I don't know why it's bothering you Ilion, we all know the almighty created you like you are for a reason..... If you've got a 'superiority complex' and a dick that is way too small, don't worry about it. I'm sure him up there still loves you.

Matthew Faithfull wrote:

As I've said many times, in practice, the mechanisms proposed by biologists to cause evolution, don't. They cause de-evolution.

So are you saying that everything started of as being Perfect? Every organism at the beginning of time (whenever that is supposed to be), was as good as it could possibly be? Other that God putting them there, how did they all start off? And does that mean we are getting more and more sickly, unhealthy, weaker etc.... as the years go on because we lose certain parts of our dna making us less human so to speak? I just want to know what the theory of de-evolution actually is, because I'm not too familiar with it and it doesn't seem to be as intuitive to understand as evolution.

Thought i'd try get in there with your normal response to criticism before you.

Come on, try raising your game and use sentences that make sense.

How many 4 year olds have loaded the weapons system of a tank, driven it into the mayor's office and given him, in your opinion, what he so richly deserves? I thought the debate was about the ease at which children can inflict (normally)unintentional harm through the use of weapons that require very little knowledge, not the case for banning everything because there is a possibility that someone, somewhere with the know how may one day get into a situation where they do use a tank in the above fashion.

Even were this true ... but it must not be, since we're always seeing the ease with which four-year-olds disrupt traffic patterns ... would it be relevant?

Where did you get that nugget of information? I didn't realise there were so many 4 year olds driving about causing havoc in the streets. I bet it's all those hours spent playing GTA III, when will the parents learn!

Although, it's a little easier to pull a trigger and point than unlocking a car, getting in, starting the ignition, putting it into gear (or drive in automatics), then doing something more destructive than running into the garage door or hitting a car coming out the driveway. Your arguments are normally more solid than that....wait wrong person, sorry. :laugh:

I think I can see the point you are making, and am aware that there are areas where kids leaving school don't have the opportunities available to a large number of people of similar ages living in different locations (i.e. the south). I also think that a lot of the problems arise, like you said, from lack of government investment, or commercial investment into the surrounding infrastructure and the knock-on effect job losses has on the local economy. And I can see how this can be exacerbated by an increase in migrant workers who are willing to take less pay, work longer hours and possibly in worse conditions, taking jobs away from uk citizens. But from what I have seen, in area's such as Peterborough, Lincolnshire and Dorset, there are a large number of jobs available for people leaving education at 16 if they really want to take them, although I appreciate that these aren't in the same boat as Greater Yarmouth and their local economies are a lot more stable. I just think that a lot of the ill feelings towards immigrants can be put partly down to lack of information and ignorance on the subject. While i'm not saying i'm an expert and am probably just as ignorant as many others in many respects, putting the blame on immigrants and making cases against them being here and the problems they bring to the UK isn't solving anything. I think a lot of what is shown on the media relating to this issue is centred around the negatives of immigration (much like all news, if nothing happened it can hardly be classed as news, and people can't identify with immigration adding to the economy as well as they can to immigration making people jobless), which automatically sets people up to be biased against it. I read an article on the BBC news website a week or so ago about raising the age students can leave compulsory education to 18 (supposedly to do diplomas or A Levels), which would hopefully increase the level of education in 16-18 year olds. While this is potentially a good idea, the more educated people get the more likely they are to demand higher paying jobs etc... so where would the gap of people becoming cleaners etc... be filled from? I have no idea what can be done towards the problem, maybe the government needs to put more money into run down areas as opposed to building multi million pound complexes to hold immigrants etc... and spending billions on the new NHS Connecting for Health system, I couldn't say, but something does need doing. I just think the perception most people have of immigrants is

Yeah it's John, Didn't really think about it to be honest, signed up a while back and then went away for a couple of years, I guess "Member 2593477" is a bit un-friendly.

I can understand the annoyance people feel when they hear about immigrants taking x amount of jobs, not bothering to learn english (which personally annoys me, I don't mind immigrants working here, but if you make no effort to integrate with the society you move into then you're doing youself no favours) and sending all of their earnings back to their home countries. However, I think the major problem is the native UK population who have become accustomed to certain privileges and now deem a large majority of the jobs taken by immigrants (not trying to stereotype them, but vegetable picking up north, cleaners, factory workers etc...), which are generally less skilled jobs, are below them. I think there is an air among certain groups of the UK youth that they shouldn't have to work hard for their money, and the fact that they can get by, through claiming unemployment benefits, they don't seem to have a big incentive to work. It's easier for everyone to blame immigrants living in the UK for them not having jobs, than the fact that a fair number of the latest generation is pretty lazy. I'm not saying that we have no right to be annoyed at the situation and the increasing numbers of immigrants, just that putting the sole blame on one group seems a little unfair. Maybe if we all agreed to pay higher prices for fruit and veg so the farmers could pay enough to interest british workers then immigrants would find it harder to get work. But who wants to pay more? :)

:laugh: :laugh: How can I be intellectually dishonet on a subject that is (to everyone's knowledge) unproveable? You gonna answer this time or ignore me and start another rant against someone else?

I think you should pray your god goes to specsavers if he decides to make something else in his image. Some of his works seem to think for themselves, he can't have that. He may be omnipotent but he still needs all the prayers he can get, I imagine it can get pretty lonely :( being the most powerful being ever in existence, with nothing to do all day except to speak to gibbering fools.

"You *refuse* to think critically." :laugh: :laugh: Personally I think you do more for atheistic causes than atheists ever could. If they were to harp on about there being no reason to believe in a god without being provoked, they would probably come off just as preachey and annoying as religious nuts. You on the other hand, give pretty substantial weight to there being good reasons not to believe in a god. Look at how the alternatives can rot your brain of ration arguments and substance. I'd probably go as far as to say you're actually an atheist in disguise, actively damaging peoples opinions on religion from the inside out, thanks for your continued dedication and hard work. You're a star! :)

Do you think the First Amendment should be changed? Seeing as (and i'm sorry for bringing it in) freedom of religion is a right, a fair few of your posts don't always seem to share that view. Aren't you against everyone elses right to believe what they want? "One does not justify one's rights; one asserts them, one exercises them." - terrorist in training? :laugh:

One should probably be not be so shortsighted to not reevaluate ones rights as times change. I hope they bring back the right to accuse and burn witches with no evidence. I've heard that was good for a laugh.

The fuller life comes from not having to worry there is some thing "god" or whatever you want to call it looking over my shoulder always judging everything I do keeping a list of bad things I do, meaning I don't have to get justification from other like minded people (also duped into believing in some book). Also, why would i need to redeem any "points"? I don't need to keep any score cause i'm happy thinking that this life is what i've been given so I can live it how i want, as long as it doesn't affect anyone else of course. Don't want to push my values on anyone, then again you guys aren't known for that either so i guess it's a null point. You're only plaing at being religious cause you're too scared to admit you're hands not being held in everything you do.

Not sure about that, much rather be an atheist and live life fuller, than be religious constantly worrying that I'll go to hell because I worked one sunday last year, or that my car gives out too much pollution. Or are they gonna change the entry conditions to hell again in a few years to try keep up with the number of people realising what a crock the whole religion thing is?