Princess,Great questions.  I don't really know the answers though.It seems like everything stemmed from appeasing various gods, which probably came from the realization that the “forces of nature” were bigger than them, and potentially very deadly.I know that the blood of animal represented its life, (e.g. the bible's reference to life being in…[Read more]

Princess,I am not aware of any OT law that says that you can't eat animals that eat blood.  There is one against consuming blood, which is what Ed J referenced in his initial post on the subject.Here was my response:Quote Quote To understand the magnitude, the awesomeness, of the problem, we have to put ourselves into an animistic mind-set, where…[Read more]

Ed J,Stick to the points?!?!?I have been addressing everything that you brought up by showing the context of where it came from.  You can't claim that the bible says something and simply expect me to take your word for it.  I pulled up the passages in question and showed you quite clearly that what you claim the bible says is a major stretch.If t…[Read more]

Ed,Your reading comprehension is lacking.I addressed the digestion issue, (i.e. “#2”), in my original post.  You never responded to it.The stuff that you think I cut and paste from an atheist website are my paraphrases of the scripture that you referenced.Isaiah 40:22:Quote It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,      And its inh…[Read more]

Ed wrote:Quote Egyptians also thought sheep were filthy animals, which you forgot to mention.Egyptians and others staying away from pork products sure got it right; aye?The Egyptians observed pigs and decided that they were repulsive.  What's so scientifically advanced about that?And no, they did not get it right.  As stated here:Quote Consumption…[Read more]

Ed,I am glad that you re-posted this – do you have a rolodex of standard replies? – since you never addressed my direct response to this assertion previously.  I will recreate my original post (from here) below.1.  See Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat's A History of Food, on page 408:Quote However, pastoral people who kept sheep and oxen cannot have t…[Read more]

Stu,I am running out of ammo here, but I did want to clarify two things.First, you screwed up the quotes in your last post.  You were the one who wrote:Quote I think dolphin snout sponge technology has probably made life significantly better for those dolphins that use it.  Fewer dolphins will succumb to infections where microbes have entered a c…[Read more]

Quote (Is 1:18 @ Sep. 11 2011,09:34)Though I often see things differently to the way you do WIT, I cannot help but admire the way you communicate your ideas.Thanks!  I am obviously swimming in the deep end of the pool here – I could easily go under at any minute –  so I am glad that someone actually appreciates the effort.By the way, I always l…[Read more]

I really didn't expect this discussion to go this far, but as long as you are not annoyed by it…Stu wrote:Quote I don't think the orangutan tool kit qualifies as just a first-generation tool.  That is obviously the result of a developmental process with cultural involvement.This may be a semantic issue.  By “first generation”, I simply mean t…[Read more]

Stu,Great links!I think that my response may have been more strong than I intended it to be.  You don't have to have all the answers.  I certainly don't claim to have them.I did want to clarify one thing though.I have said all along that I am aware of animals using tools.  The critical distinction for me is going from making a simple tool – wh…[Read more]

Stu wrote:Quote I'm sorry to say that I don't think you have grasped my meaning.  I feel that I have addressed your objections already.I believe that I understood your explanation just fine.  What I am asking for now is actual evidence.  If you don't have any, that's fine.  It just renders your point of view to be as much an opinion as mine is,…[Read more]

Stu wrote:Quote Might it be that we do not speak of different periods of dolphin culture because we don't know much about it?  Dolphins do have culture,  they teach their young how to make tools,  and they behave altruistically towards other species.It certainly might be.  (How's that for conviction!)  I am just not personally aware of any such…[Read more]

Quote (princess @ Sep. 06 2011,02:52)However, I am still left with 'how did it all get here', I know you see many mistakes in the world and with the human body. I still believe in showing humanity that we are a unique species. Perhaps it is a bit of roman thinking, trying to seperate humans from animals, however, even though everything is…[Read more]

The science is settled?The preceding links to an article that has the following quote at the end:”CERN, and the Danes, have in all likelihood found the path to the Holy Grail of climate science. But the religion of climate science won’t yet permit a celebration of the find.”Science is great, when it is actually practiced, but in many scientific i…[Read more]

Quote (Stu @ Feb. 01 2011,09:25)As an aside, you appear to be saying that “Mother Theresa” had an overall positive influence on the world.  I beg to differ.Do tell.

Quote (t8 @ Dec. 04 2010,03:08)Quote (WhatIsTrue @ Dec. 03 2010,12:26)T8,That's a great way to explain a scientific concept in laymen's terms.  It's too bad the bible doesn't do that.  For example, if that's what you think the Isaiah passage is saying, it surely did a very poor job of it.What I saw was you doubting or questioning the idea of o…[Read more]

T8,That's a great way to explain a scientific concept in laymen's terms. It's too bad the bible doesn't do that. For example, if that's what you think the Isaiah passage is saying, it surely did a very poor job of it.

You understand what?

Quote (Ed J @ Nov. 29 2010,22:30)1) Biochemistry: Pig is an unhealthy animal to consume for sustenance.Leviticus 11:7 …the swine …he is unclean to you.Pigs are scavenger animals, eating both dung and carcass remains.Toxins are excreted out of the sweat glands of mammals, pigs don't sweat!Plus: Without the advent of refrigeration, pork meat is…[Read more]

Quote (bodhitharta @ Nov. 29 2010,22:27)Quote (WhatIsTrue @ Nov. 30 2010,02:09)Quote (bodhitharta @ Nov. 24 2010,03:41)No, I didn't agree with you at all, I said if I did agree it would still show you had no point worth noting.This was my original point:Quote I was simply pointing out that the bible is exactly as you would expect it to be: a…[Read more]