trekkor's question
 

I thought this deserved a different take. So much gets lost in be the rhetoric. After reading the thread on the death of Zarqawi, I think that your question can be answered in that thread alone.

Read the responses. If a small group of individuals with otherwise common interests can argue over the merits or demerits of the death of such a scoundrel, then there is absolutely no hope for the future of mankind. Granted, our sample here in this BB is a bit skewed economically, but politically it shows a total disconect from anything that even comes close to the use of logic, rationale, or common sense, resorting to categories and broad brushed attempts at minimizing the opinions of those they do not agree with rather than trying to come up with reasonable answers. Solving real problems with emotion is impossible.

If such a group can have a measurable number of members tha continually have to denegrate the beliefs of others, calling them traitors and unAmerican (and worse), and then rush to hide behind religion or the flag, then how can the human race ever hope to resolve the truly important problems?

So, trek, I see no solution to the world's ills. I think like Einstein: "I do not know what weapons will be used in the next world war, but the one after that will be fought with sticks and stones".

Sorry...Have been on this planet a bit too long and grateful that my remaining time is short. Sympathies to the younger folks here and elsewhere. I am tired.

thanks for the post.:)


everyone knows the answer, but most pretend they don't...


KT

trek

Knowing and understanding are poles apart. Read some of the posts by "believers" and I think you will understand. The message given to us has been bastardized and "personalized" to an extent that Christ Himself would shake his head in disbelief.

Beware. Long life gives you a very pessimistic outlook on the "goodness" of humanity.

I read most of the thread...

People want to put their trust in a human leader SO badly.
They hope so strongly that a good one will finally come along.

The truth is so simple, yet is it ignored or viewed as unimportant.


KT

So, almost five years have past...

Are human governments more or less trustworthy?
Is world peace at Man's hand closer or farther in reach?


KT

I'll play.

IMO world governments are no more trustworthy now than they ever were. We are more aware of their deceits but our awareness doesn't seem to have helped.

World peace at the hand of Man? I think you mean Man/Mankind in general versus Gods plan? Unless God itself comes down and schools us in it's way of peace then it will always be up to Man and Mans interpretation/ vision of peace.

I miss Bob.

Did he pass on or just quit the board? What happened?
I enjoyed his posts.

I have had some PM contact with Bob within the past year. He got tired of the tone of the boards, lack of civil discourse, and that sort of thing. He does discuss some issues via PM's which he initiates.

PARF bound... get this garbage out of here. dont go there, dont need it here....

How is a discussion about a guy who asked hard questions to those who purport their $hit to have no odor, PARF material?

From the few PM's we exchanged, he's smart enough to know better than to waste breath and time arguing with idiots (one of whom's name rhymes with Babs) who are unwilling to attempt or accept a different perspective.

Sounds like someone with a little class.

People are unwilling to attempt or accept a different perspective because they can't see that different perspective.
It's just the way they are at that moment in time.

I don't believe you can affect someone's perspective until you show them respect first.

PARF or not...

Is there anyone here that actually is putting their hope in the next president to solve just the problems in this country?

It would be nothing short of miraculous if somehow, after all of the years of failure, that the needs of the citizens were met.


At what point does the population accept the fact that human rule is not capable of success?


KT

As soon as I can dismiss history.

Humans have been on this planet for over 2 million years.

Just try to list the progress.

It has been a long slog through endless religious wackos, bigots and sheer ignorance, but overall education is better, human rights are better, bigots are called out, health-care is better, human knowledge doubles every 5 years, science has led us from the Dark Ages and we still have hypocrites who utilize the knowledge and technology that rational critical thinking has brought us to claim that some fairy tale is better.

Presonally, I don't see what makes it necessary to be successful to some arbitrary standard, thus I tend to read but not comment on these back and forth excersizes.

In other words, I don't have to hope that the next guy/girl/government will *fix* everything. I can do what *I* can do to try and make the world slightly better, I don't just leave it in the hands of someone/something else.

The animal kingdom has all sorts of competition for food, territory, etc. Always has, always will. Humans are just animals too.

Humans on this world today have the best lives of any animal species in all of the 1 billion+ years of "animal" history. We are, on average, better fed, healthier, and living longer than any time in the past. Global infant mortality rates, "violence", and "murder" (including warfare) are at the lowest levels in history.
Could it be better? Sure, but it has been far worse for most of our history including during biblical times.

More warfare deaths have been tallied during the 20th century than the first 19 centuries combined.

I heard a statistic today that 1 out of 142 born in the US will be murdered.



KT

If all you see is negative, then that is what you'll believe no matter what the evidence says.

Steve Pinker gave an excellent discussion on TED a few years ago:

Steven Pinker on the myth of violence | Video on TED.com