Society & Culture - 28 July 2006

Why are you so sure that there is no God? What evidence do you have? I'm just curious. Where do you think the world and all of its belongings come from? Tell me..........

2006-07-28 04:20:23 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Easter Island is comprised of an area of 64 square miles and is located in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean 2000 miles west of Chile. The climate is subtropical.

ORIGINAL SETTLEMENT - Archeologists surmise that the island was originally settled by Polynesians in around 400 A.D. The Polynesians, when they arrived, found an island made up largely of sub-tropical forest of trees and woody bushes. The Easter Island palm grew to up to 80 feet tall with a 6-foot diameter and could be used to make canoes as well as yielding nuts, and sap for syrups, sugar, and wine. Underneath the trees and bushes was other vegetation such as shrubs, herbs, ferns, and grasses. They found the island was home to many varieties of seabirds and land birds as well. The surrounding oceans were loaded with fish and porpoise-dolphins. The island was a pacific paradise.

THE GOOD YEARS ON EASTER ISLAND - From 400 to 800 A.D. were the good years for the people on Easter Island. Food was plentiful and living went well. They used the large palm trees for canoes and fished offshore for porpoise-dolphins. They raised the chickens, which they had brought with them; but sea birds provided additional fowl for their diet. The natural fruit was plentiful and the sap from the palm trees yielded syrups, sugar and wine. They had sufficient wood for their dwellings and winter fires. These were good years on Easter Island. Their numbers grew, but the environment sustained them and more importantly they sustained the environment.

THE YEARS OF SPLENDOR AND DRAWDOWN - From 800 to 1300 A.D. were the years for the people on Easter Island in which they became numerous and prosperous. The islanders possessed the only written language in Oceania, the Rongorongo Script. They erected the large rock carvings, called petroglyphs or monoliths, or Moai by the islanders. These are the huge crude statues, busts of stone with long faces and long pointed noses, for which Easter Island is most noted. In a very labor-intensive effort, these huge statues were quarried, carved and then transported, by being rolled on logs, to the coastal areas for display.

During this period the population increased substantially and was approaching the highest level to be reached on the island, estimated by archeologists to be seven thousand.

But also during this period the drawdown had begun. Drawdown is when the dominant species in the ecosystem begins to uses resources faster than they can be replaced. The islanders were using up the forests, for their canoes, houses, and the transporting of their statues, much faster than they were being re-grown.

If they had realized what they were doing to their environment and how it would impact their future, and if they would have had the will to make the necessary life style adjustments, they could have prevented what followed.

THE OVERSHOOT-From 1300 to1700 AD - Overshoot is when, environmentally, the point of no return has been reached, where the depletion of resources has reached that level where they cannot be regenerated to sustainable levels.

The islander's population continued to grow and the forests disappeared at increasing rates. With the disappearing forests, springs and steams dried up and those plants and animals for which the forests provided cover, also disappeared. Land birds, snails, and many seabirds disappeared. Even the gardens suffered as deforestation allowed the winds and rains to erode the valuable topsoil.

In the 1400's all the large palms were cut down and the palm became extinct. The consequences were terrible. Without the large palms, the fishing fleets of canoes were depleted. By 1500, porpoise-dolphins were no longer in the Islander's diet and they soon ran completely out of all wood.

Politically chaos set in. In the 1600's tribal warriors displaced the centralized government. Tribal wars and cannibalism became prevalent, as humans were the largest remaining meat source.

THE CRASH - 1700 and 1800 A.D. - The crash is the inevitable meltdown of the population that follows an overshoot.

In the early 1700's, intense tribal warfare and cannibalism drove people into the caves. When the Island was discovered on Easter, April 15, 1773, by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, he found a small population of poor, impoverished people. When Captain Cook voyaged to Easter Island in 1775 there were only 600 Islanders left.

One hundred years later, 1885, only 155 Islanders remained. In less than 500 years the population of the Islanders went from 7000 to near extinction.

