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From what I understand, tasers and stun guns cause rapid depolarization of muscle cells, using up sugar reserves, leading to build up of lactic acid and hence muscle fatigue. I have major doubts as to how resonable it is to expect a person to 'get up' after their muscles have been depleted of...

My comparison wasn't a historical one. My point had little to do with what is (or is not) allowed in each situation, it was about the attitudes of individuals, i.e. your own hate of homosexuals compared with the hate that a hypothetical individual has for Africans - both of which are...

Looking over what you have written it seems to me that, at the core, the only reason you have for not wishing to allow civil unions for homosexual couples is that they disgust you. To argue that it is wrong to allow homosexual unions becuase they turn such an institution "into a freakshow"is one...

So, bshoc, I'm still wondering why you're not willing to allow civil unions for homosexual couples?

Consider also the possibility that the morality of god expressed in religion is merely a manifestation of our natural moral faculties (developed via empathy and reason etc...). These ideas remind me of a passage I quite enjoy by Albert Camus from his essay The Myth of Sisyphus. The quote...

Well put. To bhsoc: this is where you find the presence of unequal rights (which you advocate).

Poor examples: - men cannot have abortions, your point is redundant - female toilets are always available when male toilets are --> no discrimination It's a matter of affording homosexual couples the same level of social status that the government confers upon longstanding heterosexual...

But we're talking about rights which already exist for heterosexuals. This is a matter of equality --> that rights should not descriminate on the basis of a person's sexual persuasion - the notion of universal rights. So I ask you: Why should rights descriminate on the basis of sexual persuasion?

I agree wholeheartedly with your final sentiment (it being one close to my heart) but at the same time I cannot arrive at the conclusion that "we cannot prove nor disprove his, [god's], existence". To claim that no (dis)proof exists for a proposition, let's call it G in this case, is a pretty...

For those who are against gay marriage (for theological or semantic reasons): are you against civil unions for homosexuals?

Hey man, thanks for the long reply. I thought I should make a few more comments on truth, false belief and rhetoric. Truth and false belief: I suppose you didn't read the short parable about the shipowner that I gave you a link to so I'll illustrate the danger of false belief in another...

You're using a very narrow biological view of 'the family', as aposed to a more modern conception which includes single parent families, blended families, families with adopted members etc. These families do not depend on biological connection, marriage or the presence of a mother & a father -...

1. An individual may have a desire to seek the truth (whatever that might be) instead of flippantly accepting any odd proposition which is thrown his/her way. 2. There is always the danger of false belief (see my post). What does it mean for 'god to be a product of infinity'. Does it mean...

I think it's more a matter of what his religion thinks is wrong, rather than what he thinks is wrong. The appropriate question in then what kami has been asking: 'how do you know that your religious text(s) portray god's will correctly?'. I found a question response from askphilosophers.org...

I think a lot of people do carry staph. aureus (~20-50% depending on the population you're looking at), but it's generally found living up the nose as aposed to the reproductive tract. Also, Staphylococcus Epidermidis is carried quite commonly on people's skin as part of our normal bacterial...

The point is trying to avoid having that kind of disaster occur in the first place. An alternative form of quality control (to government control) would be to make simple drug testing kits commercially available, as they have done with ecstasy. However, in many cases these tests are inadequate...

While I'll try not to change direction completely I don't think it's wise to detach discussion about belief/argument/truth/validity when examining arguments, otherwise things degenerate into an 'I believe this, the end'-fest - Consequences: If there is no system of punishment based on an...

A lot of our beliefs affect others in some way, though some more indirectly than others. I should think that valid reasons are important, even essential, as apposed to being a mere nicety. For example, say someone believes that: It is ok to kill women because they eat rocks. ^if you...

To skip89, thanks for the shout out. I feel I should ask you again: how do you feel about the possibility of non-theistic morality? I thought it might be worthwhile bringing up the 'dangers of false belief' parable again. Quoting William Clifford, who demonstrates why it is important to...

You seem to argue that you can't find a basis for morality without god/religion. I personally feel that an athiest ethic is definately possible. I would type my thoughts here but I've already expressed myself on page 247 of the 'does god exist?' thread (follow the link if you're interested /...