Society & Culture - 23 August 2007

I am always at a loss when I have to tip for a cab ride. What is proper?

2007-08-23 07:52:49 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Etiquette

I just read Christopher Hitchen's book, "God is Not Great", and I find his frank and blunt style kind of appealing, but does it get us anywhere? I guess I am not sure where an uprising of atheism can really attain. Yet, being silent won't work either, we will just get run over by the zeleots. Any thoughts?

2007-08-23 07:52:24 · 34 answers · asked by Quimby 3 in Religion & Spirituality

Suppose I were to start believing in a god, but not YOUR version of god. Suppose I believed that god was manifest in REALITY, not the pages of a "holy" book. Suppose I said that my god was not at odds with science, but encouraged scientific discovery because that is the ONLY way that we could understand what it created. Suppose my god did not require sacrafice, or anything else for that matter, but simply for me to live and enjoy life on its creation. Suppose it made no laws for humans that could be broken by humans, because anything that it didn't want humans to do, it simply wouldn't be possible for humans to do. Suppose it would make NO SUCH PLACE AS HELL, because such a place would be unnecessary. Suppose it didn't rely on man to teach other men about it, but allowed you to discover it on your own, free of charge. Suppose my god doesn't write books that men can alter, it makes immutable laws that man has to follow. Could you honestly say that your god is more real than mine?

2007-08-23 07:52:15 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Earlier this afternoon, I asked who you guys think asks the most thought provoking or 'best' questions in R&S and one of the answerers stated:

"Many questions asked by some of the 'in' crowd are kind of preachy and dull. I've learned atheists preach too."

What I'd like to know is who this 'in' crowd is?

2007-08-23 07:52:10 · 20 answers · asked by Christy ☪☮e✡is✝ 5 in Religion & Spirituality

New York Knicks guard Stephon Marbury says "I think, you know, we don't say anything about people who shoot deer or shoot other animals. You know, from what I hear, dogfighting is a sport. It's just behind closed doors." http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-marbury-vick&prov=ap&type=lgns

what kind of a sick twist would get their rocks off by watching animals maul one another?

would Marbury feel the same if they tortured and killed him for not performing to NBA and audience expectations?

also, when people hunt, the animals are in the wild and they are not bred to be pit against another animal for entertainmment and gambling purposes. i realize that some people may say that this is what our sports are about today, entertainment & gambling. but we don't torture or kill our athletes for a bad game nor do we use "bait", which dies in the process of testing their abilities.

I have no sympathy for sick vick.

2007-08-23 07:52:05 · 7 answers · asked by colormehappy 5 in Other - Society & Culture

2007-08-23 07:51:25 · 7 answers · asked by iamme 1 in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender

2007-08-23 07:50:43 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Community Service

2007-08-23 07:50:35 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Can anyone help me out here. Once I land a job and move to the city I would have a period of time where I wouldn't attend a 'home' church.. how should I go about tithing during this time period?

Also, should I tithe net or gross income? What if tithing net income exceeds my actual discretionary income?

Should I just give my money to the homeless?

2007-08-23 07:50:11 · 30 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

My children attend public school and are taught ON A DAILY BASIS what good values are. For example:
R=RESPECT
I=INTEGRITY
C=COMPASSION
E=EQUALITY
I went to Catholic school and let me just say, my children and their friends are very respectful to themselves and others. I am very proud of them. Catholic school gave me a great education, but that's where it ends.

2007-08-23 07:49:33 · 9 answers · asked by mrs O 6 in Religion & Spirituality

and we all was to not pay attention to grammar, :p

and we was all to be ignorant and try to demolish the idea of any other Religion or not belief of any,
does that mean it would make us all better individuals

or would we all end up as dummies that many of R&S cannot stop laughing to...

seriously, do you think that would stop all the street violence, drop the crime rate and what not?

(and I know it's 'we were' not 'we was' but having allot of fun spelling it this way) lol

2007-08-23 07:48:01 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Years before I married, I was introduced to group sex, and I fell in love! Can't describe enough how incredibly attracted I am to that! Have a wonderful relationship with my wife, and have asked her to let me watch her with another man. She says she needs more time to think about it, and this same answer has been repeated for a year. How should I coax her? Should I pressure her? I am confident that she would do this if I put her in the situation without asking, but I want her verbal approval on this first! We talk, and sometimes she "thinks" she will try this at least once, but other days she is not ready, or not sure. And I tell her many times it is okay to simply say no, never, but she says she is not opposed to it at this time, just not sure if she can go through with it. But no progress has been made for a year now, and I am getting very anxious with the "maybe" answer. I want a definite yes or no! What do I do?

2007-08-23 07:46:42 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Society & Culture

Did the bible ever make an official ruling on this issue?

2007-08-23 07:46:33 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

2007-08-23 07:44:46 · 13 answers · asked by . 3 in Religion & Spirituality

2007-08-23 07:43:22 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Cultures & Groups

How did you feel when you first met your love??

