Oy kate, the question is out there... You have to consider the answers now buddy..nevermind the thread is nigh lol x
I love how people agree with the clear logic and reasoning behind asking questions and being honest in saying "we dont know" instead of "MY deity did it", but then, with their ass cheeks chaffing with annoyance can't resist an inaccurate and nonsensical jibe like... BUT...
"that doesn't make research god" prologos
or
"what makes that intellectually superior?" Kate wild
you cheeky monkeys ya!
Bringing in deification of research is bizarre in istelf prologos and has never been said in this thread and I have hever heard, seen read it ever and simply don't comprehend the concept other than a christian fed on the fears of turning footballers, actors, money and .... Hmm research :/ into gods, the paranoia of their religious indoctrination shining through. A new god that competes with my god! But alas, journals and papers on JAK2 receptors are anything but the almighty.. Maybe take the time to read some, you may see how silly it is to say...
Also kate, the issue of intellect is not present. This clash comes up with my religious JW family quite a bit, but an atheist with informed perspective of the sciences and evidences of the universe and world is simply being the more HONEST by saying "we dont know! There is no evidence to support it!" And ironically it is a more humble approach to the universe. I have never enjoyed saying "we dont know" so much, because its the most honest answer and I dont have to do any dishonest, hypothetical mental gymnatics to explain away my stance, simply hold the things we know in balance to what we don't. There is nothing clever about saying we dont know. It is just the truth. The watchtower have for many years reinforced the idea, that anyone daring to question them is an independant thinker with a self righteius, snotty, egotystical mind, self congratulating themselves on intellectual superiority. Anyone saying "science does not yet / we dont yet ...know", they scoff at, thinking that a wild intepretation of a 3000yr old scroll in comparison is better than no answer, such as the end of the world will happen in 1975 or Aluminium is the metal of the devil or ...wow come buy this miracle wheat!
Scientists seek out the unknown, the WT have it back to front. As for being academic and educated, the more you learn, the more you realise how little we know and the more humble you become. My family member may scoff as I explain natural selection of gene mutations, explaining how fish became uncle Bob, but I know he believes that insane explination for 1914, though not in the bible, hidden in the bible, counted from 607bce again not inthe bible, but hidden in the bible and frommall modern historians...they cling to "assuming all months are a lunar month of 30 days and assuming a day is a thousand years, but 70 weeks is..." It is crazy talk! This is there e=mc^2 and it is a somewhat shit offer. Alternatively, as with my family member Natural selection of genes happens in a peitry dish! if he really wanted, he could watch it happen, make it happen. The scoffing isembarrassing
Then there is the irony of WT having all the answers to the universe... What happens after death, how did the universe begin, when will the earth as it is come to its end? The dangers of the internet! These goofs are the most self righteous, egotistical , self congratulating knobs who DEMAND people listen,follow and obey them because GOD has appointed them a role of authority. But the biologist counting yellow seeds in a lab is a "noble" not to be trusted. It is a cult mentality, it is crazy it is fundamentalism at its best. You have to leave a/the religion to see it for what it is! I cant believe people including me dont recognise the absurd and hypocritical stances these dictatorial cults take as a member, but on the inside it is almost impossible to see.
So no more jibes, please! Or use real ones.... "Yeah but scientists are boring geeks!" Etc etc These odd ideas are born from religious seeds, not reality. Only 2/3 weeks ago someone here said that scientists worship the scientific method and that they personally could think of better methods than the scientific method. They mention the flaws in mathmatics and actuallu suggested psychic meditation and asking the spirit world as an alternative to science. Ps he admitted there was no confirmed evidence of either. This kind of view of the world is so self delusional, a method for observing the universe aka the scientific method, to that person was literally an opposing god to his, akin to obiwan v darth Vader.... queue the music and sfx..... But it is totally delusional, men and women with beards and thick glasses in lab coats and goggles, with klingon dictionaries in their lockers....ARE NOT WORSHIPPING a list of 5 things to do that make a good test....the scientific method. Likewise prologios.... Who on earth is making research a god? It is boooooooring paperwork, what are you saying man! It is a bizzare stance! It is like the bizzare idea that there is a heart and a mind in the inner self! Nooo there is a muscular pump, and there is a mind. no not even metophorically or illustratively does it come near reality... It is an idea born in ancient egypt, that the brain was literally inthe heart as emotions i.e. Cortisol and adrenaline increase heart rate, you feel it in the heart As it pumps harder, it is a flight or fight response. It ended up in jewish lore, therefore the bible, therefore your 2013 christian.... Just like making research ...a god :/
Science just gives us data, if the data contradicts your beleif system, calling it the work of the devil or an OPPOSING deity may make you feel better but it is simply delusional, there is no other words I can think for it. To then argue that for regions of knowledge where there is no data, please allow me to insert my god as the answer, no matter the question.... Well that is just bizzare too.... And very self deluionary again, why your god? Why would we put all microscopes and dna alanlysers and proton accelerators away, and stop asking just because you want to insert your god there? If you admit that your gap god should not dictate halting of questions, then you admit IT IS NOT A LEGITIMATE ANSWER.... It is a personal plug for fears and confusion for things you dont understand. We all have it, we all do it, but if we try to be honest we have to say "we dont know".
sorry, last point.... I used to and would love to say... There is 100% no god, because I know there is no known evidence for a god and we have a full explanation and historical record of the invention of gods and the motivation for the invention. Despite this, and despite believing with all my conviction that god is a human concept, I cannot demand that to all things we dont understand "a god definitely did not do it"because I have no evidence for that. So it is the most honest stance to say simple...... Oh i do enjoy this bit..... "We simply do not know yet..."