What is the worst thing invented by mankind?

[scrapple]

The Snuggie. Runner-up: Billy Mays

 

[RobinGoodfellow]

The same way we do, presumably.

Actually, no. Back in the Age of the Dinosaurs, Antarctica was a sweltering location; ferns grew naturally and there was no snow or ice. Basically, they didn't need the vehicles or snowsuits we do, and were able to prance about naked.

[Yeah. T-Rexes. Prancing. NAKED! Deal with that mental image....]

RG

 

[Apollo]

Bombs......

 

[Apollo]

It's because religion is the intentional poisoning of the human mind with man-made beliefts.

sigh.... some people just never learn.

 

[Ryuukie]

Billboards and CGI animation.

 

[Fucker29]

religion - this is a good thing. all people should be religious. in tune with cosmic consciousness and the inner light of their being. but to forfeit your own life and believe the warped fairy tales known as modern religion with it's misinterpretations of teachings and their scripture. they've been rewritten tons of times, nobody knows what really happened... it's been used as a means to supress people and its about time people wake up and start experiencing religiosity on their own terms. an understanding of man's susceptable psycology to believe things that aren't true out of fear to understand we are all animals living in this world. we can dominate others with how we control the thoughts of others... intensely religious people ARE brainwashed. i think it go too far and a religious war will eventually be brought... i don't know how its gonna go away or what would cause it... but we will be caught at a turning point. its the job of people today to speak out against this and try to bring loving logic to the masses so that perhaps future generations don't get overcome by the greed of money or believe life sucks and cling to religion or use it to manipulate others. thats my 2 cents for the day.

public education
nuclear bombs

THAT type of thinking is one of the worst things.

 

[Apollo]

They are the ones stuck in the trap of religion.

Do atheist never realize how much they sound like the people they hate? I can't take any fundamentalist atheist seriously because of it.

 

[Apollo]

Says the man who suggested we nuke Isreal. Usually I just chastise people for standing on a moral soapbox but I'm officially revoking yours. How dare you criticize religion in one breath then talk about nuking an entire country in the next?

He doesn't see it as a legitimate country, he sees it as a group of religious people living together with no atheist contradicting their beliefs. They even have the audacity to put their religious symbol on the flag.

 

[Apollo]

That's redundant. I've never came across an "atheist" that wasn't like the Phelps are. Atheism by nature tends to be condescending towards others because it considers itself to be intellectually superior cause they have scientific enlightenment and a religious person is just an ignorant fool praying to make belief angels and santa.

"Religion" is not a group of like minded people just like "secularists" are not like minded and don't share some universal philosophy. I love how people are terrified of religion as if non religious ideologies and people haven't done horrible deeds in this world and don't have negative impact on societies as well.

ahhhh, so I just can't take any atheist seriously. Cause they, by their beliefs are like the people they hate.

 

[RobinGoodfellow]

The Shredder: For those who get excited around the elephant cage.

RG

 

[Fucker29]

That's redundant. I've never came across an "atheist" that wasn't like the Phelps are. Atheism by nature tends to be condescending towards others because it considers itself to be intellectually superior cause they have scientific enlightenment and a religious person is just an ignorant fool praying to make belief angels and santa.

"Religion" is not a group of like minded people just like "secularists" are not like minded and don't share some universal philosophy. I love how people are terrified of religion as if non religious ideologies and people haven't done horrible deeds in this world and don't have negative impact on societies as well.

I'm horny after reading this. Hubby, shall I pull your pants down and...please you? You're extra deserving of it right now.

 

[Críostóir]

I vote for chlorine trifluoride.

You can literally set WATER on fire with that stuff. You wouldn't think human flesh would actually burn (as opposed to just having something burning on it), but a few drops of ClF3 on skin will set it on fire. Ditto on glass, concrete, and stainless steel: they will all burn when touched by a few drops of ClF3.

And as it burns, it gives off hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acid, either of which will destroy your lungs if you breathe them. If you manage to avoid all that but get some hydrofluoric acid on your skin, your nerves start to break down, and all of them fire at once, which means you hurt everywhere, inside and out and very intensely, until you're successfully treated or merciful Death comes for you.

It's used for etching silicon chips. Don't be a chip-etcher, that's all I can say.

 

[Críostóir]

That's redundant. I've never came across an "atheist" that wasn't like the Phelps are.

You haven't met any of the atheists I've ever met, then. I've never met a single one who was anything like you describe.

I myself am quite religious, but the atheists I've met have all been kind people who believe in caring for, and about, other people. And you'd never know they were atheists unless you asked about their religious convictions, because they don't preach anything at all.

 

[Críostóir]

You've never met the rabid JUB Atheists.

