What you are referring to is natural selection, which most religions have no problem with. It is the idea that human beings are descended from apes that people take issue with; that we are somehow less human for it, that if animals don't have souls something descended from animals cannot have a soul, that randomness is incompatible with God's design.

However, that said, as it is part of their course they should learn the material, whether they believe in it or not. University is supposed to be a place of learning, and expanding the mind, not forcing beliefs on people. They should have to learn the material, but also, they cannot be made to believe it.

Somehow I think I was more selfish - my first thought was a speech my sister is giving on Tuesday denouncing nuclear power.

I would also add that the smart people usually make decisions for themselves about what they believe in, whether that be religion or atheism, whereas the 'dumbasses' tend to follow whoever has the best propaganda. Sometimes that is atheists who like to evangelise, sometimes it's the religion they have been born into that they never think to question, but the common thread is that they all believe whatever is the accepted belief in their environment.

I have met Atheists who have valid arguments for the non-existence of a god, Atheists who decided to drop any previous theism once they started university (college in the US, I think) because it was 'cool', and Atheists who keep it to themselves.

I have also met Theists who truly believe in God, follow their organised religion and have well thought out, internally consistent arguments for it; Theists who blindly follow their religion without deciding for themselves if it is true or not and try to convert all non-believers with flawed, hypocritical arguments; and Theists who simply follow their beliefs quietly.

The same goes for Agnostics, Polytheists and Pantheists

What's the point of phones anymore? For instant communication we have instant messaging and texting etc. and if you need something more personal you meet face-to-face. IMHO it's a redundant middle option.

The only time I use a phone now is for people who don't have internet access or a mobile.

Notice they don't eat beef? I think that was the point the grandparent post was trying to make; that a bacon cheeseburger has meat from both pigs and cows (which are sacred in Hinduism).

Now if only Christians decided to give up lamb because Jesus is "the lamb of God" and we'd be able to exclude most of the other half of the world.

which is why i started up a facebook account under a false name. It may be a good idea to do this for whatever social networking site they are on.

1) It allows you to monitor what they are all posting about you

2) When they do feel the need to mention you/tag photos of you, they can mention the false name

3) It forces you to only add as 'friends' those you trust, because you have to know them well enough to explain using a fake name to them

(also 4) they will stop bugging you to join)

Obama may not have started any wars, but he hasn't stopped any either. Obama is not nearly as bad as Bush, he is worse; at least Bush did not support abortion and infanticide. There was a piece of legislation that was to protect those infants who were born alive after a failed abortion. Obama voted against it, before he even became president.

I just don't like how the colour of his skin became such an issue, rather than people checking his policies. Sure there were people who voted against him just because he is black, but there were people who voted for him for the same reason. The very fact that such a fuss was made about it proves that america is still racist, because it shouldn't matter even if he is the first black president, it should be what he does that matters.

To give an example from the recent Australian election, my 10 year old cousin came up to me during the campaign and said:

"Please please please vote for Tony Abbott because Julia Gillard is so mean! In her ads she's always saying how bad Tony Abbott is. At least Tony Abbott says how he's going to make Australia better and not bullying Julia"

Out of the mouths of babes.

Just because you don't believe that he was the son of God does not mean that Jesus did not exist. The fact that a Jesus of Nazareth was born around that time and was crucified is not disputed; there is plenty of historical evidence for it, it is only the miracles and the resurrection that is in doubt.

Catholics are Christians; they are the main branch of Christianity from which all others have broken off from.

Regarding Mary and the saints, Catholics don't worship them, they (and many other Christians) recognise that they were good people and ask for their intercession.

To put it in a different light, if you believed in a higher power and had a sick relative, would you not do all you could to help them, including asking all your family to pray for them? If you had an exam/job interview etc. coming up would you not ask you family and close friends to pray for you? Christians believe the saints are like a family, and they ask them to pray for us. They do NOT worship them.

haha i did that to my (computer illiterate) sister once, only it was better cause i also dragged down the start menu so she couldn't click on that either.

well I'm not sure about you, but in my experience McDonalds is pretty accomodating to coeliacs. You can order burgers w/o the bun, bring your own bread and ask them to make it up for you, or have chips, salad and other gluten free things. McCafe also has some gluten free products.

...you insensitive clod!

well if it's the day Britain stopped sending convicts to America, then it's the day they started looking for Australia. We wouldn't be us without American Independence Day, so why don't we get a free holiday with fireworks?

its nothing to do with weak or strong, its that most of the time you aim with the same hand you fire with, requiring accuracy. Most people have better control with their right hand so the left is left (no pun intended) with the movement controls