[Ravenholme]

But I like to mess with people by saying 'how can little chains of molecules think, have emotions, and want to do things?'

Uh. They don't?

No, they don't, we're not little chains of molecules, we're ****ing huge.
and if anyone starts calling genes selfish, as in actually being sentient organisms, I'm gonna go ape****.

You and me both, the biologist in me (And I am a zoology student, so that's pretty much all of me) is already fizzing.

[Titan]

 

I just meant it boggles the mind to accept chemical reactions are what's responsible for human sentience. I honestly don't care really, so I'm fine with it, but a bunch of my friends have been kept up at night because I brought that up on purpose.

[General Battuta]

I just meant it boggles the mind to accept chemical reactions are what's responsible for human sentience. I honestly don't care really, so I'm fine with it, but a bunch of my friends have been kept up at night because I brought that up on purpose.

Does it boggle your mind to accept the movement of electrons as what's responsible for the actions of the computer you're typing on?

It's the exact same thing. A computer. Just made of meat.

[qazwsx]

Although, the appearance of complexity in systems governed by simple rules does appear to be quite... Dare I say it? Miraculous... Until you see there's a documented evolutionary process that leads up to the existence of most biological features.

Irreducible complexity my arse.

[Scotty]

Mini-bump.

I was at a camp called Super Summer for the last few days.  It was a church camp, and it gave me time to evaluate what I really believe.

I believe in the teachings of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
I believe that Mary had not known the touch of a man at the time of the conception.
I believe that Jesus was God's son, and that he was the Messiah.
I believe that Jesus died, and trhough his death, those who believe in Him are saved.
I believe that the Cross, while significant, has been slightly... overvalued.  Jesus's death is what is important.  The instrument by which that was accomplished is less so.  That is not to say it is completely irrelevant, merely less important, I think, than Christian society displays.  In some cases, the Cross has become an outright idol.
I believe that all who believe in Jesus are saved from 'Hell,' and that 'Hell' is not necessarily the place of fire and torture that it is always made out to be.  Perhaps it is, and perhaps it is not.  I only know that to be in Hell is to be serparated from God eternally.
I believe that Heaven is real and that followers of Jesus will have internal life in it.

I do not believe in Paul's writings and epistles as law.  Paul was a wise man, but I treat his words as another person's opinions.  I am a Christian, first and foremost, not a Paulite.
I do not believe that a good person who does not have the opportunity to know God suffers for it.
I do not believe that any denomination is correct, or that an affiliation with any denomination is necessary to be a Christian.
I do not believe that any belief should be forced on anyone, no matter the reason.  Ever.  If belief is not accepted willingly, it is not belief.
I do not believe that every action is an action of God.  Too much relies on free will and the actions and events of those who demonstrate that free will by not choosing to follow Jesus for them to be the work of God.

Less related to my faith, I do not believe that a church should be a political organization, nor should it and science conflict in any meaningful way.

[qazwsx]

^

[Snail]

If I'm honest, if I were to become a follower of any faith, it wouldn't be Christianity.