Interesting thought on dems, Bill of Rights

[djmcmath]

Originally posted by lendaddy
I only say that because I know how volitile these arguments can get. Just don't want it to get too ugly.

You're right, Len -- I probably ought to back off. We'll go back to the calm and quiet debates about politics and whether or not SJP is a dooger.


Dan

[Moses]

Originally posted by BillyPilgrim
.
But hey, maybe God is inserting that extra strand of DNA just to mess with us.

My thoughts exactly. I completed 2 1/2 years of a PhD in genetics before Med school. Unraveling the genetic code and actually "watching" evolution increased my religious faith.

How could God have designed a more brilliant system. "Life" has an unlimited capacity for change. For me, the endless cycle of new life and adaptation is the greatest miracle. To create man and animals with the wave of a hand seems extremely simple compared to the beautiful complexity of "creation" when a new child is born.

[12own911]

Originally posted by Moses
My thoughts exactly. I completed 2 1/2 years of a PhD in genetics before Med school. Unraveling the genetic code and actually "watching" evolution increased my religious faith.

How could God have designed a more brilliant system. "Life" has an unlimited capacity for change. For me, the endless cycle of new life and adaptation is the greatest miracle. To create man and animals with the wave of a hand seems extremely simple compared to the beautiful complexity of "creation" when a new child is born.

Where do the flaws in a new child come from? IS this part of GODs world? If so, why? If not, why not?

[lendaddy]

A deeply religous person would tell you that God gives us all challenges and non greater than you can handle. A scientist will tell you luck of the genetic draw.

[djmcmath]

Wow, Moses -- looks like that one was directed at you. I'd answer, but I seem to have left my 10 foot pole somewhere else.

Dan

[Moses]

Originally posted by 12own911
Where do the flaws in a new child come from? IS this part of GODs world? If so, why? If not, why not?

Only 3-5% of newborns have a major congenital abnormality. Pretty remarkable considering the complexity of events.

[djmcmath]

In all honesty, the deeply religious answer says that we live in an imperfect world. The imperfection (which is generally referred to as "sin") is there because many many years ago, according to a book of mythology, some guy named Adam ate from a special tree that his God had told him not to eat from. According to this story, the same God who had told Adam not to eat from the special tree kicked him out of the safe garden and pronounced that henceforth, "your life will suck."

That brings us to the Apostle Paul, who noted many years later that "all things work together for the good of those who love God." If you assume that, since the writings of Paul and the old myth about the garden are part of the same story, you could theorize that Paul really meant _all_ things -- even the bad ones.

So if this all fits together somehow, why do bad things happen to good people? Why did Job get hammered so bad? Why are there starving orphans in Ecuador? The deeply religious answer is that God allows these things to happen for a purpose greater than what we can see. Sometimes suffering causes growth in our lives. Sometimes our example through pain causes growth in someone else's life. Sometimes bad things happen to me and I don't know why, but if I believe that there is a God, I can also perhaps believe that He has some plan, that He knows what He's doing, and that He allowed pain and suffering for some purpose beyond my little piddly life, and my finite little viewpoint.

... and that is some small comfort, at least.

Dan


(Hope that answer doesn't stir up too much hate and malcontent. )

[lendaddy]

Well spoken Dan, no hate nor malcontent here.

[djmcmath]

Thanks, Len. Sorry I got too heated earlier.


Dan

[lendaddy]

Dan, no problems. I am kind of weird on religion. I have nothing but respect for those with deep belief systems. In a way I envy them. In fact, though I do not have any deep religous faith, I intend to raise my new son as a christian and let him make his own decisions there. I feel if all you get out of a christian upbringing is good values then so be it, if there is more well even better. My grandfather is a deeply religious man who is likely the happiest person in the world, coincidence, I think not.

[Moses]

Originally posted by lendaddy
A deeply religous person would tell you that God gives us all challenges and non greater than you can handle. A scientist will tell you luck of the genetic draw.

I don't think those ideas are mutually exclusive, but being a scientist I tend to put my trust in Math and Physics. Theological issues fascinate me. I have a tendency to look at the world in an analytical way but the passing years are softening my scepticism.