h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When we have health class in school and they teach us about why we shouldn't do drugs, they never bring up the point that it's illegal. They instead focus on the awful things that dangerous drugs can do to your body. I'd say that's a more potent deterrent than any law. There's always a way to get around any law, but there's no denying your body's limits and how destroyed it will be by a prolonged use of drugs, like heroin.

I just hope tobacco and alcohol are included in the list considered by your classes, Echo. I've seen it argued that they are more damaging to health than cocaine (not crack-cocaine) for example. I'm all for legalising drugs for the simple reason that it becomes possible to have known strengths and dosages, and to avoid adulteration with all manner of disgusting things like powdered glass, chalk etc!

There is also an enormous benefit to law enforcement, which is then able to concentrate on crimes which damage others rather than oneself. That seems to me to deserve a higher priority.

toxx

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Indeed they are, and perhaps to a greater extent, as they are more easily obtainable and made much more use of by teenagers, or so they say to us.

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I agree.

Cui gallina in media viae manuit?

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That's true but I'm not really talking about if you choose the label. If you choose to be called something that's fine but some people don't like to be labelled by their religion. They might now want people calling them a jew if they're jewish or something like that. I'm saying only some people, it doesn't apply to everyone.

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Know answering my own question, yes, I do have a religion. I am a Christian but have recently began doubting a few things which have led me to thinking about becoming a Druid for some reason.

'I am a Christian but have recently began doubting a few things'

Omly a few things? Have a look @ http://www.universalistfriends.org/quf-rg.html and http://www.universalistfriends.org/quf-ks.html

Toxx, have a look at A3783099.


alji

What a fascinating thread.

I'm intrigued: why all the debate. Surely you either believe something or not - quite straight forward.

I believe what I believe - and it influences how I behave, how i interact with people, essentially who I am.

I can't imagine debating these fundamental truths - I guess I'm lucky.

'I can't imagine debating these fundamental truths - I guess I'm lucky.'

So it's OK if I believe the Earth is flat and the Moon is made of cheese?

What are 'fundamental truths'? How do we know they are true?


alji

Good point...

Although I'm not talking about physics - I'm a big fan of newtonian dynamics when it gets to the universe - but will always view it as a best guess.

I'm talking about - forgive me for being woolly - the things in my heart.

I'll intellectually debate till the cows come home - but it worries me that people are prepared to switch and change what I consider to be the very tenets of who we are.

Oh and its absolutely fine for you to believe that the moon is made of cheese and the earth is flat.

I know someone who believes that if you travel at the speed of light you take on infinite mass.

Cheers, Alji. It's called the Stroop Effect. There's a less simplistic account of it here: http://www.snre.umich.edu/eplab/demos/st0/stroopdesc.html

toxx

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I don't follow a religion of a spiritual leader or god/s.

A set of principles, values, morals and laws have been evolved from teachings by spiritual leaders down the years, so I would suppose that I do to some extent...agree with philosophic doctrine.

I think however that some religions need to evolve with science.

There is no doubt that faith works for some, and puts their mind at ease.

I am not scared of dying....I am positive that when I am old and gray that I will not become religious either. However some people seem to need that reassurance.

Wouldn't it be nice if one of the leaders of a huge religion were to say, "hey, let's update and compare our teachings and beliefs with others and see what we can come up with".

Of course something as big as that might turn into something else entirely... but then again, I can't imagine a steadfast religion incorporating others at this time. Sometimes when a stand is taken and it has been fought tooth and nail to get there thro the ages, there is no backing down, seemingly.

Hi NeverNormal

"I am a Christian but have recently began doubting a few things which have led me to thinking about becoming a Druid for some reason."

Don't.

Becoming druid is not something you can just decide to do. It will take you years of scholarship and reflection, much of it very personally challenging, before you would feel ready to commit to becoming a druid.

You first need to decide if you are, or are not, Christian and why. This may take quite some time for it is a big step to take to shrug off the beliefs and practices of a lifetime.

The best advice I can give you is do nothing precipitous. Read widely through a variety of religious, humanist and atheist texts. Find a philosophy that suits your own moral and ethical tastes, and try it out.

Blessings,
Matholwch /|\

"I seem to remember something about linguistic snobbery..."

Nope that was linguistic ethnicity.

Linguistic snobbery is always correcting greengrocers' apostrophes.

"Cui gallina in media viae manuit?"

Eh?

Do we get a translation, or is it private?

I thought I'd posted that earlier, HS. I was just being silly this time, and checking whether anyone had been paying attention. It's supposed to be: "Why did the chicken stay in the middle of the street?"

toxx

"I thought I'd posted that earlier, HS. I was just being silly this time, and checking whether anyone had been paying attention. It's supposed to be: "Why did the chicken stay in the middle of the street?""

Wretch!

I get confused with things like "Cui bono" where cui means who, not why.

Alright then, HS. Who was the chicken who stayed in the middle of the street?

toxx

I suppose I'd better give the answer again: "Insula Rhode Russa erat!"

toxx

<<"Why did the chicken stay in the middle of the street?">>

Because it had a death wish?