hello all. haven't had much time to rant on here for a while but i couldn't resist this one. it's too perfect an example of what is wrong with religion - this is not just a christian thing. there are plenty of muslims, jews, hindhus etc who display the same tribal narrowness in different ways. a bit of context - i see evolution as an entropic inescapable process, which doesn't stop at the emergence of different species. it applies to the evolution of the universe, technology and civilisation. entropic implies that it is an inescapable process with unpredictable but inevitable stages or states. i think of the evolution of the human mind in terms of a computer. each stage of civilisation - religion, industrialisation, revolution, science, secularism (not necessarily in that order)etc represents a software upgrade. some things remain the same , some are discarded and some are improved. the core which remains allows for the retention of the altruistic and progressive elements in human nature which allow us to move forward. the human mind is a programmable entity - this is well proven, and it's progress is easily tracked history of science and technology and the rise of iq through the generations. a mind running under the 'religion' programme will not always have the objectivity to realise that their 'philosophy' works against the wellbeing and progress of society. their programming does not allow them to see beyond their own reality and see the enlightenments which superior programmes like science and altruism have revealed. this is clearly displayed by the ignorant apes gay bashing in the bible belt, the medieval throwbacks who want sharia law in europe, the zionist fascists trying to crush palestine in the name of their holy book and this abhorrent woman refusing to help another human being in need. these narrow throwbacks will always exist in one way or another, which is why it is vital that society and law should operate on a secular and truly egalitarian nature. religion leads to fascistic tribalism and needs to be kept in check by a legal and political system which honours the needs of all people regardless of race creed or faith. and it needs to have the teeth to tell people who try to live out their faith inspired bigotry by subjecting others to it, as well as throwbacks who would deny the massively superior benefits which science has given us against holybook fairytale woo to $£%^ right off in no uncertain terms. as one of my favourite fictional characters, i think jeebus would have told them to $£%^ right off too, but you can't expect everybody to take the moderate progressive route in their faith. in my experience you can't expect about 99.99% of religious people to be truly moderate and progressive. and if this woman is considered to be right in the eyes of the law, then the us system is no more advanced than 16th century english law or afghan tribal law. in so many ways america is a shockingly backward and short sighted nation - i am fairly certain a counsellor in the same position in the uk would be out of a job in no time, and the uk is not exactly a beacon of equality progress and human rights.

It's good to see you back Janimal!

You said that you see the Human Mind as software capable of being programmed and evolution as the Upgrades to the humnan mind. The human mind has the Ultimate Software package. Programmers thave been striving to create AI for fifty years and all comes short thus far.

I have a hard time comparing the human mind to software simply because software is logical and makes calculated decisions where humans constantly make mistakes through ignorance.

You are right when you say that people can be programmed. I have proof - Please read into my grandfather's neighbor here:

Heat Post

Just my opinion but people these days are so desperate for anything to make sense that many clamp onto the first arse that claims to be legit. We are bombarded with manipulation through ads and politics sixteen hours a day depending on how much you sleep. I can make the claim that 95% of news outlets manipulate their reports to appeal to consumers because we know of one station that does for sure - FOX. Murdoch was just in hot water in Great Britain and the US for "Manufacturing news" as one paper called it. A normal person needs to consult several news outlets in order to get a factual picture of any story that interests them.

the programmable nature of the human mind is beyond doubt. 'give me the child of five and i will show you he man'. this is why everybody is fighting over education of the young. they are all trying to protect their powerbase by proliferating their program through the next generation. everybody is at it. the government want us to be programmed by their propaganda, the christians want to fill our kids heads with their crap, the sharia-ists want to keep our kids in the middle ages.

there are a few of us who move outside the program - i am one of them. i don't follow any of the standard programs - in my mind it all has to go. to me religion, capitalism, fascism, fundamentalism - these are all equally regressive and flawed and they all have to go. the only hope humanity currently has is the progressive movements of secularism, science, socialism, egalitarianism, anti capitalism, altruism, etc and this is where we have to base the education of the next generation. unfortunately these movements also have many problems.

i bring my kids up to think for themselves and to realise that ultimately all the priests, politicians, ragged men and ceo's are trying to lie to them and you have stay out of the herd and to find the truth for yourself.

I couldn't have said it better myself. Very Insightful and well thought out!

cheers mongrel - if only a few more people saw it that lucidly rather than being drones the human race might actually progress.

people are sheeple, and that will ultimately be our downfall. most people have an aversion to thinking for themselves. we are a very clever but also a very very stoopid species.