Praising the Lord! (20 Viewers)
- Thread starter Chxta
- Start date
Riiight. After you insulted me for actually starting the thread.
Top post as usual; thank you Greg.
I don't have much time to spend on these forums (in fact I'm writing this during a lecture on my laptop using the uni's wireless internet) so I can't really ramble on about religious issues like I used to...
This is a bit of a tangent, but let me briefly introduce you to a psychological principle I learned about called the "availability heuristic", which basically states that people tend to form judgments based on what's immediately in front of/available to them.
For example, from the following pairs, choose the one you think causes more deaths in the US each year.
Lung Cancer vs Motor Vehicle Accidents
Emphysema vs Homicide
Tuberculosis vs Fire and Flames
Now look at the following stats:
What I'm trying to show is that people tend to overestimate the significance or prevalence of certain things/events depending on the amount of exposure they receive on a day-to-day basis
Okay, here's what I'm saying...
You hear reports of Catholic priests molesting young children; you see Christian fundamentalists bashing people over the head with their Bibles; you hear about people killing innocent civilians in the name of their religions... but ask yourself for a moment... what percentage of religious people in the world do these people make up?
You never read newspaper articles about Christians (for example, since I'm a Christian myself) feeding and clothing the poor and caring for orphans, or even those who practise their faith without trying to impose their beliefs/lifestyle on others. But the reality is that a huge majority of Christians (or religious people in general) aren't in the same group as the child molesters/terrorists etc.
All I'm saying is that maybe people shouldn't make generalisations based on the handful of people who completely misrepresent the religions they claim to practise.
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." - Ephesians 4:15
Just so you know, bashing people over the head with your Bible isn't a part of the Christian doctrine.
I don't have much time to spend on these forums (in fact I'm writing this during a lecture on my laptop using the uni's wireless internet) so I can't really ramble on about religious issues like I used to...
This is a bit of a tangent, but let me briefly introduce you to a psychological principle I learned about called the "availability heuristic", which basically states that people tend to form judgments based on what's immediately in front of/available to them.
For example, from the following pairs, choose the one you think causes more deaths in the US each year.
Lung Cancer vs Motor Vehicle Accidents
Emphysema vs Homicide
Tuberculosis vs Fire and Flames
Now look at the following stats:
Code:
[b]Cause People's Choice Annual US Totals Newspaper reports / year[/b]
Lung Cancer 43% 140,000 3
Car Accidents 57% 46,000 127
Emphysema 45% 22,000 1
Homicide 55% 19,000 264
Tuberculosis 23% 4,000 0
Fire and Flames 77% 7,000 24Okay, here's what I'm saying...
You hear reports of Catholic priests molesting young children; you see Christian fundamentalists bashing people over the head with their Bibles; you hear about people killing innocent civilians in the name of their religions... but ask yourself for a moment... what percentage of religious people in the world do these people make up?
You never read newspaper articles about Christians (for example, since I'm a Christian myself) feeding and clothing the poor and caring for orphans, or even those who practise their faith without trying to impose their beliefs/lifestyle on others. But the reality is that a huge majority of Christians (or religious people in general) aren't in the same group as the child molesters/terrorists etc.
"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." - Ephesians 4:15
Just so you know, bashing people over the head with your Bible isn't a part of the Christian doctrine.
Isolated? Yes. That's because they're built up by developers who are trying to financially appeal to cash-poor, supercommuting young families who cannot afford a large-sized dream home in a previously populated area.
But these communities are the very kind that are showing the greatest population growths across the country. Essentially, these are the places that will weigh heavier and heavier in future voting blocks, etc. They are, to some degree, the face of the future of the country.
But these communities are the very kind that are showing the greatest population growths across the country. Essentially, these are the places that will weigh heavier and heavier in future voting blocks, etc. They are, to some degree, the face of the future of the country.
Er... how so, Z? Am I mixing my messages here?
The one that Graham cites (and definitely familiar with the "availability heuristic" -- well done) is about there being a lack of legitimate voices or leaders who prove that religious belief and modernity are not mutually exclusive. The other is about the proliferation of "churches of convenience" in the growing areas of youth in America. (And for the record, many of these churches are not at all known for their support for the sciences and "concepts" such as evolution.)
The one that Graham cites (and definitely familiar with the "availability heuristic" -- well done) is about there being a lack of legitimate voices or leaders who prove that religious belief and modernity are not mutually exclusive. The other is about the proliferation of "churches of convenience" in the growing areas of youth in America. (And for the record, many of these churches are not at all known for their support for the sciences and "concepts" such as evolution.)
++ [ originally posted by swag ] ++
Ha! Caught your historical revisionism in edit, Z.
I got it now, though -- you were directing it to Graham.
Ha! Caught your historical revisionism in edit, Z.
I got it now, though -- you were directing it to Graham.
Yeah, sorry Greg, you I didnt see your post when I started writing mine
Anyways, I cant think about this now, it's almost 4 am and I'm off to sleep. Good night. :sleepy:
P.S. Check your PM's from time to time Graham, I cant even critisize you properly until you do