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Meet the New Pope


Ace Of Spades

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I definitely disagree. For one thing, a newborn's brain has minimal if any capacity for cognitive reasoning/formulating rational thoughts, let alone self-awareness. It isn't capable of holding any of the ism belief systems, to include atheisim. For another, all infants have souls and it's generally understood that the purpose of a soul is to have a relationship with God. Call it the divine spark, or the spiritual dimension of man. So come to think of it a newborn is God-like in that it exists even though it isn't aware of it's own existence. Perhaps this is why it is said in Genesis 1:27 that God created man in his own image.

That's the purpose of a soul if you believe in god ...

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There were very interesting, albeit unethical, studies done in Europe and Canada back in the 1960's and early 1970's where the govt funded studies whereby abandoned newborns were taken from hospitals and raised in highly conditioned environments. One of the criteria was to determine if a human being has a drive or natural predisposition to god, gods, mythical beings, religion, or simply basic philosophy of life. The published results were quite eye opening. The majority of teenagers ( a cohort of 100 children), had no natural inclination toward anything supernatural, in other words unless conditioned to believe in a god, gods, magical creatures, etc the children did not come up with these ideas on their own. The most they got was the occasional dog or horse with wings or talking animals. This is not to say there is no god or gods, just simply humans raised in the modern world have no natural need or inclination toward a belief in the mystical. However, these constructs usually do take form when a child or adult is faced with a dilemma, crisis, or indescribable event the mind cannot quantify. This is how we are wired, if the answers are there, god is not needed, but if we need answers and none are forthcoming, humans then need god to explain the unexplainable.

Again I just want to say this is science and not necessarily my personal belief or opinion, just something I find fascinating. Personally I do believe in a God, what form that takes I have no idea but I very much believe our conscience survives death and either is reincarnated or advances to another plane of existence.

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Very interesting SR .. that was sort of my point, not that babies are born believing in atheism but rather, they are born not believing in god. As SteveAJones pointed out, "a newborn's brain has minimal if any capacity for cognitive reasoning/formulating rational thoughts."

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I must say I am pretty surprised you are an atheist. Did not expect that. I know you are in to Astronomy like I am. I am one that is very confident that God and science can co exist in perfect harmony. Most people on this Earth do believe in God. Even well respected doctors and scientists. Most atheists I have met are mad at guess who? God. And why? Because he did not step in and intercede with day to day events here on Earth. There is this thing called free will. And it is for those that do good and those that chose to do evil as well. If God were to step in and stop every single bad thing from happening, he would not really be allowing us to make our own choices I would argue. Well its your choice to be a non believer. But it seems strange that your beliefs in aliens can be so strong and your doubt in a God be equally as strong? After all, you have no proof that these aliens exist either. Not trying to be controntational, In fact, it may be best for this thread to just fade into the cobwebs of those other threads of yesteryear.

lol, i'm surprised that you are surprised :) i've stated my beliefs on here before.

atheists aren't mad at god .... how could they be, when they don't believe in god ? :)

i actually believe that some, maybe all bible stories are true to some degree, but that they have been misunderstood by man - in other words, the "god " the "angels " , even figures such as the greek gods etc ..... i think they are extraterrestrial beings that our ancestors mistook for "gods ' because of their powers of flight/power/intellect .... etc etc

so, that sounds crazy? i will be dubbed a crazy woman, i guess - by some, anyway. that's ok, i am used to it. but just think about what i have said - it is no crazier than the mainstream view of god/jesus/the bible stories. :)

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Did the Pope shield paedophile priest? 'Cover-up' over curate's abuse of 200 deaf children



The Pope has been accused of failing to act against a known paedophile priest.

The claim that Pope Benedict XVI covered up the case of an American curate who abused 200 deaf children sent shockwaves through the Vatican.

Correspondence published between U.S. bishops and the future pontiff in the 1990s apparently show that he ignored their pleas for him to act.

The allegations, coming in the wake of a series of sex scandals besetting the Roman Catholic church, is a crippling blow to his status and brings the whiff of scandal to his door.

Yesterday the Vatican strenuously denied the claims, insisting there was 'an 'ignoble attempt' to smear Pope Benedict 'at any cost'.



Father Lawrence Murphy, the alleged paedophile, is said to have abused 200 pupils while heading a school for the deaf in Wisconsin from 1950 to 1974.

According to the New York Times, the case was referred by U.S. church leaders to the Vatican in 1996.

At the time the disciplinary division in Rome, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was led by the man who is now Pope and was then known as Cardinal Ratzinger.

Two letters about the case from senior clergy in the U.S. were ignored, it was reported. Cardinal Ratzinger's deputy then told them to begin a disciplinary hearing against Murphy.



However, the priest then wrote to the Cardinal saying he had had a stroke and 'repented my past transgressions'. He begged to be allowed to live out his life 'in the dignity of my priesthood'.

Documents suggest the future Pope failed to respond. However, proceedings against Murphy, who died in 1998 still a priest, were halted.

It is alleged that he also abused children in other institutions.

The U.S. accusation comes on top of complaints of a cover-up of abuse cases in Germany between 1977 and 1981 when the Pope was Archbishop of Munich. Pope Benedict is said to have failed to either take action against priests involved in abuse or to pass information to police.

