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Moses was high on drugs: Israeli researcher
breitbart.com — High on Mount Sinai, Moses was on psychedelic drugs when he heard God deliver the Ten Commandments, an Israeli researcher claimed in a study published this week.
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- Twinsfan14, on 03/05/2008, -37/+442Have you ever read the ten commandments........ON WEED!!
- MegaSmack, on 03/05/2008, -5/+39Trying playing Dark Side of the Moon at the same time as well.
- evilpoptart, on 03/05/2008, -37/+6if i have to hear this album one more time im going to rip my own skull open. it was fun, when i was 13.
- pizzas, on 03/05/2008, -3/+52you must have played it a lot in the past 2 years
- Coven, on 03/05/2008, -4/+26BURN
- Scarfy, on 03/05/2008, -4/+7Well, to be fair to evilpoptart... WAIT, NO! Dark Side of the Moon is the greatest album of all time!
- pizzas, on 03/05/2008, -3/+52you must have played it a lot in the past 2 years
- adnams, on 03/05/2008, -0/+4yeah ive heard if you play it backwards, it totally synchs up with the 10 commandments!
- evilpoptart, on 03/05/2008, -37/+6if i have to hear this album one more time im going to rip my own skull open. it was fun, when i was 13.
- DarkSamus, on 03/05/2008, -12/+1I hear voices!
- longtext, on 03/05/2008, -3/+21RED TEAM GO!! RED TEAM GO!!
- PDAIsAOk, on 03/05/2008, -4/+24Is that a guy in the bushes? Oh ***** the bush is on fire save your ass!
- sanman, on 03/05/2008, -8/+4Like, whoa, dude! There's a Bush over there! And he's on fire! And he's sayin we all need to go to Iraq, and fight the Arabs! Let all my people heed the message...
- twollamalove, on 03/05/2008, -2/+7This is pretty much the high point of my day
- Pulch, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3I see what you did there.
- kuzotz, on 03/05/2008, -14/+5Well so what. HE was high.
I mean ***** he gave out some good rules we should live our lives by.
do not kill.
I mean ***** it could've been in order to reach adulthood oyu must kill everyone in your generation.- treed, on 03/05/2008, -1/+7A culture that lived by such a meme would not have survived. Welcome to social evolution.
- RobotBuddha, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Depends at which point it came into being. If there's even just two or three, and a lot of land to work with, you have a pretty good chance of doing well while the others kill each other off. Sadly, it doesn't scale very well.
- LeeSoong, on 03/05/2008, -3/+29" I give you these 15 "
(....drops one tablet, smashes into bits,)
" Uh, TEN Commandments ! " - badjoke, on 03/05/2008, -6/+28Because we really need a religion based on false history and knowledge to tell us not to kill, steal, envy, etc?
Apes have even been seen to exhibit morals. They don't kill other apes, and exclude those that do. They're against stealing, and very family oriented. Do you think the giant sky-banana needed to tell them those things?- dafragsta, on 03/05/2008, -6/+19The only reason you are getting dugg down is that 75% of the world have closed their mind, locked it, and swallowed the key to their local brand of religion; the most important aspect of their lives, but they've got time to consider a new cell phone.
- Powerdroid666, on 03/05/2008, -1/+17Hail the almighty Sky Banana!
- emjaymj, on 03/05/2008, -1/+8While I agree religion isn't necessary, your evidence is lacking. Apes do indeed kill other apes. Gangs of chimpanzees have actually been seen in "turf wars", going to war against other chimps in order to expand their land and resources. Not only are the battles extremely violent and brutal, but the victors have been seen cannabilizing the losers. And these are supposed to be the SMARTEST of the apes. If you think apes cooperate out of anything other than self interest, you are very mistaken.
- TopherT, on 03/05/2008, -2/+8I think its us and not the chimps that is the smartest of the apes. We ARE apes, when will you people understand this.
- cliffzdude, on 03/05/2008, -0/+6"Take your stinking paws off of me you damn dirty ape!"
- RobotBuddha, on 03/05/2008, -0/+4Both emjaymj and badjoke are right to some extent. Chimps will kill each other, steal, and do other things we'd consider immoral. What's interesting though is that there are also social constraints which keep this from being the norm. Even more so, that it shows a similar nature to our own in allowing chimps higher up on the social ladder to get away with behavior the rest of the tribe wouldn't condone in other chimps. Same for the general xenophobic behavior.
