FreThink - Latest Comments

Re: A thought experiment on white privilege and latent racism

sheber — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 07:33:45 -0000

We know exactly what would happen. Law enforcement sure wouldn't be looking the other way. I read something like this before the last presidential election asking how the Obama's and Biden's would be treated if, like Palin, they had the unmarried pregnant teen daughter whose baby's daddy's mother was a drug dealer and the child tasering cop brother-in-law or McCain's history of dumping his horribly car wreck injured wife for the young rich woman he met while still married who ended up stealing drugs for her habit from a non-profit she ran. I'm embarrassed to say that I was a willfully ignorant republican before that election but I believe in being intellectually honest with one's self and the republican/teabaggers are absolutely delusional.

Re: A thought experiment on white privilege and latent racism

Scott M. — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 14:20:51 -0000

Video of Tim Wise.

http://camelswithhammers.co...

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

kenthutcheson — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 20:21:46 -0000

This is refreshing. Religion is not a concept the mind possesses - it is a concept that that possesses the mind. Teaching young children faith based beliefs is cruel and
is a poor use of precious time during the development years.

Re: Our world may be a giant hologram

castellan45 — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 20:23:45 -0000

Τhis article is very impressionable but i think that is true regarding the scientific
side.
Today the high tecnology could be able to provocate natural calamities,biological distructions,artificial tsunami or eart vibrations to destroy countries economies...maybe continents!
the high top segret tecnology exclusivly used for geostrategical disasters could be a strong injection for many international monopoly society...
the human creature today is able to copy theese fenomena to construct or to destroy!!
the choises are not our!!

Re: Our world may be a giant hologram

Sergio Nayar — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 20:00:42 -0000

For me it's more like we are living In The Matrix!!!

No, seriously!!!

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

kevin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:30:36 -0000

go swedes....

Re: The Family a.k.a. the Christian mafia

Seminary — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:51:47 -0000

The way he interpret Reclaiming 7 Mountains of Culture is amazing, the Reformed Theological Seminary which is committed in teaching through theological education has the same priority with the 7 mountains.

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

mirrzz — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:09:29 -0000

it is the paren'ts right but what their government is thinking about is the child's right. their right to make their own choices and prevent being brainwashed. kids can't stand up for themselves. someone has to. and if the kid decides on his own that he wants to follow a certain faith then fine, go right ahead.

Re: Trying to make science respectable again

UncleB — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:54:37 -0000

"Theisms' the realm of the Great Hulking American neanderthal! Watch as veggie and rice diets and the small but swift use Physics , Nath and Science derived technologies to overcome McMansions ans SUV's mentalities and bring forth a nes paradigm in America, one of survival without great armies battling for none-existant oil in distant lands, without huge roaring V-8 engines withiout collosal highway systems, a new paradigm with nuclear electricity, and electric bullet train networks replacing the oil thirsty jet planes, and higher efficiency homes designed around energy conservation, not Barbie Doll fantasies like the McMansions now foreclosed and worthless to mankind. We are at the dawning of a new age in America forced upon us by oil supply realities ans a burgeoning Asian fact of life we cannot ignore! Our falling dollar is the indicator of how fast we must change, and our highest ever unemployment is the indicator for why we must change and the paradigm shift is upon us! We need Universal Medical Care to stay afloat in an ever increasing socialist world! China is flat out communist, the rest of the Western World is Socialist Democracies, Only America the hold out , still stuck on fervent ass-breaking Capitalism, the Imperial Measures System and Stupid!

Re: No rhyme or reason

Rockstad — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:11:10 -0000

Design = Designer (Logical conclusion) unless we have evidence of a complex design just happening on it's own

Designer Doesn't Necessarily = Another Designer (Assumption)
Atheist believe we are the Designer
Theist believe God is the Designer
Both Assume an end Designer not a never ending stream of designers

At least that is my perception, great thing is I am either right or wrong when it comes to if there is a God or not and in the end we will either find out or not, it won't be based on relativism.

Re: Anti-Intellectualism Is Destroying America

James Smith — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:15:11 -0000

There's nothing new here. Young people have always harassed and denigrated good students. Unfortunately, those arrogant in their ignorance are now voters and parents so are passing their stupidity on to their children and trying to make ignorance the law of the land by forcing the teaching of creationism and pseudo-science.

The "dumbing down of America" is in its advanced stages and can only result in the total destruction of the country.

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

Hikamori — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:14:01 -0000

Don't try to say that everyone in private schools are there by choice. If there was no question all of them belong there, then fine with us. However, until then, you cannot say that private schools are private. Yes, I believe in something.

Re: Was Einstein Wrong?: A Quantum Threat to Special Relativity

WowGoHerecom — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:46:30 -0000

Einstein absolutely proven WRONG ! !

www.EinsteinGravity.com

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

jeber — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:25:11 -0000

Here's the problem with that position. We expect the state to protect children, even from their parents if that's necessary. We don't object to laws that protect children from kidnapping or molestation. If we expect the state to protect a child's body, why not their mind? Is one less important than the other?

