Open-mindedness
- Thread starter Scott Free
- Start date
I think it does explain things well for people on both sides of the coin. It's a nice way of saying, if you are a believer, don't push your ideas on those who are not and if you are not a believer, don't insult those who are by telling them their thoughts or beliefs are stupid as you have nothing to back it up with anymore than they can produce proof to backup their belief. Just play nice with each other is the statement.:smile:
As I pointed out before, if the irrational were rational in the first place, there would be no superstitious beliefs.
Because superstitious beliefs are irrational and those of us who are superstitious know this, we still act on superstition. It's like the irrational belief that if someone sends me a chain letter filled with all the bad things that can happen to me if I don't send out so many copies, I just can't help but forward it. However, I do delete all the bad threats and bad luck indicated so that I don't forward the superstition - just the mail without it. I don't want to be that way but like Cliff says - we are conditioned. My Mom was a very superstitious person.
Because superstitious beliefs are irrational and those of us who are superstitious know this, we still act on superstition. It's like the irrational belief that if someone sends me a chain letter filled with all the bad things that can happen to me if I don't send out so many copies, I just can't help but forward it. However, I do delete all the bad threats and bad luck indicated so that I don't forward the superstition - just the mail without it. I don't want to be that way but like Cliff says - we are conditioned. My Mom was a very superstitious person.
Not far from being open-minded. He is willing to change his views, the other isn't.
The me, me, me thing is understandable as it is he that was being accused. So can you dispute the logic in the cartoon, or can you only offer your opinion.
I said something to my dad once and knocked on wood for emphasis but he looked puzzled at me and said I was being superstitious and should pray instead. :lol:
And he believed that was a better way to go? Typical but unrealistic, just as
knocking on wood is just a superstition, and not realistic.
My mother was superstitious too, a trait that seems to belong to the older
generations, and is gradually phasing out, I hope.
My mother in law was born in Rome, and wore a gold number 13, for luck, so
just as different religions claim they are right, so do different superstitions
of different countries, all 'catchy', but unrealistic.
Oh really? In case you haven't noticed the "mass media" is extinct. If you doubt that, ask yourself how many magazines were published in 1950 vs today? How many TV stations were in existence in 1960 vs today? How many radio stations could you listen to in 1970 vs today? We are becoming "de-massified", less homogenized and less Borg like. Try and get the majority to agree on anything today.
As for open-mindedness, religions by and large are becoming more open-minded. Catholics are far more willing to question church doctrine today than 300, 200 or even 50 years ago. The United Church of Canada (the largest protestant denomination in Canada) is far more open-minded than most Atheists I know. The Moderator of the church has publicly stated that Jesus was not God.
http://www.reformedreflections.ca/biography/moderator-phipps.pdf
Just check out there page on social justice.
Social Justice
Atheists always point to the fringes of religion and use that as an example of all religions and religious people. Of course, anybody that is open-minded can see through the intellectual dishonesty.
Now, let's have the troll label.
Number one, I am not an atheist.
Number two, I have never called anybody a troll.
Three, I was talking more about world culture becoming homogenized through mass media dominated and controlled buy advertising dollars. I have worked for several newspapers and magazines and editorial content is watered down so as to not offend advertisers. We are fed pablum and editorial bias and most people do not know how to critically think or are too lazy to searching multiple sources to come to their own opinions about stuff. We are bottle fed our opinions by the media and most people I have met, in person and on line mostly parrot those opinions.
Some people may think you are a troll but I see you as a devil's advocate, trying to get people to look critically at what they post. The problem on these forums is that there is not a lot of time and space to get detailed and we mostly talk in generalizations.
Cool even under ignore, if someone qutes a troll, I see see the critter's post. 
Fallacious argument (now there's a surprise): fits under Argument By Generalization. ALL atheists ALWAYS point .....?
Of course. :roll:
If the label fits .... lmao
Yep, it's pretty tough to add a "some " and "frequently" to "Atheists always ....."
It's not fair when it's done back at you is it? I guess my point has been proven.
added...
BTW, I've seen others accused of being a troll for what you did. I did not say ALL. You needed to add that word in order to make some point. I won't call you a troll though.
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I guess there are times when praying could be more applicable then knocking on wood. Knocking on wood is superstition. I'm sure that lots of people on here use the term "knock on wood" right after telling a story about something they want to go well. Touch wood is another one with much the same hoped for outcome. Itchy hand - scratch it on wood for money and so on and so forth. I think most of us use these terms without actual giving them any thought. All superstitions that have turned into just words. For those who believe in prayer, I think we all have our own way and there doesn't seem to be a wrong way to pray unless you are praying for bad things to happen. My prayers are private and personal.
The moderator of the UCC is probably on his "way out". The church is not exactly happy with his agnostic beliefs.
I think we talk in generalizations for a number of reasons. The first is that we don't want to offend anyone for the most part. Some people don't care and they don't mind making that obvious but most of us here are of an age where feelings matter - at least to a certain degree. If you get too detailed someone will fight you on it so in the end, it's not worth it. No one ever just expresses an opinion without a fight in the religious or political venue. Of course there are no fisticuffs because we cannot reach each other with fists but the words can be almost as cutting. You have to feel a certain degree of "safety" when you post. I feel safe talking to you for example because we've talked a long time and I feel like I have a sense of the real you and like you have the same about me. The same as anyone you talk to for a couple of years. I don't know Shadow well but he's warm and kind and the type of person everyone likes so you(me, et al) can open up with him too. There are some here that get really snarky but in their next post they move past it and that's okay too. People who believe they are the only ones right - well - can't get past them. I don't even want to. Forums. They keep people at arm's length. I don't think I ever have heard you call anyone a troll even when we had one. I think you are safe Cannuck. No need for trolls today. ;-)
All things whether CNN and the WWW as well as all other things have to be taken with a grian of salt and seen for what they are.
Nothing is free of influence and bias. trying to get all sides of every story is now a more of a full time job if you want to have an accurate feel for a story and even your own perception will taint the topic in some way..
BCProud. That was simply a statement regarding how fast news spreads today and the methods by which it spreads. CNN just kind of got in there. I guess it would be better to say, radio/newspapers/television and the www.
BTW - how are you? Haven't talked to you for a few days.:lol: