Election Results

[Kaleban]

Okay, first to Steele, that comment was tongue in cheek, since I'M long-winded and usually write long overblown posts hehe.

To Gambit, I'm not breaking any debate rules, didn't know we were going formal. In any case, you mention the Mormons having books with no basis in scientific fact. You know, I don't remember the last time I saw fire rain down from the sky, a flood to cover all, some old guy parting a sea of water, etc., etc.

MOST religious texts are all parable. That is they tell a story to demonstrate a "rule of life" or moral code. Its a great way to teach young or uneducated people, since even a child understands the reasons why David can win against Goliath and other stories. They also instill hope.

But to tell me that the Catholic Bible rests solely on scientific evidence, well, that's just ignorant. Or ANY religious text for that matter. If they were scientific, they wouldn't be a faith, nor would we be having arguments! What about Creation vs. Evolution. There's plenty of scientific evidence FOR Evolution, yes with some inconsistencies, but it makes more logical sense according to what we know about the universe and nature than the Earth being the center of the Universe, being spun out of nothingness in six days, etc., etc. I mean, come on.

The Hetero vs. homo household comment is not facetious either. SCIENTIFIC evidence exists to point out that homosexuals taken as a whole group are less prone to aggressive tendencies, from spousal abuse to alcoholism. It is NOT an incorrect assertion.

And I didn't claim what Jester said was wrong/grey or whatever. What he said was that abortion should not be allowed, but would consider it under the circumstance of forced sexual intercourse. Soooo, that means abortion (i.e. murder) is ok under special circumstances. I'm trying to point out the hypocrisy of the statement. No offence to anyone, but abortion is NOT a grey area. Either a woman has control of her body (and yes a foetus is a parasite until born) or she doesn't, and that INCLUDES any external circumstances.

Having Muslim or Gaian prayers in a special class? I think that's called segregation, if I'm not mistaken? Outlawed? You bet. And the reason you don't hear about it? Because many of those in power are Christians, or what would be considered "conservative" which is a nice way of saying "stagnant", "change is bad", etc. And if I remember correctly, ALL Americans, be they celebrating Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or Christmas, or whatever, are ALL entitled to the basic freedoms granted by the Bill of Rights and Constitution. To say otherwise enacts a gulf between those in power, and those without, which is what our country in reality is faced with.

I taught in a Minneapolis school for two years. Before that I was the school district's Networking Manager. I saw what goes on in schools. PUBLIC schools. And Minnesota is most decidedly conservative. There was a PUBLIC university in the same town. The first building was the "Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Resources" building, which obviously catered to students of a decidedly non-conservative bent. Every year out of the five I lived there, I heard nothing but complaints and threats about the people that building catered to. One year, several parents were found to have drive-by egged an openly homosexual professor's house. Now, are you going to tell me that conservative Christians in that area were tolerant, and acknowledged that professor's and the students who frequented that building's right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness?

I think not.

P.S. The China/Saudi comment. They're not heterogenous societies, nor are they tolerant of other cultures. Nor do they paint themselves to be. America does. And America is most decidedly heterogenous in regards to cultures. Remember they ole "no taxation without representation..." line? I wonder if a cross-section of Congress accurately reflects the percentage mix of cultures in the USA? Probably not as well. So depressing.