The accommodating mentality that would allow parents or schools to teach something as fact when it is really nothing more than belief or opinion isn't an attitude of tolerance. It appears to be, but in reality allowing fiction and unestablished belief to be presented as established fact is to allow our children to be misled and lied to. While we may wish to not offend, those determined to subjugate the minds of children are not so polite. They will take advantage of our reticence to promote their personal brand of belief and present it as fact to minds too young to critically examine it.

People do indeed pay for private education, but are children in private education any less entitled to an honest and factual education? Should those parents not get their money's worth?

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

jessielmays — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 10:41:14 -0000

I think that's going too far. The measure is a great thing for public schools; taxpayer money should never be used to advance the personal beliefs of any faith group. But private schools? If you are paying for your child's education, you should be able to choose what is included in that price.

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

B.G — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:43:59 -0000

Once theists can bring any good evidence that isn't completely faith based then we can talk. It's not like by this we're promoting atheism, we're promoting science which although they have a common tie (reasoning skills) aren't the same. I compare this law to one stating it is illegal for schools to teach that bananas are the only food source.

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

B.G — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:36:36 -0000

only problem is that this isn't how it is. In school it shouldn't be allowed to teach anything without significant evidence and even then make sure the children know there are alternatives. By no means is that forcing someone's beliefs on your child. What it seems to me you seem scared of is that if your child gets to hear a different viewpoint and "God forbid" make their own choice on the matter. Kids shouldn't be forced to take on the belief of their parents, even if it's only until they leave the house. It's already been said in a perfect world kids would see all points of view and all evidence and make their own decision. The closest you're going to get is school and adding a religious tilt to it completely destroys that as that one religion will be taught as complete fact.

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

B.G — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 02:17:46 -0000

On the one hand I agree that people should be allowed to believe what they will but at the same time this isn't expected to be stretched to desctructive beliefs which let's face it religion is. It is a huge obstruction to an increase in overall human intelligence and causes many more wars than it has stopped. While many of the morals and such are good in religion people eventually need to be weaned from the fairy tales that go along with it. There's nothing wrong with giving children all the evidence we have towards something, but to tell them that whatever religious scripture is simply right with no evidence is just wrong. Give children all the evidence and let them make up their own minds.

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

JD — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:30:13 -0000

My friend used to go to the catholic school Holy Family, when he first enrolled he was given a test. One of the Questions was whether or not extra terrestrial life existed. He said yes and got the question wrong. This is one of the first steps to a religious free world.

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

James Smith — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 13:13:34 -0000

Gee, an intelligent decision about Intelligent Design! From a government no less!

Next thing we know, They'll declare that people use facts when voting instead of political nonsense. Wait, what am I saying? No, let's be rational...

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

Joakim — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 12:49:44 -0000

Very well written!
"The parents are always right" is so deeply rooted in us humans that it sometimes harms us.

As a Swedish citizen, I am somewhat puzzled about some of the comments here. Sweden is a country where we value democracy, human rights, equality etc. very highly. This has been proven through several studies at many different occasions that we are pretty good at it.

We would never pass a law that points fingers at a specific group and say "hey, you are not allowed to believe that!". It is a major difference in believing something and teaching belief in school. You can believe whatever you want even if you are lacking evidence, but you may never teach this to children who are unable to apply critical thinking. The school teaches facts that can be proven, and that is the way it should be in a sane world.

I also see no reason to justify the existence of private religious schools. Think about it, do we really need MORE labels to put on our children in a world filled with ethnicity (with ethnicity comes racism and xenophobia), prejudice, subcultures, etc. that seperates them from one another? I think private religious schools will just increase the segregation further by adding other labels than they are born with. A child can not belong to a religion, it's just a worthless label.

Re: Swedish government - it’s illegal for schools to teach religious doctrine as if it were true.

Chubbles — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:30:14 -0000

I am all on board with taking religion out of public schools. But private schools? They only exis because you can teach religion in them. People pay good money to bring their kids up in them.

Shame on you, Swedish government. The single bad thing about religion-forcing it upon other people-is being repeated here. As in ANY well adjusted government, you should under no circumstances restrict your citizens in any way. Why protest against telling people how to marry if you're going to have your freedom of thought taken away? It's just... not right. It's like banning preaching in churches, or eating in a McDonalds.

Re: Our world may be a giant hologram

Davwarpath — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:30:06 -0000

Maybe you need 3-D glasses to see the truth?

Re: Our world may be a giant hologram

Davwarpath — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:29:25 -0000

Maybe you need 3-D glasses to see the truth?

Re: Our world may be a giant hologram

P0oP — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:40:59 -0000

or destroying a country for non-existant weapons.