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The Church never banned Darwin's book (they argued about it). The first official word on the matter from the Vatican didn't come until 1950 when Pope Pius XII declared there was no conflict between Genesis and Evolution and this has been upheld by all three Pope's who've followed him.

 Sigvatr wrote:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/pope-francis-declares-evolution-and-big-bang-theory-are-right-and-god-isnt-a-magician-with-a-magic-wand-9822514.html

Pope Francis declares that the BBT is right and that god isn't a "magician with a magic wand". He says that they do not contradict the existence of a god, in the contrary, god's existence "requires it".

Now finally, thousands of Christians can believe in what thousands of people knew all along!

Only thousands?

And yeah, I'm not a big fan of intentionally provoking for the sake of the LULZ and/or discussion.

 Lt. Coldfire wrote:

 the_Armyman wrote:
Contrary to the Internet, all Christians aren't ignorant, hateful people.

Is that really how you feel? Sounds like a slight spin.

Generally, yes. The Internet is very hostile to people who believe in God. Christians, especially. But Christians are an easy mark. We turn the other cheek, we forgive, and we love the sinner despite the sin. The relative few of us who make the news are the ones like the Westboro Baptists who, despite waving Bibles around and calling themselves Christians, adhere to a system that is very un-Christlike.

 Sigvatr wrote:

 thenoobbomb wrote:

I'd like to view the OP as a slightly more humorous approach to the ever-raging flamewars on the subject that are daily occurrences on the internet.

Winner.

Then my sincerest apologies.

 Frazzled wrote:

Spoiler:

 Aesop the God Awful wrote:

 cincydooley wrote:
What's the purpose here....to troll intentionally?

An anti-CatholicChristianity quest for pats on the shoulder was my impression.

Well now that the attempted anti-Catholic hitpiece has turned around and bit them on the ass, we conclude with something a little more subtle.

 the_Armyman wrote:

 Lt. Coldfire wrote:

 the_Armyman wrote:
Contrary to the Internet, all Christians aren't ignorant, hateful people.

Is that really how you feel? Sounds like a slight spin.

Generally, yes. The Internet is very hostile...

You can stop there. You aren't targeted more than anyone else on the internet. Good try.

 Lt. Coldfire wrote:

You can stop there. You aren't targeted more than anyone else on the internet. Good try.

You're right, it's not just the internet

Christianity is by far the most popular religion to ridicule and critique. Bill Maher pointed it out through the lens of how liberals treat Muslims and was verbally accosted by Ben Affleck for doing so.

Because, you know, diversity and things.

Thread title changed. It's super positive now and intentions should be clear.

Next time, please send me a PM. Takes a few seconds and I get immediately informed about it.

Most of the criticism against Christianity is due to the fact that in the US we have so many politicians and activists, pretty much an entire political party, openly trying to force Christian values on the rest of society through legislation and political activity. These activities do real harm to people, and the ideas they come from have little or no basis in any kind of scientific evidence, so its inevitible that they will be subjected to harsh critisicm.

If there was no attempt to force these values on the rest of us, religious v. non-religious conversations would become purely academic and trivial, because there would be nothing at stake.

 the_Armyman wrote:

 Lt. Coldfire wrote:

 the_Armyman wrote:
Contrary to the Internet, all Christians aren't ignorant, hateful people.

Is that really how you feel? Sounds like a slight spin.

Generally, yes. The Internet is very hostile to people who believe in God. Christians, especially. But Christians are an easy mark. ...

It's funny, almost like we're generally good and decent people who don't blow them up for disagreeing with us, and thus make good targets for bully's and fashionable bigots.
Eh, I must be missing something. I know for a fact that we started every war evah and invented cancer for the lulz; honest it was on the PBS!1!

The more I hear from this pope the more I like him, he basically just cements what most of us have known all along.

 Alpharius wrote:


Only thousands?

Your perception of high numbers changes when your daughter looks at you with big eyes when you say "thousand"

 Sigvatr wrote:
Thread title changed. It's super positive now and intentions should be clear.

Next time, please send me a PM. Takes a few seconds and I get immediately informed about it.

How about "Pope reaffirms already canonized and widely accepted Church Doctrine?"

 cincydooley wrote:

 Sigvatr wrote:
Thread title changed. It's super positive now and intentions should be clear.

Next time, please send me a PM. Takes a few seconds and I get immediately informed about it.

How about "Pope reaffirms already canonized and widely accepted Church Doctrine?"

Too long, too complicated. I like this pope, as he seems to be very progressive in some areas (bar the usual "jajaja, rich should help the poor" etc. stuff), so "pope is dope" is nothing but expressing personal opinion.

 Sigvatr wrote:

 Alpharius wrote:


Only thousands?

Your perception of high numbers changes when your daughter looks at you with big eyes when you say "thousand"

Ok. I can dig that.

Our daugher digs your avatar. She still thinks our corgi is cuter, though :(

 Sigvatr wrote:


Too long, too complicated. I like this pope, as he seems to be very progressive in some areas (bar the usual "jajaja, rich should help the poor" etc. stuff), so "pope is dope" is nothing but expressing personal opinion.

Yeah, that extra word is a bitch, isn't it?

Plus, it's not nearly as condescending and sensational!

How is the current title even close to condescending?

This isn't about the thread title. If you got a problem with it, report it / PM a mod. Thanks.