THUS PLANET EARTH - Globally, overall, although specific nations and areas may vary, planet earth is in the withdrawal stage, like Easter Island was between 800 and 1300 A.D. More trees from forests, more fish from fisheries, more fresh water from aquifers, and more area from grasslands are being consumed than are being replenished. All this is complicated by problems of waste disposal, pollution, global warming and related weather complications, and a growing world population, which will go from 6,000,000 to 9,000,000 in the next 50 years.

As there was with the Easter Islanders, within the withdrawal stage, there is a window of opportunity for us recover, to bring about ways of living that will sustain the world's resources. If we do not make that recovery, the other stages as experienced by the Easter Islanders will surely follow, as night follows day.

REFERENCES - Easter Island Internet Home Page. Easter's End by Jared Diamond.

2006-07-28 04:20:17 · 2 answers · asked by E K 1 in Other - Society & Culture

2006-07-28 04:19:23 · 36 answers · asked by EMMA F 1 in Other - Society & Culture

there is a church in Topeka Kansas where the "so called"pastor does demontrations and gay bashing pickets. I drove by one of these pickets the other day and i saw a child no older than 6 yrs old holding a sign with a picture of 2 men with one behind the other bent over...under the picture was the statement "God hates America" how is it this man can teach a child to hate before he learns to love is beyond me. Do you approve of this or not,and why? http:www.godhatesamerica.com

2006-07-28 04:18:43 · 29 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Americans stress to their kids over and over not to use drugs, but it's funny how these parents would say that while their addicted to 10 different prescripion drugs for depression, hypertension, and what have you. Drug addiction and dependance is not just through illegal ones, but legal ones too. We are a nation of junkies how ever way you look at it. Just look at our commercials, every other one is about a new drug to treat a "depression" and other things that can be treated with out a drug. Of course pharmacutical companies need money and we are willing to give it to them once we find our addiction. Do you really need aspirin for a minor headache? Drinking plenty of water would go a long way. Stop being a nation of hypocrits, stressing the dangers and addictions of illegal drugs while most our population is dependant on legal ones. What do you think?

2006-07-28 04:17:54 · 15 answers · asked by Fiesty Redhead 2 in Other - Society & Culture

2006-07-28 04:16:46 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Etiquette

If you worship Jesus and you're wrong you will be forced to relive life over and will have gained nothing.

If you follow the teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism and you are right you will attain nirvana.

If you worship Jesus and you are right, you get to continue to worship Jesus for all eternity.

If you follow the teaching of Hinduism and Buddhism and you are wrong then the Taoists are probably right and you still get nirvana.

Will you convert?

2006-07-28 04:16:43 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

However, women rarely think about sex, but get it everytime they want it. This is so unfair.

2006-07-28 04:15:28 · 10 answers · asked by jack 2 in Other - Society & Culture

Israel is striking what they think are militant targets, the problem is, the Lebanese, as well as Iraqi militants hide among the civilian population, because they know they are safer than not being there, because of the "public outcry" of loss of civilian life.

Another thing, compared to wars in the past, the loss of life in Iraq, and now Lebanon are nothing in comparison. I dont get people, and where they get their expectations from.

Its war..do they think noone will die?!

2006-07-28 04:14:50 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

That I like to have sex with big, fat, hairy and sweaty guys?

2006-07-28 04:14:21 · 25 answers · asked by Vincent 3 in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender

I mean you've all been yipping about it for ages now and you're all still here. I'm getting sick of seeing those inane bumper stickers that read "in case of rapture this vehicle will be empty" looks like god thinks it's ok to allow a moving vehicle to crash into whatever or whomever gets in the way, very kind of him.
So please, could you hurry the process along somehow? I'd certainly be willing to donate to the cause.
Anything that get's you brain-dead zealots out of our hair. That way we can get on with cleaning up your mess and living an idyllic life without having to worry about some well-dressed zombies coming to our door at 9am on a saturday morning to preach about thier "love" for a magic sky-pixie!
Thanks, we appreciate it.