If I recall correctly, a chimp that wouldn't get away with killing one of his tribe will usually have no repercussions from killing one in another. The morals in this case are apparent not so much for the allowed unethical behavior, but for how rarely it's allowed without punishment. Not that there's any lack of positive examples as well. In particular a German researcher put together some fascinating reports of how one community would always help the elderly and infirm members. It's possible this could be out of calculated self interest. They might be developed enough to model the aging process and apply it as an inevitable event for themselves. The assistance for blind and otherwise disabled chimps suggests against it though, that kind of injury being very rare.
It's the bonobos who typically score at the top on most testable cognitive tests, excluding humans. They're closer to the example badjoke put forth. But I think it's their general peacefulness that makes them a less useful example here. One doesn't need commandments for something he'd never want to do anyway. Though they have been seen with an amazing amount of empathy. There's one really amazing example of a bonobo seen petting an injured bird and helping it to fly again. - emjaymj, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1Yes Topher, I'm well aware that we too are apes. It's a given that we are smarter than the other apes, so it's not a huge stretch to understand it to mean "apes other than us," and indeed any half-intelligent reader should be able to. Especially when the poster above me used the word in the same way, I did not want the point of the post to be missed simply because he happens to find an irrelevant argument in my definition of an ape. For a moment I forgot I was on Digg though, and having the spirit of your post ignored while being nitpicked is unavoidable, even when it happens to be fully in agreement with you.
- TobiasParker, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1way to prove his point Emjay.
- kingvik, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1The smarter you get the more violent you get, or is it the more violent you get the smarter you get.
- positron, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3It's probably more like: violent + weak = smart. The strong don't need to be smart to perpetrate their violence. I don't think anyone would deny that humanity is a violent, predatory species. However, due to our unique anatomy, we are relatively weak for our size in the animal kingdom. Violence is the mother of invention after all.
- LeeSoong, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Humans are the most pitifully 'designed' creatures:
no big claws, no big teeth, no shell, no fur,
no feathers, no wings, can't breath under water,
no exoskeleton, no poison to spit, no quills
just soft meat wrapped on some bones -
can not be left out in direct sunlight too long,
can not be left in the cold, or left in the heat, or too wet or too dry...
It is the pathetic frailty of humans that drives their inventive spirit. - forgiste, on 03/13/2008, -0/+1I would assume that the smarter you get, the less violent you become. People who cannot communicate effectively generally have shorter tempers, think babies.
- Enasni1212, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Not really, Kingvik. More like, the smarter you get, the easier it is to kill people.
- shig, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1You certainly can't learn such things by simply observing nature. Someone must tell you not to kill, and I'm sure they presented you with plenty of reasonable arguments against such a practice when you were a child. Are you telling me you learned not to kill and not to steal on your own, out of the clear blue sky so to speak?
Apes have WARS with WEAPONS. I've personally witnessed one. Does that mean it's moral? Does that mean I can cannibalize my victims?- ScottyMcBaggs, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1whoa whoa, apes + war + weapons? Tell me more. Do you have a newsletter?
- LeeSoong, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2Morality is a human invention. Animals have no need for it.
Most species fight to the draw or till one or the other creature backs down...
But morality - the only morality animals need is that of the empty stomach, and can I eat that? Can it eat me?
There is a directness to nature...
Humans are just another animal - to expect more is to create disappointment.
I am actually surprised people get along as well as they do,
and I'm glad the football players don't devourer the losing team... - TopherT, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Have you considered the possibility that morality is not an invention but a product of evolution? (Assuming you believe in evolution, you never know these days) Such morality as not killing, stealing from and being kind to one's neighbor strengthens the genes of that neighbor by increasing his chances or reproducing, given that one's genes are likely to be shared with those living close by, at least in tribal societies, such actions would help propagate the gene. Once a society in general carried the gene they would have a distinct advantage over other societies without the gene who would be too busy feuding to keep up with their moral neighbors.
- Yodwinder, on 03/05/2008, -1/+0I mean *****...
no, wait...
I mean *****...
no, no damnit...
I mean ... *****!