Im aiming toward those who are happily married or engaged or w.e.

how do you know he was the right one...?

2007-08-23 07:43:05 · 4 answers · asked by † God's Kitty † 2 in Religion & Spirituality

rememberence for the lives that were lost in our schools,
the saftey for those who are still in our schools,
including all that have authority over the educational system in our country,
and stand against the demonic forces that rule over them and our childrens lives?
<><

2007-08-23 07:41:23 · 10 answers · asked by ? 4 in Religion & Spirituality

We all know what the Nazis did to the Jews in the holocaust; gas chambers, tortuous experiments, burning, and lethal injections. Children were slaughtered.
There were even some children who were put into pits, had oil poured on them, and were set afire. If you ask me, this does not necessarily prove that there is no God, but it does prove that there is no God that intervenes in human affairs. Here are my responses to common Christian defenses to this argument: 1) Christian: “God gave man freewill. God did not do this, the Nazis did.” Me: The problem is that you say God does intervene sometimes, even when freewill is involved. Terrorists blow up a building and some people escape unharmed. Then, Christians and these lucky people praise God for his intervention. Why not help the Jews? 2) Christian: “This life is only temporary. Victims will be rewarded in heaven. Me: First, you have the problem that was discussed in No. 1. You said that God does intervene sometimes; sometimes even to help you on your math test. Secondly, it is one thing for people to die, it is another thing for children to burn alive. Couldn’t he have at least taken them before the pain set in? We know that he didn’t because of their screams. 3) Christian: “God has a purpose for everything and sometimes we cannot understand it.” Me: Jeffrey Dahmer had a purpose for what he did. He liked killing and eating people. No matter what purpose he might have had, it is unjustifiable.

2007-08-23 07:41:15 · 20 answers · asked by Biggus Dickus 3 in Religion & Spirituality

I saw it mentioned in the issue of ULTIMATE X-MEN where Gambit is first introduced, but for the life of me, I can't bring it to mind!

2007-08-23 07:41:00 · 2 answers · asked by stitch626_aloha 2 in Languages

which language do you like more, and why?

Please answer ONLY if you know BOTH languages.
Thanks.

2007-08-23 07:39:44 · 7 answers · asked by michiganfan 3 in Languages

So, now (according to some of you) I'm not ready for God to come into my life because I think for myself and live my life according to my own standards rather than according to the Bible?

You're telling me that I need to let go of all my own thoughts and ideas, unless they coincide with what the general Christian consensus is on what God would want for me? You're telling me to turn my life over to this God you speak of who is invisible and has never left one shred of physical evidence on the Earth for us.

Do I have that right?

And am I going to Hell for this?

2007-08-23 07:39:05 · 33 answers · asked by Linz ♥ VT 4 in Religion & Spirituality

Ok.. let me explain since I guess I gave too many people too much credit for intelligence the last time I asked this question...

In hunting you kill the animal quickly and eat it. If you ever had a hamburger or a steak - you are somewhat responsible for killing an animal, but it wasn't for not because you ate it for nourishment - circle of life. Get over it.

OK.. ya following?

In Dog fighting the animals are forced fo fight for thier lives, while people place bets. When the fight is over, the losing dog, while in excruciating pain, is later killed, in most cases inhumainly) and disposed of. Basically a waste of a life ended brutally for entertainment and money...

How are these comparable? - no high horses for supposed "animal activists" if your shoes are leather or if you ever ate a hamburger, I don't want to hear about how you think hunting is wrong...

2007-08-23 07:38:17 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Other - Society & Culture

If you have questions about Ghosts, UFOs, or Aliens please use this button first. It wouldn't hurt to use on any questions you might have.

2007-08-23 07:38:09 · 9 answers · asked by psiexploration 7 in Mythology & Folklore

with all due respect to my Wiccan friends, many of the books out there that are about witchcraft also contain a lot of information about Wicca. The two overlap a lot, but as we know, they aren't the same. The best I have been able to find is Teresa Morey's "Witchcraft: A Beginner's Guide." Any others you like?

2007-08-23 07:37:17 · 10 answers · asked by Lady Morgana 7 in Religion & Spirituality

It is being hawked on some religious channel, and I wonder if it comes with a Miracle Holy Cloth for anointing one's self?

2007-08-23 07:37:11 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Mythology & Folklore

The video is called "10 questions that every intelligent Christian must answer" and is about 10 minutes long. Here's the link.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zDHJ4ztnldQ

2007-08-23 07:36:52 · 6 answers · asked by Subconsciousless 7 in Religion & Spirituality

Anyone else find that the more you learn about the realities of life... the more depressing it is???

2007-08-23 07:36:30 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

... assuming, of course, the existence of God... and atheists. :D

2007-08-23 07:34:39 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

Would the agnostics be welcome? Would they need a visa?

If atheists and agnostics each had their own country, who would have the better healthcare system, and who would be buying prescription pills from the other through the internet?

2007-08-23 07:33:17 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality

2007-08-23 07:33:14 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Religion & Spirituality