2006-07-28 04:13:24 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

2006-07-28 04:12:57 · 49 answers · asked by Anonymous in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender

The Revised Standard Edition I have at home says the 7 churches represent time eras; the first church was the first century, the second church was the time after fall of the temple till the fall of rome, etc.

Also, is my 3 year old son too young to hear the book of Revelation. I was reading to him last night Chapter 1 and while he didn't complain, I don't think he got the message. What do you think, should I read to him tonight from the rest of Revelation, so he may know Jesus, and be scared of hell? Or should I take him to the zoo and show him cousin chimpanzee and cousin orangotang

2006-07-28 04:12:26 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

so why post a weblink to a bible thumping web site? why quote scripture when we'll merely skip your statement on any questions we ask? why spew dogmatic statements at us when we'll simply ignore them? These are retorical statements so why answer them?

2006-07-28 04:10:45 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Anything ?

2006-07-28 04:10:41 · 18 answers · asked by Yakuza 7 in Community Service

1if i have ever miss understood you. babe
2.if i have made you mad by praying for you
3.if i have made you hate by loving you
4.if you ever thought i was judging you, if it looks like a duck talks like a duck well of course you would think it was a
5.would you forgive me of all my sins.

even tho i am a child of God i still am not perfect i can make mistakes God has forgiven can you.

2006-07-28 04:10:30 · 24 answers · asked by jamnjims 5 in Religion & Spirituality

I made a bet that no matter how stupid my questions were, I would get at least 30 insane christians to answer me.

I WIN!!!!!

2006-07-28 04:09:11 · 25 answers · asked by kubrickian 2 in Religion & Spirituality

Do people who have so much hatred go to this so called heaven? Is it the same heaven where suicide bombers go? If so who in their right mind would want to go to heaven?

2006-07-28 04:08:45 · 22 answers · asked by Mark F 4 in Religion & Spirituality

Happy, Dopey, Sleepy, Grumpy, Sneezy, Bashful, Doc

I bet Grumpy was! Christians can be so grumpy!!

Cupcakes for everyone!

2006-07-28 04:08:15 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

2006-07-28 04:05:37 · 31 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Society & Culture

and most fathers don't raise thier own children

2006-07-28 04:04:50 · 14 answers · asked by pizzapizza 3 in Other - Cultures & Groups

It had been under the water and was ground down by the sand and wave action for a long time. I could have turned it in to the hotel we were staying in, but I really don't think they would even try to find the owner. What do you think?

2006-07-28 04:04:23 · 14 answers · asked by Zelda Hunter 7 in Other - Society & Culture

does u all know Malaysia?...
have been there?...

2006-07-28 04:04:21 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Community Service

2006-07-28 04:01:40 · 16 answers · asked by COOKIE 1 in Christmas

Late night TV commercials: Red Hot, Quest and Tango personals fill up the airways when the Swing shift is getting off duty and there is little on Television to watch except reruns of Becker and Senfeld.
Are bimbos and mimbos the only people working the swing shift, or are there still any decent people out there in lala land actually offended by this filth? Just wondering how far we have descended.

2006-07-28 04:01:33 · 16 answers · asked by jeeveswantstoknow 2 in Religion & Spirituality

There are so many sites to visit. Why come here if you don't believe in God? We must be having an effect on you!! You're welcome.

2006-07-28 04:01:15 · 30 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

God loves us so much, so all I want to know is,
Why not? What have you got to lose?

2006-07-28 04:01:06 · 42 answers · asked by HazelEyes 2 in Religion & Spirituality

this goes for atheist and religious believers

2006-07-28 04:00:50 · 30 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

2006-07-28 04:00:48 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Society & Culture

please, do not tell me neither!

because it's happening, there are little teenager girls who does sex with their boyfriend or school mate without their family kowledge. means those little girls do have desires.

so from a religious point of view, is it better if she has sex with her boyfriend or with her husband?

2006-07-28 04:00:36 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality