Why out of all the species that exist only humans seem to be radically different in every shape and way?
Its almost as if humans have stopped 'evolving' and have started to diversify in looks rather than in additional mutations.
All haddock look pretty much the same as each other, daisies are pretty much just daisies etc.. in fact it seems that the greatest variety within a species seems to be when artificial means are used (domestic cats, dogs etc..)
Do our evolutionary friends have any explanations as to why humans look totally different (even within families) whereas most animal species look incredibally uniform within their species?
I don't think that there are many evolutionary pressures at all on humans because we have the ability to mould our environment whereas animals seem very limited in altering theirs.
Posts by Qcmbr
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13Evolution - Have you ever thought about...?
by Qcmbr inwhy out of all the species that exist only humans seem to be radically different in every shape and way?
its almost as if humans have stopped 'evolving' and have started to diversify in looks rather than in additional mutations.
all haddock look pretty much the same as each other, daisies are pretty much just daisies etc.. in fact it seems that the greatest variety within a species seems to be when artificial means are used (domestic cats, dogs etc..) .
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Qcmbr
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21
Thou Shalt Not Consume Peanut Butter Before Thy God!
by Swan inhere's what i don't get about some religions.
maybe someone could explain it to me.
okay, hypothetically, let's say you belong to a religion where one of the "rules" is that you shouldn't eat peanut butter.
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Qcmbr
I'm not allowed alcohol,tea,coffee,drugs (the illegal kind) and it seems pretty smart to encourage people not to take these things religion or not.
The whole point about religion is that its supposed to be a way to being happier so you'd be pretty selfish not to encourage people to try out something that improved your life. There are also plenty of people who won't make up their mind unless science backs it up (there's a gaggle of them here) so when science shows that something is bad for you its worth keeping in your back pocket when challenged for evidence.
I love peanut butter.
Just in case anyone thinks I'm putting science lovers down - in this case I'm not :) it's a totally valid tool for making decisions. -
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Thou shall not kill? Makes no sense?
by free2beme ini always thought, when reading the bible, that the commandment "thou shall not kill" made no sense.
after all, the god who supposely gave it commanded his own people to kill.
so i wonder, did that god actually mean, "thou shall not murder?
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Qcmbr
KK just as my half penny
The Defilement of Dinah
The Hebrew word that is translated “took” in the phrase “he took her” can mean “to take away, sometimes with violence and force; to take possession, to capture, to seize upon” (Wilson, Old Testament Word Studies, s.v. “take,” p. 435). Commenting on the phrase that Shechem “spake kindly unto the damsel” (Genesis 34:3), one scholar said it means:
“Literally, he spake to the heart of the damsel—endeavoured to gain her affections, and to reconcile her to her disgrace. It appears sufficiently evident from this and the preceding verse that there had been no consent on the part of Dinah, that the whole was an act of violence, and that she was now detained by force in the house of Shechem. Here she was found when Simeon and Levi sacked the city, verse 26.” (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 1:207.)
The outrage of Simeon and Levi was justified, but to deceitfully set up a whole town for slaughter on the pretext of bringing them into the covenant was an evil and wicked thing. Jacob’s blessings on these two sons just prior to his death (see Genesis 49:5–7) show that neither he nor the Lord condoned this act.
5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they digged down a wall.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel; I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.
Why Did Lot Offer His Daughters to the Wicked Sodomites?
Many scholars have tried to justify Lot’s shocking offer of his daughters as substitutes for the men on the basis of the strict laws of hospitality and protection that prevailed in the ancient Middle East. The Joseph Smith Translation, however, records that when Lot refused to allow the men of Sodom to satisfy their evil and depraved desires, they became angry and said, “We will have the men, and thy daughters also.” Then the comment is added, “Now this was after the wickedness of Sodom” (JST, Genesis 19:11–12; see also vv. 13–15). - makes a lot more sense. (ignore it if you want as JST stands for Joseph Smith Translation!)
6 But before they lay down to rest, the men of the city of Sodom compassed the house round, even men which were both old and young, even the people from every quarter;
7 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came unto thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
8 And Lot went out of the door, unto them, and shut the door after him, and said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
9 And they said unto him, Stand back. And they were angry with him.
10 And they said among themselves, This one man came in to sojourn among us, and he will needs now make himself to be a judge; now we will deal worse with him than with them.
11 Wherefore they said unto the man, We will have the men, and thy daughters also; and we will do with them as seemeth us good.
12 Now this was after the wickedness of Sodom.
13 And Lot said, Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, plead with my brethren that I may not bring them out unto you; and ye shall not do unto them as seemeth good in your eyes;
14 For God will not justify his servant in this thing; wherefore, let me plead with my brethren, this once only, that unto these men ye do nothing, that they may have peace in my house; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. -
97
Greatest Storm in History Coming Today
by Amazing1914 inhurricane katrina is heading for new orleans, la, and will hit it by this afternoon.
it is the largest hurricane known in history.
the entire storm range covers more than 50% of the gulf of mexico.
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Qcmbr
Which scriptures say that God is not omnipotent?
Matt 22:29
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Jer 32:17
17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, [and] there is nothing too hard for thee:
Mosiah 3:17(lds)
17 And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.
Rev 19:6
6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Matt 24:30
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
John 17:5
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
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MOSES AND THE COPPER SERPENT......mysterious!
by Terry inisn't it odd; even mysterious that christians think jesus could be represented by a serpent?
numbers 21:8 and the lord said unto moses, make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
21:9 and moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
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Qcmbr
Terry - ever read the Narnia books - particular the bit about the stone table and the deeper magic? Same concept happening here maybe..if you go further back you see more of the story unfold.
Have the aethiests ever wondered how many parts of the Israelite religion are found in a mashed up form in other cultures just as one would expect from the story of Genesis and the Tower of Babel. Assuming Adam was taught the gospel in whatever form it was back then we see the broken remnants of it in all early cultures.
1/ Concept of a Heavenly Family (much of modern day Christianity just loves to ignore that concept)
2/ Interaction between the gods and the people to start off civilisation and religion.
3/ Garden of Eden.
4/ Flood legends.
5/ Joint symbolism.
6/ Requirement of a Saviour figure.
7/ A rebellion in heaven and a resulting conflict.
I spent a while looking at the Egyptian love affair with eternal life and the Priesthood. Considering that the Jewish Flood legend suggests that the Egyptian peoples where cursed never to have the true priesthood it makes sense that they copied what they could and made up the rest. -
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MOSES AND THE COPPER SERPENT......mysterious!
by Terry inisn't it odd; even mysterious that christians think jesus could be represented by a serpent?
numbers 21:8 and the lord said unto moses, make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
21:9 and moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
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Qcmbr
Ignore the LDS stuff but I haven't got time to weed it out. Apologies for the layout as well. Shrugs.
Fiery-Flying Serpents
He sent fiery-flying serpents among them and after they were bitten, he prepared a way that they might be healed. (1 Ne. 17:41 1 Ne. 17:41 )
In Num. 21:6 Num. 21:6 , where the incident referred to is related, Moses says the Lord sent "fiery serpents"-not "fiery-flying"-among the people. The same expression occurs in Deut. 8:15 Deut. 8:15 . It is clear, therefore, that Nephi did not copy this from Moses.
Isaiah (14:29) likens King Hezekiah to (comp. 2 Kgs. 18:8 2 Kgs. 18:8 ) a "fiery-flying serpent," and Nephi was familiar with this portion of the Old Testament. (See 2 Ne. 24:1 2 Ne. 24 ) The inference is that he followed Isaiah, in his version of the occurrence, adopting the term used by the prophet as the one that furnishes the more detailed explanation.
Moses was commanded to make a "fiery serpent" and so he made a "serpent of brass" and raised it upon a pole. (Num. 21:8 Num. 21:8 , Num. 21:9 9) This brass serpent was preserved for perhaps seven centuries and was finally broken up by King Hezekiah, because the people burnt incense to it. Isaiah had seen that brazen serpent before it was destroyed, and he must have had some reason for using the term "flying" in addition to "fiery" or "brazen," in comparing Hezekiah to it. Is it not probable that it was the image of a serpent with wings, such as the Egyptians made?
In Egypt, where the Israelites as a nation were cradled and where Moses had received his first education, the sacred serpent was the symbol of divine power and wisdom. When Egyptians would express the conception that Egypt was "God's country" enjoying his special care and protection, they drew a picture of two flying serpents of the uroeus species, one wearing the crown of upper, and the other that of lower Egypt. In this picture divine power, wisdom, and protection were visualized, very much as we symbolize national power and other admirable characteristics, as we perceive them with the eye of patriotism, by an Eagle or a Lion, or a Dragon, etc. What has been called the Egyptian national emblem was the solar disc between two serpents, the latter probably representing the eastern and western horizon of the sky, where the sun apparently rises and sets. Wings are extending on either side.