- treed, on 03/05/2008, -1/+7A culture that lived by such a meme would not have survived. Welcome to social evolution.
- ReyX, on 03/05/2008, -7/+4I enjoy Jon Stewart lines.
- bwtaha, on 03/05/2008, -10/+7this is officially the new best first post ever
- twollamalove, on 03/05/2008, -5/+3I signed in to say the same thing
- xptoast, on 03/05/2008, -15/+4I am pretty sure you cant prove he was high. You cant tell he was high because there is no way to find him and or traces of w/e he might have had in his system. Too long ago to know anything about what he was on or not on. I am pretty sure he wasn't on anything except life.
- ECas123, on 03/05/2008, -4/+6....and crack of course.
- orius, on 03/05/2008, -2/+2moses was a crack head???
- ashleegirl, on 03/05/2008, -3/+2Where's the receipts?
- admiral101, on 03/05/2008, -5/+7"I am pretty sure he wasn't on anything except life."
Why are you so sure? - derning, on 03/05/2008, -5/+6Clearly, because he was there with Moses. XPTOAST was high, but Moses was designated driver that night.
- aidave, on 03/05/2008, -2/+6Can you prove he was not high?
Because Moses clearly commanded people to eat manna. And Manna is almost certainly a psychedelic plant/fungus, likely mushrooms.- xptoast, on 03/05/2008, -2/+3Manna is bread. A type of it. I didnt see one intellegent response to my post. I think that is bad.
- PeterODactyl, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manna
- aadyss, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2@xptoast
Intelligence on Digg. Hummmmmm. Never happen. Not on the topic of religion. Mockery is the meat and potatoes for this group of children. - Tuto, on 03/05/2008, -2/+3Not that i don't think there aren't intelligent posts on digg about religion, but you have to understand that its kinda hard coming up with intelligent comments about fairy tales.
- eminem213486, on 03/19/2008, -0/+1damn Tuto, now THATS a burn!
- SuckMyDigg, on 03/20/2008, -0/+1He told them to eat mana so they could all help him cast the Part Red Sea spell.
- xptoast, on 03/05/2008, -2/+3Manna is bread. A type of it. I didnt see one intellegent response to my post. I think that is bad.
- xB4R7x, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1"I am pretty sure he wasn't on anything except life."
I'm pretty sure you can't prove he WASN'T high. You can't tell he WASN'T high because there is no way to find him and or traces of w/e he might have had in his system. Too long ago to know anything about what he was on or not. I'm pretty sure that I have no ***** clue what actually happened... but a burning bush seem like something that I would see after taking a hallucinogen.... or maybe someone was playing with matches?
- ECas123, on 03/05/2008, -4/+6....and crack of course.
- ECas123, on 03/05/2008, -2/+8Yeah, laugh now but we'll see who's laughing went you're sent to jail for killing a horse cop! BUTTERCUP!!!!
- hamandcheese, on 03/05/2008, -8/+18This is a stupid news story, considering Moses probably didn't exist. He has an mythological twin in earlier Assyrian and Sumerian tales.
- eyalfein, on 03/06/2008, -0/+22 mythical stoners better then 1
- forgiste, on 03/13/2008, -0/+1THAN!
- eyalfein, on 03/06/2008, -0/+22 mythical stoners better then 1
- dizturbd2, on 03/05/2008, -5/+3I love Buttered Stuff!!!
- ECas123, on 03/05/2008, -3/+1It's BUTTERCUP!! DAMMIT! BUTTERCUP! SAY IT! *sobs*
- chizzlechest420, on 03/05/2008, -6/+1Evar looked at the star at night...........Evar look at the stars.......ON WEED??
- num3thod, on 03/05/2008, -13/+3Why the ***** do people relate weed to hallucinations?!?
Also, you don't get HIGH on weed. Nose candy, Beans, Meth, those will get you high.- Dan6963, on 03/05/2008, -3/+2You've clearly impressed us with your extended knowledge of drug slang! (Ulterior motive cracked.)
- ganjadude4391, on 03/05/2008, -2/+7ACTUALLY you are wrong. Marijuana IS IN FACT a mild hallusinogen....
- TheSlinky, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1Um it is in the way that something like one out of a few hundred thousand people who smoke it experiences mild hallucinations, but I wouldn't even call it a hallucinogen.
- Monk22, on 03/05/2008, -1/+3call it what you want. but educated people and the government classify it as a mild hallucinogen.
- TheSlinky, on 03/15/2008, -1/+0Um...why am I being dugg down? People here obviously know nothing about drugs. Go to every single pot smoker and ask him/her if she/he has experienced any hallucinations and about 99% of them including myself will tell you they don't.
- ganjadude4391, on 03/16/2008, -0/+1its not about "experiencing hallucinations" look it up, marijuana is a mild hallucinogen. end of story
- TheSlinky, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1Um it is in the way that something like one out of a few hundred thousand people who smoke it experiences mild hallucinations, but I wouldn't even call it a hallucinogen.
- dkern, on 03/05/2008, -2/+2Guess you have never smoked Alaskan weed: Matanuska ***** will cause you to trip the lights fantastic! There's more to life than skunk weed!
- Coffeedemon, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2Matanuska ***** will cause you to trip the lights fantastic!
Thanks. You just gave me the name for my next Rock Band/GH bandname.
- Coffeedemon, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2Matanuska ***** will cause you to trip the lights fantastic!
- dkern, on 03/05/2008, -3/+9Scientology will not allow people to enter their Sea Org if they have ever done LSD- this is probably because L.Ron Hubbard was on LSD when he made all that ***** up and someone who has tripped before just might figure out his *****! Scientology is finally ending- hopefully all religions will follow suit and be replaced with spirituality.
- Pulch, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3or logic and reason.
- Confuseus, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1logic and reason? what are you a Vulcan? logic and reason don't explain ***** about metaphysical reality. " oh um well the universe is made of atoms and there are laws" yeah, nice. thats really getting us somewhere right?
- fogman444, on 03/05/2008, -0/+0...but making up fairy tales sourced from "voices" is so much more useful!
- TechMike, on 05/02/2008, -0/+0Most religions offer hope, and mankind left without hope retreats to barbarism. Spirituality is the shadow of religion, honorting good spirits and demons clothed in fancy words. Scientology only works in the US because of the tax code support to made-up religion.
- Pulch, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3or logic and reason.
- TheOneTrueGod, on 03/05/2008, -1/+8It takes weed to read the commandments.
It takes mushrooms to write them.- dkern, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2Takes Peyote to make a pencil to write the list.
- 4d669, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2If you try to read the ten commandments right now and realize you already got to that page by using them to roll up joints. You've smoked a ***** of Bible-joints.
- lickmylovepump, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3typical atheist intolerance.
- chulaka, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2No, but saw the "Prince of Egypt" on acid. Man, that truly was a bad trip. Especially the passover bit. UH! disgusting.
- dan93915, on 04/05/2008, -0/+0hey dude weird thing is I have
- sarahface, on 05/01/2008, -0/+0lol omg FTW!!
- MegaSmack, on 03/05/2008, -5/+39Trying playing Dark Side of the Moon at the same time as well.
- VVarhead, on 03/05/2008, -37/+142Not surprising
- rayraym0fucka, on 03/05/2008, -12/+7Must of been good ***** too ;p
- Djokuuskaj, on 03/05/2008, -9/+7OMG. Grammar police have arrived to the scene. *Must have or Must've*
- csw1342, on 03/05/2008, -5/+2Nazi
- rayraym0fucka, on 03/06/2008, -0/+2I ***** up. Why don't you shoot me?
- csw1342, on 03/18/2008, -0/+1would you settle for a smoldering oven??
- Djokuuskaj, on 03/05/2008, -9/+7OMG. Grammar police have arrived to the scene. *Must have or Must've*
- antiorblkflag9, on 03/05/2008, -3/+39He was burning a bush alright
- dubbakec, on 03/20/2008, -0/+0jim gaffigan
- chronichyjinx, on 03/05/2008, -11/+2thats funny cause its true
- TheReport, on 03/05/2008, -6/+23Drugs have been the cause and the formation of many crazy and supernatural ideas that venture beyond the realm of reason. God being one of them and The Icecapades being another.
- EmperorAwesome, on 03/05/2008, -6/+5This makes sense, but I think the author is too quick to dismiss the events Moses was involved in as nothing more than hallucination. This tradition of substance use may have been to place the mind on a wavelength to allow for communication with God. Just because his mind was drug-addled and he would have been hallucinating, doesn't mean that God couldn't step in and take advantage of his state to talk to him.
The Bible doesn't tell us much about the physical nature of God, or what it takes to interpret His words. Whether or not Moses was a drug user doesn't change the fact that he liberated the Hebrew people.- killthelight, on 03/05/2008, -2/+13I think you'd have a hard time convincing Christians these days that to talk to god you need to be out of your mind on drugs.
- aidave, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2Being a "hallucination" doesn't dismiss the events, it makes them more credible.
- joseph11h, on 03/05/2008, -1/+4As an atheist and occasional hallucinogen user, I don't think drugs make contact the belief of an invisible man in the sky more credible at all.
- Scarfy, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1I guess that all depends on the user. Unless all atheists are exactly the same... which we aren't.
- aidave, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1What is more realistic:
A) A guy saw an invisible sky man while hallucinating.
B) A guy saw an invisible sky man actually form in the sky.
I think A is far more believable. Especially to a skeptic/atheist.- joseph11h, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1Well, yeah, but I don't think that makes it real.
- EmperorAwesome, on 03/07/2008, -0/+1It doesn't seem realistic that one would "see" anything invisible, whether hallucinating or not. Please stop calling God an "invisible man", as He is neither.
- TechMike, on 05/02/2008, -0/+0Didn't Plato talk about atheists who couldn't see because they refused to look?
- iceblademan, on 03/05/2008, -2/+5To what lengths will people go to tarnish the name of the Bible?
Oh wait - annenk38, on 03/05/2008, -3/+3The conclusion of the "researchers" are surprising, given that there is no historic record that shows Moses existed at all. The stone tablets couldn't have existed either, given that none of the Hebrew tribes of the time had a writing system.
- robbielaney, on 03/05/2008, -6/+1This is ridiculous: "Moses was probably also on drugs when he saw the "burning bush," suggested Shanon, who said he himself has dabbled with such substances." You are believing this "Israeli researcher" which openly says he does drugs? How do you know he wasn't on drugs while writing the article. How stupid!
- rayraym0fucka, on 03/05/2008, -12/+7Must of been good ***** too ;p
- Savage24, on 03/05/2008, -202/+37They keep trying to dispute the Bible just like they dispute the U.S. Constitution.Nothing is sacred in the liberal world. I'll believe in the Bible and Constitution and they can believe in their drugs.
- Coven, on 03/05/2008, -13/+120What part of "Israeli researcher" did you not understand?
- robbielaney, on 03/05/2008, -6/+2The part where he openly admits to drug use. It is hard for me to believe "research" from someone who uses drugs. How do you know he wasn't on drugs when he wrote the article?
From now on I will call myself an American researcher and apparently you will be forced to believe anything I say from the Evolution of Man to Global Warming. What an idiot!- video34, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2You are really closed minded.
- robbielaney, on 03/05/2008, -6/+2The part where he openly admits to drug use. It is hard for me to believe "research" from someone who uses drugs. How do you know he wasn't on drugs when he wrote the article?
- rkbabang, on 03/05/2008, -8/+103Oh you must be talking about the "conservative" version of the constitution that says in Article 1 section 8: "congress shall have the power to ban any substance it damn well pleases and go to war with the people of the several states in order to enforce its ban". Funny my version doesn't say that. A bible thumping self-described conservative referencing the constitution...that's rich.
- wlmh65, on 03/05/2008, -4/+29Yes, the founders were largely Rationalist Deists or Freemasons.
While I am a firm believer in the Mosaic Scriptures, I believe that each person has the right to think and do what they wish provided it does not interfere with the right of another to think and do as they wish.
There are two types of people: those who live freely and without fear, and those who seek to impose their fear on others through the threat of majority sanctioned force.- ssn697, on 03/05/2008, -15/+5You forgot the third type of person: The one who puts everyone else into stereotypical groups , seeing all answers as black and white (that would be you).
