If you could, which would you ban/change?

[MASSIVEPKGO_CHUCK]

opcorn:uttahere:

 

[Pendlum]

Pendlum is right that banning money would be bad, at least it would if we did it tomorrow. We do not need money though, the only reason we do is so we can pay to keep a roof over our heads and eat and afford entertainments all of which were achieved before money or bartering existed. We have evolved into a society where money rules the world and it should not be so.

There will always be money. It is what allows you to do whatever you want to do as a career. I think it would be a lot harder to barter my computer skills for some food than just being able to do a job, get money that I can use for just about anything, to get it. Having lots of money isn't any different then say, having lots of cattle if we just used a barter system. If you had the most cattle, you could get anything you wanted because meat would be always in demand. But say you make chopsticks. Chopsticks for a cow? Probably not going to happen.

Money isn't the problem, people are. If the root of all evil is money, then people are the real root of all evil, because it is a man made concept.

 

[Rugbypup]

If the root of all evil is money, then people are the real root of all evil, because it is a man made concept.

Actually, the 'pursuit' of money is the root of all evil, not money itself.

 

[mitchymo]

There will always be money. It is what allows you to do whatever you want to do as a career.

This does not hold true to someone in my position, i am on a very little over minimum wage amount of money, once i have given some away on tax of my earnings i then have to give a huge amount away to keep a roof over my head in rent, then i have to give more away in tax to my local council, and then more to have electric and water. Once these are paid i have less than 40% of what i actually earn, this money is split between food and toiletries etc and phone/tv bills and bank loan repayments and INTEREST. Money is stopping me from doing anything other than the continued cycle of labouring in the job i already have to keep the money coming in. I cannot afford the costs for driving lessons or for part time college tuition towards what i might want to do as a career.

How is it fair that only some people can follow their ambitions whilst the rest of us are strangled by lack of money needed to realise those ambitions.

Money works simply at the cost of the majority to the minority, we all who work might have money but we sure as hell don't all have the amount left over to enjoy it, the likelihood of me having a 42" flatscreen tv = extremely unlikely, and that makes the constant advertising of luxury goods nauseating for the working class.

 

[Sklar]

I voted for Caspar the friendly ghost...no particular reason other than I felt like it.

Whatever happened to Casper the Friendly Body?

Sklar

 

[luka82]

a) There were no options when I replied, so I went freestyle. Suck it.
b) Re-read my reply and try to understand how adjectives function
c) It was close, but the fact that you created a poll with no options gives this one the requisite nod in the stupid direction.

There is really something rather special about your finger!
It`s small, so your dick must be big???hm???:biggrin1:
and don`t be an ass with M! he is NICE

 

[Bbucko]

Actually, the 'pursuit' of money is the root of all evil, not money itself.

It actually goes deeper. The value of a person's life as a person is determined by the amount of wealth s/he has amassed, not the content of his/her character or his/her ability to give and receive love and compassion.

 

[BIGBULL29]

Religion, it's the only one that governs the others with logic or evidence.

I believe in the importance of faith, but more sin has been committed by mankind in God's name that good done in it.

I am afraid that Christianity helped to civilize the world, despite all the horrible things that have occurred in its name. Without it having shaped Western Civilization, we'd be all relatively barbaric today.

What did non-religion bring to the world? I'm afraid I've just said a stupid question because no society has ever been without a religion. It's innate to the human condition.

 

[HazelGod]

Why are you such a schmuck might just be the title of my next thread.

I wait with bated breath...

 

[Phil Ayesho]

Actually, the 'pursuit' of money is the root of all evil, not money itself.

ACTUALLY the quote is...
"love of money"... is the root of all evil

Money is not evil to those who do not particularly focus on it.

 

[Phil Ayesho]

I am afraid that Christianity helped to civilize the world, despite all the horrible things that have occurred in its name. Without it having shaped Western Civilization, we'd be all relatively barbaric today.

What did non-religion bring to the world? I'm afraid I've just said a stupid question because no society has ever been without a religion. It's innate to the human condition.

Sorry- you are wrong.
The history of Western Civilization can be traced to the great Greek philosophers, most of whom did not believe in gods.