The image of the sacred serpent occurs as one of the ornaments of most of the Egyptian divine personages. It is part of the crowns of Osiris, Isis, and Horus. When Moses, therefore, was commanded to make a seraph, he was, in all probability, instructed to make not an imitation of the venomous reptile crawling in the dust, but of the glorious personages serving before the thrones of God-the seraphs which Isaiah and other prophets saw in visions; the same personages which were represented in golden statues upon the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenants, and embroidered upon the curtains in the most holy place, also called cherubim.
This view is supported by strong considerations.
Just what kind of reptiles the serpents that the Lord sent among the Israelites were is not known. Moses calls them "seraphim serpents" (hanechashim haseraphim), either because their poison was very deadly, or because they were God's messengers of death. But it is certain that the brazen serpent, which Isaiah seems to have referred to as a "flying" serpent, was a type of our Lord who is the source and giver of life; for so we read in John 3:14 John 3:14-15 , where our Lord Himself says:
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."
That was the great lesson of the serpent which Moses lifted up in the wilderness. Made of brass, the image must have appeared as fire in the rays of the desert sun, and suspended from a pole it was properly likened to a flying animal.
The prophecy in Isa. 14:29 Isa. 14:29 helps us to understand the symbolism of the winged serpent. "Him that, smote, thee" is understood to refer to Uzziah, king of Judah, who "smote" the Philistines. (2 Chr. 26:6 1 Chr. 26:6 , 2 Chr. 26:7 7 7) That "rod" was broken by his death, and during the reign of Ahaz, the Philistines invaded Judah and took possession of some of the southern cities. Isaiah, therefore, tells them that they had better not rejoice, because of this success. It was only temporary, for out of the "broken rod," should come forth a "cockatrice" or "adder," referring to Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, and great-grandson of Uzziah, a more terrible enemy than Uzziah. (2 Kgs. 18:8 2 Kgs. 18:8 )
But Dr. Clarke informs us (Com. on Isa. 14:29 Isa. 14:29 ) that the Targum renders the 29th and 30th verses thus: "For, from the sons of Jesse shall come forth the Messiah; and his works among you shall be as the flying serpent. And the poor of the people shall he feed, and the humble shall dwell with famine, and the remnant of thy people shall he slay."
This may be, as Dr. Clarke remarks, a "singular" interpretation, but it shows that the Hebrew conception of the reign of the Messiah is expressed by the image of a "flying" or "winged" serpent. The word used by Isa. 14:29 Isa. 14:29 is saraph which may be familiar to us in its plural form seraphim which we read "seraphs," and understand to mean a high order of angels attending the Lord. (Isa. 6:2 Isa. 6:2 , Isa. 6:6 6) They are represented as having six wings; such is the swiftness of their service. Winds are angels. (Heb. 1:7 Heb. 1:7 ) They are princes, nobles, in heaven. But, says Gesenius, "If any one chooses to follow the Hebrew usus loquendi, in which seraph is serpent, he may indeed here render it [seraphim] by winged serpents; since the serpent both among the ancient Hebrews and Egyptians was the symbol of wisdom and of the healing art. See Num. 21:8 Num. 21:8 ; 2 Kgs. 18:4 2 Kgs. 18:4 .
The serpent appears in every conceivable form in ancient Egyptian theology. Sometimes it has a human body. It is a symbol of majesty, and as such has wings and a crown. Winged serpents represented the divine protectors of upper and lower Egypt. (Light on the Land of the Sphinx, Chapt. 9, by H. Forbes Witherby, London, 1896)
Now, the strange fact is that the winged serpent, or the feathered serpent, plays a prominent part also in the religious concepts of the American Indians, and in their traditions. Among the ancient Mexicans, one of the divinities was known as "the feathered" or "plumed serpent," Quetzalcoatl, which name corresponds to the "flying serpent" of the Hebrews. Quetzalcoatl among the Mexicans was what the brazen serpent was to the Hebrews-the representative of the healing, life-giving power, as Esculapius was among the Phoenicians.
Among the Nahuas Quetzalcoatl was revered as a God. At Cholula he was considered the chief God, somewhat like Jehovah among the Hebrews. He was regarded as the son of Camaxtli, the protector of hunters and fishers, but probably the same as the Pachacamac, the Creator, of the Peruvians.
But Quetzalcoatl also became a man. As such he was born of Chimalma, the wife of Camaxtli, who conceived him miraculously. He taught men the arts of civilization, and preached morality, penitence, and peace.