- lajaw, on 03/05/2008, -3/+4Virtually every one of the 55 writers and signers of the United States Constitution were members of various Christian denominations: 29 were Anglicans, 16 to 18 were Calvinists, 2 were Methodists, 2 were Lutherans, 2 were Roman Catholic, 1 lapsed Quaker and sometimes Anglican, and 1 open deist. And I agree, you ought to be able to do as you please as long as it is harming no-one other than yourself. The way I look at it, if you want to do meth and it harms only you, do it. That way the evolutionists will be happy 'cause we'll be weeding out the weaker link.
And to rkbabang: what you are referring to as "conservative" are neo-cons. A true conservative is what was once known as a classical liberal, i.e. liberal with personal liberties and freedoms with no interference from the federal government. - aadyss, on 03/05/2008, -3/+2@winh65
Never experienced crime against myself by a bible thumper. Drug users on the other hand account for all crime perpetrated against me including armed robbery and other theft. Point is, I will take a bible thumper any day.
- talonstriker, on 03/05/2008, -13/+3or the conservative version where black are only 2/3rd (or is it 1/3rd? ) the people as white men.
- rogue780, on 03/05/2008, -1/+13I thought it was 3/5ths
- lajaw, on 03/05/2008, -5/+4that's not a conservative in todays terminology. No, that is from your Democrats of old. The KKK was started by the Democrats. The Democrats were all for slavery, and then the communist Republicans elected Lincoln and we've been on a down hill slide ever since.
- richporter, on 03/05/2008, -6/+31Never use the Bible and the Constitution in the same sentence. The U.S. Constitution is a godless document and there not need be any correlation between this godless document and a book claiming to be the word of God.
- LeeSoong, on 03/05/2008, -3/+6oops, dug you up on the first sentence:
" Never use the Bible and the Constitution in the same sentence. "
Because the books of the bible are mythical fairy tales,
and the Constitution is the foundation of an ideal nation.
The Bill of Rights is the single greatest document in the history of human kind:
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/rights1.htm
LIBERTY AND FREEDOM FOR ALL - DO YOU SPEAK IT ?!?!? - solistus, on 03/05/2008, -1/+5The Bill of Rights is okay, but why is it so great? It's missing a lot of things other countries' constitutional guarantees include, such as:
-Explicit separation of church and state in all matters (technically, the 1st Amendment only restricts Congress' ability to pass religious legislation)
-Explicit right to privacy
-Guaranteed political equality for minorities and women (this came in later amendments
In addition, its vagueness on the details has allowed many of its protections to be eroded and leave much of its meaning up to interpretation (e.g., what exactly does the "well regulated Militia" bit mean in the Second Amendment?). Honestly, I'd say it's a B+ at best.- SpaceMonkeyZero, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2And did those countries have those laws on their books in 1789?
- solistus, on 03/06/2008, -0/+1Oh, I'll readily agree that the Constitution and the Bill of Rights *were* groundbreaking in the 18th century - arguably the most liberal constitution at the time. However, while it has taken important steps, it has come to lag behind other systems. "Single greatest document in the history of human kind" is simply not true. The US system as outlined in the Constitution is not "an ideal nation;" it is a pretty good nation, but there are clear areas for improvement. To go beyond the Bill of Rights, the Constitution itself locks us to the Electoral College, winner take all districts and a host of other electoral methods that are widely considered inferior to other alternatives by most political scientists now (best evidence of this: when the US helps other countries write Constitutions, we often borrow federalism from our system, but we usually advocate a parliamentary-style central government with proportional representation rather than a Presidential system with winner take all).
- LeeSoong, on 03/05/2008, -3/+6oops, dug you up on the first sentence:
- wlmh65, on 03/05/2008, -4/+29Yes, the founders were largely Rationalist Deists or Freemasons.
- canewediggit, on 03/05/2008, -7/+61hey savage- God also said, "Look, to you I give all the seed-bearing plants everywhere on the surface of the earth, and all the trees with seed-bearing fruit; this will be your food."
god and i both like our seed bearing plants. i especially like the bright green sticky ones. why do you hate what the lord has given you?- unicronband, on 03/05/2008, -1/+28Don't even bother. I highly doubt this guy has ever read a word of the bible. It's a lot easier to just believe everything your preacher tells you than to expend the mental energy it takes to convert written words into ideas and consider the context and implications of those ideas. We wouldn't want to overwork those few remaining brain cells.
- canewediggit, on 03/05/2008, -1/+30*****, i never read the bible. i just remember that from the opening of cypress hill's 2nd album.
