In the rush to paint reality in black and white we hide much that should not be hidden and we highlight much that is insignificant. The current zeitgeist , in the internet enabled world, is pitchfork and lynch mob regarding anything with children. This rush to proclaim a protection zone around children is a theatre to pretend we are doing something. At the swimming pool viewing gallery I angle my smart phone so people can see Im not taking pictures (the new evil !) Those loudly proclaiming their anti paedophilia stance get no commendation from me and in fact draw my ire. I want to understand the issue, I want to engage people with sexual desires for children in the hope of working with them to develop real strategies for child protection, adult self control and maybe even to discover medical treatments. Unfortunately doing something real to protect my children and help rehabilitate people with innapropriate sexual desires is hampered by those who rabble rouse and build the pyre ready to burn the 'witch'. Now we all look at each other with fear and distrust while forcing the real problem into hiding and turning some of them into predators.
Posts by Qcmbr
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320Richard Dawkins defends mild pedophilia, says it does not cause lasting harm
by chrisuk inhttp://www.salon.com/2013/09/10/richard_dawkins_defends_mild_pedophilia_says_it_does_not_cause_lasting_harm/.
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7
second malaysian plane down
by prologos innot that this is directly wt related.. images from the crash area indivate that the plane was burning as it crashed.
light debris was falling out of the smoke trail before the impact and other images show two distinct smoke plumes, one on approach the other after the impact.
this was not a vertical dive.. one of the theories about the first malaysian plane dissappearance is an incident with dangerous cargo catching fire.. 2 planes of the same airlime?
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Qcmbr
Separatists posted earlier about shooting down military aircraft and about capturing a BUK anti aircraft missile system. They have since removed the posts. It is highly likely they just made a tragic error. I suspect the Ukraine will get lots of support now and further sanctions against Russia may well be in the mix. Not a good day.
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67
Meet The Mormons - UK TV This Evening
by cofty ina new "fly-on-the-wall" documentary about the life of young mormon missionaries goes out this evening on channel 4.. .
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Qcmbr
Mormons on my fb are generally pretty glum.Spectacular PR own goal. My daughter expressed how glad she is that she isnt involved in any of that anymore - she's 14.
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67
Meet The Mormons - UK TV This Evening
by cofty ina new "fly-on-the-wall" documentary about the life of young mormon missionaries goes out this evening on channel 4.. .
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Qcmbr
Unfortunately you didn't see the really crazy cult stuff that occurs when cameras aren't rolling.
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23
Mormon woman, Kate Kelly, about to be excommunicated
by designs inthe mormon leaders in virginia are deciding whether to excommunicate kate kelly for pushing for equal rights for mormon women in the church.
she wants to remain a mormon whatever the outcome of the hearing.. 800-1000 mormons held a vigil in support of kate.. the group ordain women, mormons who want change in their church structure, are active in 17 countries pushing the male dominated leaders to make this important change.. kate kelly is herself an international human rights lawyer.. church leaders site jesus only choosing men in leadership positions as their foundational support.. those interviewed at the vigil said they want an atmosphere where they can at least have conversations openly about changes they would like to see made in the church..
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Qcmbr
The Mormon church is lurching from PR disaster to PR disaster. It is making itself relevant not by meeting the needs of widows and the needy but by accidentaly standing in the spotlight while wielding an ugly anti equality whip. Proposition 8 reminded everyone its anti - gay (no matter how its spun) and now they are seen to be anti freedom of expression and thought with an underlying smear of patriarchal ugliness. This will break many more shelves before it's finished.
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194
Atheism is a Belief System
by seekchristonly inis atheism a belief system.
after all the atheist believes there is no god .so if that's the case then an atheist if a person of faith.
they have faith in the fact there is no god.
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Qcmbr
Words have meaning because they describe difference. If everything was 'red' there would be no word for 'red' as its meaning is derived by being able to say 'not green or yellow or blue...' To simply equate all possible thinking states as beliefs we negate the need for the word however we recognise linguistically that there are states of disbelief. Disbelief is not a subset of belief it is its opposite. Atheism isnt a belief in no gods. It is to be without theism. What I have mentioned before and what some people are straining to prove is that some atheists believe in anti-theism or are opposed to theism. Hitchens wrote one of his books on this. Most atheists I have met believe in humanism in one form or another so if you wish to talk about belief or belief systems that could be a fruitful avenue of discussion rather than trying to argue that my(others) lack of Ganesh statues and a rejection of the literalness Odin is an an example of believing in something.