As a man he visited Cholula, remaining there for twenty years. He taught the people to work in silver, prohibited blood sacrifices, and showed them the way to happiness through virtue and peace. After his mission was finished, he left for the sea shore, where he bid his companions farewell and promised that, some time, in the future he would return.
One of the opponents of Quetzalcoatl was Tezcatlipoca, a personage of divine origin and great power, but evil, bent upon bringing calamities and misfortunes upon the people.
The ecclesiastical officer next in rank to the pontiff, or high priest, was called Quetzalcoatl, in honor of the great national hero, and there were, therefore, a great many quetzalcoatls, and the probability is that the traditions relating to the divine reformer and his successors have been so mixed as to preclude the possibility of a clear and perfect understanding of what the ancient Mexicans really did believe, but what is here stated seems to be the essence of it.
The Mexicans kept a sacred fire burning perpetually, as did the Hebrews, and by that fire they waited patiently for the return of Quetzalcoatl. It is claimed that the Pueblo Indians had a similar custom in their kivas, for a similar reason.
"Amongst the semi-civilized nations of America, from Mexico southward, as also amongst many nations of the Old World, the serpent was a prominent religions symbol, beneath which was concealed the profoundest significance. Under many of its aspects it coincided with the sun, or was the symbol of the Supreme Divinity of the heathens, of which the sun was one of the most obvious emblems. In the instance before us, the plumed, sacred serpent of the aborigines was artfully depicted so as to combine both symbols in one." (E.G. Squire, Nicaragua, Vol. 1, p. 406.) -
97
Greatest Storm in History Coming Today
by Amazing1914 inhurricane katrina is heading for new orleans, la, and will hit it by this afternoon.
it is the largest hurricane known in history.
the entire storm range covers more than 50% of the gulf of mexico.
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Qcmbr
Gill I was talking about the concept of death not the method.
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97
Greatest Storm in History Coming Today
by Amazing1914 inhurricane katrina is heading for new orleans, la, and will hit it by this afternoon.
it is the largest hurricane known in history.
the entire storm range covers more than 50% of the gulf of mexico.
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Qcmbr
Gill - I was talking about the concept of dying - not the method. Yes, I've seen some pretty nasty deaths. I also know that in the grand scheme of things a moment, minute,hour,day,week,year of pain is still only a drop in the ocean of time which doesn't belittle that experience but helps me understand it.
The blind man will appreciate his sight more in the next life than anyone of us who have never been without sight ever can. This is what makes the concept of a loving god , Jesus , who descended below everything and suffered everything for and on behalf of everyone so powerful to a believer. That is the whole point of the atonement - only someone who had experienced the worst could ever hope to understand and heal the rest of us. Knock out religion and you get the nastiness of unguiged nature and accidental evolution.
Life can get pretty awful here but it'll be worth it. In the meantime we shouldn't keep looking for God to keep intervening if we don't want Him the rest of the time. -
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False Prophets
by OldSoul in*** it-2 p. 681 presumptuousness ***.
disrespect for god's sovereignty.
of the false prophets, jehovah said: "the prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that i have not commanded him to speak ... that prophet must die.... when the prophet speaks in the name of jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, ... with presumptuousness the prophet spoke it.
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Qcmbr
..of course it is possible that at least one of the apostles didn't die..John The Revelator may not have died as many thinks.
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97
Greatest Storm in History Coming Today
by Amazing1914 inhurricane katrina is heading for new orleans, la, and will hit it by this afternoon.
it is the largest hurricane known in history.
the entire storm range covers more than 50% of the gulf of mexico.
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Qcmbr
Since when was death bad? People dying is treated as some sort of bad thing when really from God's point of view it's good thing to return to Him.
If you believe in God you have to believe the weather is in His hands as well and yes it seems pretty crappy that people die in storms but people die due to the frailties of the human body as well - in the great balance they are the same thing. We are all going to die therefore death isn't the big bad bogey monster that we think it is.
Unfortunately JW philosophy still runs through this thinking that somehow death wasn't the originl plan, that suffering isn't required and that we can become what we are supposed to be without any pain whatsoever. I'd be interested to know what people think the world would be like in a 'garden of eden' with no death and everything perfect but no opposite.
Looking at it another way, if we really are eternal creatures that will exist after death and we get one chance in all of our existence to go without, suffer, bleed abd struggle for things - that is going to be the contrast to everything good we ever get.
"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so.. righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.
Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God."
"..if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.
Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.
And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given."