 Sigvatr wrote:
Our daugher digs your avatar. She still thinks our corgi is cuter, though :(

Excellent. Corgis are allies to the Great Wiener.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Sigvatr wrote:
How is the current title even close to condescending?

This isn't about the thread title. If you got a problem with it, report it / PM a mod. Thanks.

I like the thread title now. However, I have this image of the Pope doing a rope a dope on someone. Pope Franky floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee!

 cincydooley wrote:

 Lt. Coldfire wrote:

You can stop there. You aren't targeted more than anyone else on the internet. Good try.

You're right, it's not just the internet

Christianity is by far the most popular religion to ridicule and critique. Bill Maher pointed it out through the lens of how liberals treat Muslims and was verbally accosted by Ben Affleck for doing so.

Because, you know, diversity and things.

No. You know why? Because here in the Western World, it is the most common religion. If the Islam were the most common religion here, we'd ridicule that the most. Same with [insert religion of your choice here].

 Sigvatr wrote:

 Alpharius wrote:


Only thousands?

Your perception of high numbers changes when your daughter looks at you with big eyes when you say "thousand"

And with that you move a bit further down The List - well done!

 thenoobbomb wrote:

 cincydooley wrote:

 Lt. Coldfire wrote:

You can stop there. You aren't targeted more than anyone else on the internet. Good try.

You're right, it's not just the internet

Christianity is by far the most popular religion to ridicule and critique. Bill Maher pointed it out through the lens of how liberals treat Muslims and was verbally accosted by Ben Affleck for doing so.

Because, you know, diversity and things.

No. You know why? Because here in the Western World, it is the most common religion. If the Islam were the most common religion here, we'd ridicule that the most. Same with [insert religion of your choice here].

Then, shouldn't it at least be balanced a bit? Maybe a few Allah jokes for every 20 or 30 times someone jokes about Jesus? How about we play a prank on some Orthodox Jews and tell them we prepared all of their meals in a filthy kitchen? Nope, that's considered "insensitive" or "inflaming anti-Muslim sentiment," or being anti-semitic. I laugh at a lot of stuff I'd never share with my pastor, and I can take a joke or two (hundred), but at some point, I'd like to laugh at someone else

The real reason people take more shots at Christians than any other religion is that there are no repercussions for doing so.

It's interesting the way you perceive things, Armyman. I see way more criticism and jokes towards the Muslims and the Jews.

 the_Armyman wrote:
The real reason people take more shots at Christians than any other religion is that there are no repercussions for doing so.

Incorrect. The real reason is because, in the US, Christian politicians and activists are trying to pass legislation controlling women's bodies, to keep homosexual citizens from obtaining equal rights, trying to infilitrate public schools through prayer ceremonies (this is an assault on atheist families just as much as trying to have kids say some atheist credo would be an assault on religious families), and trying to insert anti-science into science classrooms. These efforts do real harm to real people. The basis for these efforts isn't any kind of evidence, it is religious, and the people who are trying to push this stuff on the rest of us in the US are largely Christian.

If and when these issues quiet down, and in general the larger push to force Christian values on the rest of us goes away or diminishes, religious discussions would be largely academic and trivial, because nothing very significant would be at stake.

(wait isn't it like 30 states now with gay marriage?)

 Frazzled wrote:
(wait isn't it like 30 states now with gay marriage?)

Something like that, but not for a lack of intense opposition.

Evidently, not that intense....

 Frazzled wrote:
Evidently, not that intense....

It's been pretty intense... they just haven't fared well in the courts.

"Not intense enough", would be a better way to put it, I think.

Popular opinion has flipped 180 on this issue, and happily IMO opponents are now in a position where they are throwing sand at the sea, especially after its become clear that they'll get little to no help from the courts. Even conservative Christian politicians have at least started to just shut up about it.

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:
Evidently, not that intense....

It's been pretty intense... they just haven't fared well in the courts.

or elections. Any time a amajor social shift occurs it takes time and energy. Its supposed to.

 jasper76 wrote:

 the_Armyman wrote:
The real reason people take more shots at Christians than any other religion is that there are no repercussions for doing so.

Incorrect. The real reason is because, in the US, Christian politicians and activists are trying to pass legislation controlling women's bodies, to keep homosexual citizens from obtaining equal rights, trying to infilitrate public schools through prayer ceremonies (this is an assault on atheist families just as much as trying to have kids say some atheist credo would be an assault on religious families), and trying to insert anti-science into science classrooms. These efforts do real harm to real people. The basis for these efforts isn't any kind of evidence, it is religious, and the people who are trying to push this stuff on the rest of us in the US are largely Christian.

If and when these issues quiet down, and in general the larger push to force Christian values on the rest of us goes away or diminishes, religious discussions would be largely academic and trivial, because nothing very significant would be at stake.

So, you equate Christian political activism, of which I am not a part of, to allowing others to insult and belittle a major religion? And it's okay because engaging in honest debate and discussion isn't worthwhile with the people you disagree with? You also use some rather loaded terms in your reply: "control women's bodies" and "infiltrate public schools." They're tiresome and untrue, TBH.

But, we're drifting OT and treading down well-trod paths, so that will be my last comment on the matter.

Ummm...I believe in the First Amendment, so I think everyone is allowed to insult and belittle anything.

But beyond rights, I think religious ideas are no different than any other ideas at root, and should be subject to criticism. When those ideas are used to try and change people's lives in ways they don't want, or deny people freedoms, then they are actually asking to be dissected and criticized.

But you're right, we are way OT.