The motivation to define atheism as a faith based belief (a refinement of belief indicating that it is not supported by observed evidence and for the religious is seen as a virtue and mark of committment) can only, I suppose, come from a recognition that faith is an inherantly unsupportable position and is always at risk from new experience. If positions that are anti-theist OR threatening to faith can be shown to suffer this same fundamental weakness , faith, then presumably they can be dismissed. Ironically fundamentalists often present great examples of critical skepticism but they only ever apply it to threats. They have the skill but not the wisdom to use it fairly.
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What would be a scientific description/explanation of what God is?
by EndofMysteries inbased upon descriptions in the bible and what is known scientifically so far, what would god actually be?
lightning comes out of the throne.
no man may see and live.
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Qcmbr
God is a story to explain that which we experience but do not understand. It has been told through all recorded history and has become part of clan culture. The things we do not understand (until we research) range from physical phenomenom such as lightning through to biochemical such as elation and love. Since some knowledge is violently uncomfortable and difficult to research (what happens when we die?) there is ample motivation for stories to continue and multiply.
In a more reductionist fashion we can also describe God as 'that which is more powerful than us.' We have historically elevated people to that status.
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194
Atheism is a Belief System
by seekchristonly inis atheism a belief system.
after all the atheist believes there is no god .so if that's the case then an atheist if a person of faith.
they have faith in the fact there is no god.
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Qcmbr
To have faith you must believe in something our trolling christians seem to want to argue that absolute nothing can exist (despite the latest evidence) and that Atheism is the state of believing in it.
Cofty you fight the good fight. Trolling christians is it foolish to deflect information and knowledge in pursuit of word games? Your intelligence is not increased by redefining atheism or in speculating about physics using the bible and googled book reviews.
Atheism - to be without theism (a state not a belief)
Anti-theism - to be opposed to theism ( a belief that theism is detrimental.)
If you can't resolve the argument in 5 minutes using data you are discussing religion, if you don't have enough data stop arguing and go get it - paraphrased quote from the Clean Coder.
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56
A Mormon becomes a JW in the Feb 2013 Watchtower...
by cedars inglancing through the feb 2013 "public" watchtower edition, an interesting article appears on page 8.. here is the pdf download link.... http://www.jw.org/download/?fileformat=pdf&issue=20130201&output=html&pub=wp&langwritten=e&option=trgchlzrqvnyvrxf&txtcmslang=e.
it's interesting how, in the story, the young man's jw aunt and uncle switch him from mormonism to the jw faith using third-party material (the nov 8, 1995 awake!
article), and he ends up becoming a jw after confirming on the official mormon website that the claims in the awake!
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Qcmbr
I haven't seen the film you mention so I cant comment on that. I have known several members in good standing who were homosexual and who held church callings and attended the temple. Mormons, in the UK, approach things in a don't ask manner however, since all members are under the same 'law of chastity'(basically no non married sex)this poses a unique challenge. Mormons of course do not accept gay marriage. This denial of the right to marry out of desire has been the storm that has sent many lds gay men into depression, suicide and misguided straight marriages. At its most extreme the church sponsored some pretty immoral aversion therapies as well. Now, pressured by secular society and from the liberal members within it is repackaging its gay offering but it is still underpinned by a 'love the sinner hate the sin' ethos. The church is making huge media steps and baby equality steps with regards homosexuality. I suspect we will need the old hardliners to die before we see meaningful change but the groundwork is starting.
With regards to shunning it is not too formal (unless you are a vocal apostate) and in many ways the attempt to reclaim 'lost sheep' wouldnt work if shunning was encouraged. In effect some members may unofficially shun and family members are still capable of crazy things so you will always find horror stories.
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A Mormon becomes a JW in the Feb 2013 Watchtower...
by cedars inglancing through the feb 2013 "public" watchtower edition, an interesting article appears on page 8.. here is the pdf download link.... http://www.jw.org/download/?fileformat=pdf&issue=20130201&output=html&pub=wp&langwritten=e&option=trgchlzrqvnyvrxf&txtcmslang=e.
it's interesting how, in the story, the young man's jw aunt and uncle switch him from mormonism to the jw faith using third-party material (the nov 8, 1995 awake!
article), and he ends up becoming a jw after confirming on the official mormon website that the claims in the awake!
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Qcmbr
Cold Steel - non of the people leaving cite the US as any part of the decision. People are leaving because the church lied about certain key historical things, it obfuscated important contextual facts, it changed doctrine and ritual that it claimed was unchangeable, it failed every scientific challenge, it has been unable to replicate the supposed miracles of Jesus and perhaps the most telling of all - it has proven time and again that wealth and money are its unspoken aim. Your (!) Church has spent more money by several orders of magnitude on setting up businesses than it ever has on charitable works.
By their fruits....