- unicronband, on 03/05/2008, -1/+11I'll take Cypress Hill's word as scripture before some jackass preacher any day of the week.
- Jeffler, on 03/05/2008, -1/+4Catholic here and this comment tree starting at canwediggit is made of win and truth.
- canewediggit, on 03/05/2008, -1/+30*****, i never read the bible. i just remember that from the opening of cypress hill's 2nd album.
- aidave, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2Amen!
- positron, on 03/05/2008, -1/+3Don't get the stuff with seeds. You're doing it wrong.
- TheOneTrueGod, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1The seeds taste good.
- JQP123, on 03/05/2008, -1/+8In a related note ... Jesus supposedly told a parable where he called a mustard seed the "least among seeds" or something to that effect. In reality, it may have been the smallest seed known to the inhabitants of the Middle East at the time but there are lots of seeds that are smaller --- orchid seeds for example. Wonder why God/Jesus didn't know this?
There is no need to dispute the Bible --- when properly read, it disputes itself.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustard_seed
- unicronband, on 03/05/2008, -1/+28Don't even bother. I highly doubt this guy has ever read a word of the bible. It's a lot easier to just believe everything your preacher tells you than to expend the mental energy it takes to convert written words into ideas and consider the context and implications of those ideas. We wouldn't want to overwork those few remaining brain cells.
- schroeder, on 03/05/2008, -2/+24Nothing should be sacred and everything should be up for dispute or those you don't question will likely increase their power over you. Religion, government, whatever. Just think about the Nazis, cults, etc. where people were lulled into acceptance without question.
- rogue780, on 03/05/2008, -17/+5Right...just like the holocaust is up for dispute...Did it happen? "Hmm... I don't want to believe all this evidence, and it offends Muslims. Let's stop teaching about it in schools."
Also let me get this straight...All you people are so ready to accept that moses was high on drugs because some scientist says so thousands of years after the fact when scientifically it is impossible to prove, but you have a hard time accepting anything from the bible as possible?
Digg me down like you do everyone else who opposes your liberal viewpoint.- csw1342, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1***** the politics. But that is a valid point. Buddhaism.
- carpespasm, on 03/05/2008, -2/+12i see no reason the holocaust can't be up for dispute, if someone wants to claim that it didn't happen, then they're free to bring forward evidence disproving it's having happened, of their body of evidence doesn't trump the historical evidence then they're wrong. That doesn't mean they're not allowed to question it.
- SpaceMonkeyZero, on 03/05/2008, -2/+2Yet, when they're shown evidence, and speak to survivors, they STILL disregard the overwhelming evidence that it happened, and continue on their ignorant ways.
- Pyrogen, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2They are (prohibited from questioning it in public) in several countries, carpespasm.
- schroeder, on 03/05/2008, -0/+5Disputes are settled by facts. If there was straight evidence, such as relating to the Holocaust, anyone who ignores that proof doesn't want to know the truth, just their stubborn, uninformed beliefs. The moses argument is unprovable so is up for speculation. I'm not saying he was high on drugs, just that people should not be afraid to talk about it or research it because it's "sacred". Never should be accepted or denied on the sole fact that someone is or would be offended by it's discussion. And I never digg anyone down that I reply to, because if it's worth replying to, the comment is worth being there.
- RobotBuddha, on 03/05/2008, -1/+5Hell, my great-grandparents and most of their family were killed in the Holocaust. My grandparents were more horrified at the idea of the freedom to speak being taken away than they ever were of holocaust deniers.
- rogue780, on 03/05/2008, -17/+5Right...just like the holocaust is up for dispute...Did it happen? "Hmm... I don't want to believe all this evidence, and it offends Muslims. Let's stop teaching about it in schools."
- allahuakbar, on 03/05/2008, -3/+4/sarcasm ??
- offspring06, on 03/05/2008, -2/+12The Bible was written many years ago and has been translated many of times. I wonder how much has changed in the translation over the years. I'm sorry but I can't base my life on a book that may not be true.
- admiral101, on 03/05/2008, -1/+6I remember a historian on the radio a while back. let he who is without sin cast the first stone wasnt in any early versions of the bibles. There are many more examples that one was just a big point because its quoted so often.