This is true. I wonder if Raptor has met any atheists IRL, or if he's only going based on the, shall we say, more hydrophobic kind we get here.

I think Richard Dawkins is a flaming asshole, but I haven't met him.

 

[Level27]

It's because religion is the intentional poisoning of the human mind with man-made beliefts.

Mmm, that's good for a start. But, do you have a developed response as to why? Let's say, 4-10 sentences (or more, if you like/need it).

 

[frankfrank]

You haven't met any of the atheists I've ever met, then. I've never met a single one who was anything like you describe.

I myself am quite religious, but the atheists I've met have all been kind people who believe in caring for, and about, other people. And you'd never know they were atheists unless you asked about their religious convictions, because they don't preach anything at all.

I'm a Christian, but the closest I've ever come to having a relationship, was with an atheist! More than thirty years later we're still great friends.

 

[Pushover]

True, we've had the discussion before but you can't tell by the first two pages of Hot Topics. All the usual suspects are posting the same anti-religious diatribe that flooded HT last year.

For that matter, what scale are you using to measure it? How can you put a value on the lives that have been saved, on the hungry children in 3rd world countries that were given food and medicine by religious people? If that means nothing to you, I dunno what to say.

A few million children being fed and a few cures for diseases doesn't outweigh dozens of pointless and bloody wars (by ALL religions), thousands of years of bigotry and manipulating/brainwashing/guilt-tripping the populace, MASSIVE interference in world governments both past and present including the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades, the uncounted 'possible' molestations of alter boys, not to mention the hundreds of Missionaries that ruined dozens of cultures across the world to name a few. It simply doesn't measure up.

 

[JamesKim]

Bombs
Kaboom over here...over there...over here....THINK ABOUT THE LIVES YOU'RE KILLING YOU DUMB PRESIDENTS AND DICTATORS!!

 

[RobinGoodfellow]

A few million children being fed and a few cures for diseases doesn't outweigh dozens of pointless and bloody wars (by ALL religions),

Yeah, goshdarnit! Religions aren't supposed to save people, they're supposed to kill them. They'd better get it right! Ignoring, of course, that very few wars were started by religion in the first place. Then again, given the chance, it's interesting that atheists did their damnedest to catch up in Russia and China.

thousands of years of bigotry and manipulating/brainwashing/guilt-tripping the populace,

We know that atheists would never try to manipulate anyone into thinking the same way as them...Even the Catholic Church at its worst allowed some freedom of thought, especially compared to Communist Russia and China. Oh sorry; I keep forgetting that they were such Heavens on Earth that I'm not supposed to use them as examples of what atheism can do when it's given a chance.

MASSIVE interference in world governments both past and present including the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades, the uncounted 'possible' molestations of alter boys, not to mention the hundreds of Missionaries that ruined dozens of cultures across the world to name a few. It simply doesn't measure up.

Except that...The Spanish Inquisition almost caused a split with Rome, showed why torture, and ended up causing problems with the local churches.

The missionaries "ruining" local cultures is a debatable call; the missionaries usually added to the cultures in tangible ways (better health care, improved irrigation, better farming techniques), and usually to groups that were about to be bulldozed anyway. The missionaries actually saved the groups from being forced into the surrounding culture as undesirables and allowed them to keep their personal respect.

And the molestation argument is so fraught with fallacy it's very scary ground. I appreciate that we'll never have any of the true figures, but the same issues apply to anyone placed in authority. Basically, if you're going to slam priests for "uncounted 'possible' molestations", then you need to slam everyone for that, including coaches and scout masters. And there is absolutely no way that you're going to convince anyone that only priests have done all of the molesting out there, especially with all of the stories, real and otherwise, out there. And that's ignoring non-religious organizations that purposely molest boys, acting as if it were correct behavior.

No offense, but you're assuming that all governments, groups, and people in general have all bowed before the local religion, and that just isn't the case. We've had plenty of eras, sometimes lasting centuries, where the local religion was either ignored or just ceremonial, and sometimes when it was actually treated with disdain. Too bad you're not selling anything of any value....

RG

 

[Críostóir]

That "snuggie" thing I keep seeing on tv!

It looks like a fuckin clan robe damnit!

Who in the hell would buy one!

Who the hell thought, "Gee wiz, reading with a blanket on IS TOO FUCKING COMPLICATED"?

How do you fold that motherfucker?

I think they accidentally made 60,000 oversize bathrobes and now they're trying to sell them as if they're something other than a total botch. Stupidest idea I've seen lately.

The scene that gets me is "perfect for chilly outdoor evenings!" Um, how about COATS? How about insulating yourself from the OUTSIDE of the fire circle instead of from the fire like they're doing in that scene?

I still go for chlorine trifluoride, but the Snuggie is damn stupid, I agree.