talk is cheap'.
However to imply (as Mr Right seems to do) the claim that what people believe has little to do with what they actually do is nonsensical - especially in the case of religious belief. Religious belief - notably of the evangelical christian type (although the Islamic suicide bobmbers also spring to mind) largely dictates behaviour across virtually the full range of human interaction. Aggresive proselytising, inter-sect support, and condemnation of unbelievers are tenets of most religions throughout the world - virtually universal. Religious block-voting is the curse of democracy and has sidetracked billions of dollars from general public revenue - dollars that should have been used for (eg) medical research rather than to perpetuate a defunct and irrational pseudo philosophical faith based on a hierachical self-seeking church organisation agenda.

Drrrr! An economist speaking about rationality. It is hilarious that economists never predicted the boom or the bust. I know a number of people with economic degrees whose English is far worse than mine (and that is saying something). It is no wonder Dr Perkins has turned his attention to religion. His great learnings along with multitudes of other economist have proved they are nothing short of hot air. They remind me very much of the environmental industry who use scaremonger crap and call it science to get people to conform to their secular dogmas. If their was ever a mass delusion it was as the Psalmist says (a fool says in his heart their is no god). Unfortunately the foolish unscientific gw crap has been swallowed by all not wanting to see any real evidence. You would think with the multitudes of failed predictions from the mainstream of economist and environmentalist that they would display a little humility or hide in a cave. No instead filled with pride and indignation they wave their puny fists at God and His followers and reiterate failed dogmas that ease their consciences that one day they will face their Maker.

Runner, you made it! I thought you might be in Melbourne having the day off. Good to see you are on the job and ready to vent that spleen with some righteous venom.

Did you read my Epicurus quote? Would love to know what someone of your ilk makes of it. Polyc**p, your thoughts?

Mr Right, not sure how you see the article as an attack on people, more of a wake up call my friend.

;))

america is afflicted with a high percentage of religious nutters. but that's not the proximate cause of the financial collapse. that came from the culture of 'freedom' in management of financial affairs. nothing particularly religious or anti-intellectual there, just plain old secular greed.

the greedy give lip-service to religion, and use the resulting political support to sustain the freedom to steal.

Mr Right, the term faith like freedom is many-sided, pretty well as Adam Smith warned about his idea of Laizey-faire, but unfortunately also expresses the old competitive freedom for greed, as he goes on.

Also like the freedom for greed, we have the faith to kill, as with the Muslims, and even as us Christians can have in what we call a Just War, as President Bush called the occupation of Iraq, with much too much personal US militarial slaughter.

Don't know much French, but understand it is a language which has better expression or true indication.

Maybe someone can help me with this attempt?