Philo
We cannot judge moral character based on belief or disbelief in God. If you do you are promoting religious prejudice against nonbelievers.

The ethics question should not exclusively be directed at science but at the world as a whole and that includes religion.

And about the definition of marriage- if you study sociology and history you’d know that this definition can be and already has been altered (in some countries) to include same-sex couples.

Fractelle, the definitions are very interesting when listed like that. I’d have thought that educators would want children to gain knowledge at their schools rather than install rubbish and dogma in their heads- that’s why all faith schools must stop reinforcing the brainwashing that children are exposed to at home and offer the children who show an interest in religion a wider view of not just one, but of all the major world religions.

The fact that parents and taxpayers are supporting schools in where teachers are lying/misinforming children about the history of the universe, the world and the evolution of homo sapiens means that they are delivering young people to the world that have been taught that blindly accepting claims is valued more than to investigate and desire evidence.

Celivia,
Your language definition may have changed, but the scientific facts have not and will never change. Changing the language will never change the defined science. The change in the term is merely political correctness to mean something different to what is the scientific reality of welding two to become a complete unit.

Just an interesting video for people who are interested in the original topic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcBV-cXVWFw

Easy Times,
Thank you for that amazing video. After watching that I felt atomic!
In the light of that gigantic universe that the human brain can’t even grasp, doesn’t it seem rather petty that some people worry about other people’s sex lives?

Hi Philo,
you are correct to say that changing a definition will not change facts- but there is nothing wrong with the facts.

Homosexuals, as equal citizens, should have as much right as you have in deciding who’s gonna get married or not. Holy books have no standing in the law.
If you cannot show a good reason for denying homos to get hooked, there is no reason to deny them that, is there?

This is a helpful site if you want to look at some facts that support SSM (same sex marriage).
http://www.bidstrup.com/marriage.htm

One fact I want to mention in case you don't care to read the article: In countries where SSM has been introduced 5 or more years ago, it has not threatened heterosexual marriage. In fact the number of opposite sex divorces reduced.
Suicide rates reduced also.

Easy times

Thanks for link - I haven't been able to watch it for some reason today I can't get anything from YouTube loaded on my browser, but am looking forward to watching it.

What is it with Philo & Boaz that, no matter what the topic, they always wind up rabbiting on about their pet peeves. Guess that's what blindly following dogma does to you.

Fractelle.....you don't have 'pet peeves' ?

Our pet peeves are simply our attempt to put a meaningless (to the atheist) universe into a meaningful context.
We also seek to highlight that no matter how grandiose and magnificent the Universe appears to our puny minds, we are stil faced with the problem of right and wrong.

If ethics and morality were derived only from 'existence' then there is nothing to steer the values in any direction other than:

-Self preservation.
-Self gratification.
-Self propogation.

Your recent posts appear to confirm this. Such a value system works find if:

-You are powerful enough to enforce 'your' version on others who may feel their version is superior, otherwise, you probably get killed.

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them,

because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Ditto for women.

If it is "plain"....then obviously, those who don't see it are 'supressing' this truth for reason that they desire to live an immoral life.

The problem is, what God calls 'immoral'.. many people will call 'ok' because it helps them avoid the cognitive dissonance they would otherwise experience.. basic psychology really. You either change your belief to match your actions, or your actions to match your beliefs.