(March 2, 2010 at 5:29 pm)Minimalist Wrote:

Quote:Whilst I agree that it is likely that a younger person will have less wisdom than an elder person

There is a difference between "wisdom" and "experience." I've met just as many dumb old fucks as young ones.

Which is why I said:

Saerules Wrote:wisdom can be summed up in what one has learned from their experiences/time.

(March 2, 2010 at 6:15 pm)Darwinian Wrote: The Bible of course! That's the first point of reference for every single claim that is ever made by Christians like this. If it's in the Bible or it can be derived from it then it is true and nothing you can ever say or do, EVER, will change that.

It just amazes me that anyone can read the Bible and believe that it's true. The bullshit is just overwhelming. Talking animals? A man loses his strength because his hair was cut? A woman created from a man's rib? A worldwide flood that kills every living creature except for a handful of people and animals on an ark? A river turns into blood? A sea is parted? A virgin birth? A man who walks on water and heals the sick with a touch of his hand? A man who rises up from the dead? Intelligent, rational people believe this drivel? Not only that, but the "God" referenced in this book is drastically different in the two testaments. The OT god is angry, jealous, punitive and vengeful. The NT god is forgiving, loving and joyful. These could not possibly be the same god. Unless, of course, he has undergone a personality transplant.

Quote:As Carl Sagan said. "You can't convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it's based on a deep seated need to believe."

Couldn't agree more! These people NEED for their beliefs to be true. If they aren't, their entire world comes crashing down. Consequently, they will defend these beliefs no matter what.

It reminds me of the remake of "Planet of the Apes". In case you didn't see it, the apes all pray to Simos, the supposed creator. Near the end of the movie, the apes discover that Simos was a lab monkey who escaped from a crashed spacecraft many thousands of years before. I'll never forget the scene when one of the gorillas looks at his counterpart and bellows, "EVERYTHING I'VE BELIEVED MY WHOLE LIFE IS A LIE!".

I wondered how many people in the audience had the religious symbolism fly over their heads.

(March 2, 2010 at 5:17 pm)Thor Wrote: Very true. Religion requires no thought process at all. "God did it!" explains everything. Imagine being ill and your "cure" is to have a group of dimwits pray over you?

For some "goddidit" is a good enough answer for anything. To me it's a quick and lazy way to answer something.
I'll go for science over religion any day. At least science gives you data to work with. Something to examine and test yourself. Religion just says "god did it" and "don't question it or go to hell". "Must have faith or your in denial" or "your evil". For me, if you haven't any evidence, no data and nothing to examine then you've got nothing to show me. No evidence/No data = No case.

(March 2, 2010 at 6:22 pm)Saerules Wrote:

(March 2, 2010 at 5:29 pm)Minimalist Wrote:

Quote:Whilst I agree that it is likely that a younger person will have less wisdom than an elder person

There is a difference between "wisdom" and "experience." I've met just as many dumb old fucks as young ones.

Which is why I said:

Saerules Wrote:wisdom can be summed up in what one has learned from their experiences/time.

Some people don't learn shit from their experiences though, Sae. Like these old fucks who actually were out there fighting Hitler and still scream about Obama being Hitler for proposing health care reform. Who knew they were fighting Hitler because the Germans had better medical coverage?

(March 2, 2010 at 6:15 pm)Darwinian Wrote: The Bible of course!

You assume a non thoughtful answer... where the source is anything but unthoughtful. Are you as unthoughtful or do you consider the possibilities?

Could you ask the question again, but this time using different words :S

It's perfectly straightforward Dad. It's just your overwhelming sense of guilt is blinding you from the blatantly obvious

Again, different words would be really helpful. I am slightly sozzled on pear cider, yik!

Min Wrote:Some people don't learn shit from their experiences though, Sae. Like these old fucks who actually were out there fighting Hitler and still scream about Obama being Hitler for proposing health care reform. Who knew they were fighting Hitler because the Germans had better medical coverage?

Which is exactly why i posited that they had to have learned from their experiences/time to generate wisdom If they didn't learn from them, then they didn't gain wisdom :S

(March 2, 2010 at 4:42 pm)Saerules Wrote: Actually he is correct. Wisdom is often what one attains by experience.

Age is a measure of how long a thing has existed (in it's 'current' or 'similar' state).

Whilst one has the ability to gain more experience by living longer... it does not dictate that they do. Further, people gain experience at different rate (iow: some people learn the first time... some people never learn)... hence wisdom can be summed up in what one has learned from their experiences/time.

No matter how old a person is... they can still be a dumb fuck.


And so far as love goes, again he is correct. Love is entirely unrelated to age.

Thanks Saerules, you just confirmed half my hypothesis. "Tell that to any 16 year old and they will agree with you".

We'll talk about this again in 5 years time.