And in fact, the rise of Christianity across Europe brought on the Dark Ages and held civilization in severe check for 700 years.

The renaissance and the rise of modern civilization can be traced to the Re-discovery of Pre-christian literature and science, and the widespread printing of these classical texts that the Christian church tried desperately to suppress.

From the Protestant reformation on, civilization has flourished and the quality of human life improved in direct correlation to the waning of religious influence and control over what people could think, read, and do.


Any cogent reading of history shows that, BUT FOR CHRISTIANITY, Civilization would have gotten far better, far faster.

Christianity has been an obstacle to growth and real knowledge every step of the way.

 

[B_0beron]

I would ban organized religion because of some of the reasons people cited before. The sexism, homophobia, supremacy, and human error causes endless problems in society.
That being said, belief in a higher power of some sort provides a sense of security and hope, and a scripture provides a moral compass. Too often however that scripture is interpreted to provide a compass of the leadership's own choosing and benefit. And for THAT reason, we could benefit immensely by dissolving said leadership and making sure people EVERYWHERE understand the threat a religious leadership presents to society.

 

[BIGBULL29]

Sorry- you are wrong.
The history of Western Civilization can be traced to the great Greek philosophers, most of whom did not believe in gods.

And in fact, the rise of Christianity across Europe brought on the Dark Ages and held civilization in severe check for 700 years.

The renaissance and the rise of modern civilization can be traced to the Re-discovery of Pre-christian literature and science, and the widespread printing of these classical texts that the Christian church tried desperately to suppress.

From the Protestant reformation on, civilization has flourished and the quality of human life improved in direct correlation to the waning of religious influence and control over what people could think, read, and do.


Any cogent reading of history shows that, BUT FOR CHRISTIANITY, Civilization would have gotten far better, far faster.

Christianity has been an obstacle to growth and real knowledge every step of the way.

Ancient Greeks weren't that civilized? They had no sense of morality. They gave us something like the Ten Commandments?

Who does most of the charitable work in the world and always has? Non-religious folk?

 

[ZOS23xy]

Ban tobacco. If you want it, grow your own

Jet skis. Useless polluting crap for rich kids who often kill or cripple themselves.

The heart of relgion is compassion and caring. Hatred and scapegoating have no place there.

DVD's of HEE HAW.

The comic strips CATHY and GARFIELD and HAGAR THE HORRIBLE.

Anything Jeff Foxworthy "writes".

American Idol, SURVIVOR, THE BIGGEST LOSER, THE FLAVOR OF LUV, realiy tv, etc...

 

[ZOS23xy]

I am afraid that Christianity helped to civilize the world, despite all the horrible things that have occurred in its name. Without it having shaped Western Civilization, we'd be all relatively barbaric today.

What did non-religion bring to the world? I'm afraid I've just said a stupid question because no society has ever been without a religion. It's innate to the human condition.

Though Phil A has an answer on the next pages, herein is my take---the Spanish went to the New World, looted the gold and "converted" the Indians. If they were Christian, they wouldn't need gold.

The prescence of the Spanish give the Natives a virus. Not smallpox, but the measles or chicken pox. It killed 90 percent of more the the natives.

The amount of gold send back to Spain caused a lowering of the value of gold, creating a depressed economy. Spain has never really recovered.

In the name of Christ, went the cry, we have claimed this land in the name of (--------) , and have our duties to convert the heathens or make slaves out of them.....

etc...

 

[BIGBULL29]

Though Phil A has an answer on the next pages, herein is my take---the Spanish went to the New World, looted the gold and "converted" the Indians. If they were Christian, they wouldn't need gold.

The prescence of the Spanish give the Natives a virus. Not smallpox, but the measles or chicken pox. It killed 90 percent of more the the natives.

The amount of gold send back to Spain caused a lowering of the value of gold, creating a depressed economy. Spain has never really recovered.

In the name of Christ, went the cry, we have claimed this land in the name of (--------) , and have our duties to convert the heathens or make slaves out of them.....

etc...

So atheistic societies would have never done the horrible things that religious folks did? Hitler and Stalin were not religious, were they? They didn't speak in the name of religion, they hated it.

Also, ancient Greeks were religious (believed in gods). All civilizations have a religion attached to them. There has never been a society without a religion.