The Holy See has also been haunted for months by allegations that the Church sought to cover up child abuse by priests in Europe, including in Ireland.

The Pope has already written a landmark letter of apology to Irish Catholics this week.

Yesterday a Vatican statement acknowledged that the Murphy case 'involved particularly vulnerable victims who suffered terribly from what he did'.

But it added that the complaints had been sent to it more than two decades after they had been known to the Catholic authorities in Wisconsin and to local police.

The statement claimed that because Murphy was elderly, in poor health and living in seclusion - and because 'no allegations of abuse had been reported in over 20 years', Rome had suggested that U.S. bishops consider restricting his public activities and requiring he 'accept full responsibility' for his acts.

A senior Papal aide said yesterday the allegations were part of a conspiracy against Rome.

Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins said that while he was in favour of zero tolerance, he accused lawyers of hoping to make money out of abuse allegations.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1260536/Pope-implicated-cover-paedophile-priest-sex-abuse-200-deaf-boys.html

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From a Christian perspective it's not that simple - to forgive is devine - so thus far the Church has placed considerable emphasis on forgiveness. However, I think he is wise enough to realize some level of reform must occur within the Church and I believe he has the spiritual and physical strength to make significant changes. Having said that, I think the rainbow flag wavers, pro-abortionists and social progressives are bound to be disappointed, as they should be.

These people have broken the law , so they should be exposed , its not matter for the church to judge and thus forgive

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I haven't yet seen any evidence that there is a thing as a "soul".

Hey Res, you most likely won't ever see tangible evidence.

However, I once heard the soul described as, " the "I" that inhabits the body and acts through it. Without the soul, the body is like a light bulb without electricity."

When that "electricity" goes on, the body and mind function, but there is that little extra "element" that differentiates us from "a robotic-like being". ....just my 2 cents.

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lol, i'm surprised that you are surprised :) i've stated my beliefs on here before.

atheists aren't mad at god .... how could they be, when they don't believe in god ? :)

i actually believe that some, maybe all bible stories are true to some degree, but that they have been misunderstood by man - in other words, the "god " the "angels " , even figures such as the greek gods etc ..... i think they are extraterrestrial beings that our ancestors mistook for "gods ' because of their powers of flight/power/intellect .... etc etc

so, that sounds crazy? i will be dubbed a crazy woman, i guess - by some, anyway. that's ok, i am used to it. but just think about what i have said - it is no crazier than the mainstream view of god/jesus/the bible stories. :)

I wouldn't say you are crazy but I don't think you give enough credit to ancient civilations and too much to the aliens.

fs_sense_of_awe.jpg

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lol, i'm surprised that you are surprised :) i've stated my beliefs on here before.

atheists aren't mad at god .... how could they be, when they don't believe in god ? :)

i actually believe that some, maybe all bible stories are true to some degree, but that they have been misunderstood by man - in other words, the "god " the "angels " , even figures such as the greek gods etc ..... i think they are extraterrestrial beings that our ancestors mistook for "gods ' because of their powers of flight/power/intellect .... etc etc

so, that sounds crazy? i will be dubbed a crazy woman, i guess - by some, anyway. that's ok, i am used to it. but just think about what i have said - it is no crazier than the mainstream view of god/jesus/the bible stories. :)

Accounts written in the new testament are very detailed and describe the arrest, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ in great detail. As an historical event. One can run but not hide from the extraordinary events, teachings, and influence Jesus has had on this world and the people in it. The fact that over two thousand years later over a billion people believe he was in fact the son of God speaks for itself.

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Accounts written in the new testament are very detailed and describe the arrest, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ in great detail. As an historical event. One can run but not hide from the extraordinary events, teachings, and influence Jesus has had on this world and the people in it. The fact that over two thousand years later over a billion people believe he was in fact the son of God speaks for itself.

Accounts in the bible (in this case about the life and death of Jesus) often contradict.

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/paul_carlson/nt_contradictions.html

Also the details are often not as detailed as one might expect, nobody even mentions how Jesus looked like (so the image we know as Jesus today is merely an artistic invention).

"The fact that over two thousand years later over a billion people believe he was in fact the son of God speaks for itself."

That's an informal fallacy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_hoc_ergo_propter_hoc

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I personally feel the evidence every time I hear a piece of music that raises the hairs on the back of my neck .

i guess we have all felt like this at times. good times, bad times ........ :)

though is it a soul? or just our brains and personalities ? i don't know, and it doesn't really matter, i guess.

though there is probably evidence that some people DON"T have a soul .......

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I wouldn't say you are crazy but I don't think you give enough credit to ancient civilations and too much to the aliens.

fs_sense_of_awe.jpg

gee what a surprise that you posted this for little old me ...... NOT

actually, you've gone easy on me this time, so thanks black dawg :) ( it's actually quite amusing :) )

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Accounts written in the new testament are very detailed and describe the arrest, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ in great detail. As an historical event. One can run but not hide from the extraordinary events, teachings, and influence Jesus has had on this world and the people in it. The fact that over two thousand years later over a billion people believe he was in fact the son of God speaks for itself.

there are lots of stories that are really weird .... like jacob climbing a ladder to the sky ...... angels flying down to earth ........ what about that arc of the covenant .... it's supposed to very dangerous, but what is it? where is it?

religion is very popular all over the world, but that doesn't prove anything.

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