- RobotBuddha, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1The time frame matches up to Bart Ehrman's book tour, so it might be him. If so, I highly recommend it. He presents a really interesting view of how ancient texts change, or remain static, over time. As well as the techniques used to make educated guesses about the historical authenticity of figures mentioned within them. It's very interesting, even aside from the main framework of the biblical narrative.
- neutrascrub, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3what time frame is "a while back"
- RobotBuddha, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1The time frame matches up to Bart Ehrman's book tour, so it might be him. If so, I highly recommend it. He presents a really interesting view of how ancient texts change, or remain static, over time. As well as the techniques used to make educated guesses about the historical authenticity of figures mentioned within them. It's very interesting, even aside from the main framework of the biblical narrative.
- JQP123, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2The earliest known from of Hebrew script only dates to around the 10th century BC. But events described in the Old Testament go back to at least the 40th century BC ... back to when the universe was created by "god".
In other words, the Bible was *written* long after the fact. Much of it was passed down orally for thousands of years before the written word was even invented. And just like today, the meaning of words change over time.
If you want something to base your life on, my advice would be to base it on the golden rule --- do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Not because I say so or because some book says so but because it makes sense. Carefuly consider all the alternatives and you should come to understand and appreciate that in the long run, this is the only path that is truly in the best interests of you and your family.
- admiral101, on 03/05/2008, -1/+6I remember a historian on the radio a while back. let he who is without sin cast the first stone wasnt in any early versions of the bibles. There are many more examples that one was just a big point because its quoted so often.
- Zlorp, on 03/05/2008, -3/+16the bible doesnt need to be disputed. Just like Peter Pans existence doesnt need to be disputed.
- yournightmare, on 03/05/2008, -3/+6What part of the Constitution bans drugs??
- Frnnkdlxx, on 03/05/2008, -7/+1You don't believe in the constitution?
WTF!? - futebollounge, on 03/05/2008, -5/+2and you sound just like a ***** savage when you write.
- raid517, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3So what you are saying is that God made a mistake when he made the cannabis plant? If God is infallible how could he have screwed up by leaving a drug that grows easily everywhere like this?
- rkbabang, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2For the same reason he put all those fake fossils in the ground to make it look like the earth was more than 4000 years old. He just likes to ***** with us. He's a sadistic bastard with a sick sense of humor. At least that's what I get from listening to the people who believe in this stuff.
- thatwunguy, on 03/21/2008, -0/+1What do you mean nothing is sacred in the liberal world?
The conservatives are the ones voting in favor of wire-taps and the invasion of the public's privacy.
Conservatives do more to dispute the constitution. How can you claim to be against Gay marriage with all these talks of equality in the constitution?
I've read the bible. Most Christians claim the bible says things it does not say. It's a book that should be placed in the fiction section at Barnes and Noble.
Work on not being a hypocrite while I'm doing illegal drugs, having premarital sex, and enjoying the pleasures of life while not going to church.
- Coven, on 03/05/2008, -13/+120What part of "Israeli researcher" did you not understand?
- DiggedyDoo, on 03/05/2008, -37/+80i love being a jew
- DarkSamus, on 03/05/2008, -25/+20is it ironic that jews enslaved me now in my office?
- ICSU, on 03/05/2008, -2/+14No, it's not.
- AModlin, on 03/05/2008, -8/+6You're dumb.
- derning, on 03/05/2008, -1/+11Stop working in Hollywood.
- Monk22, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1leading the failboat again i see
- linkin2, on 03/05/2008, -21/+6you forgot /sarcasm
- Djokuuskaj, on 03/05/2008, -30/+14i love being a skinhead.
- Doctype, on 03/05/2008, -4/+14dont forget moron.
- chudsp87, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1Actually, REAL skinheads are not racist at all. They are advocates for the working class. Skinheads hae been around looooong before 'neo-nazism' ever was. You're a dumbass, and obviously not a skinhead.
- Vodka2389, on 03/05/2008, -19/+6Me Jew!
- nazsco, on 03/05/2008, -2/+8this is destiny. I was looking for one to do my tax
- Nudar, on 03/05/2008, -4/+2self-hating?
- FadieZ, on 03/05/2008, -4/+8I really don't get you sometimes, Digg. Replace "jew" with "christian" and this guy would've been buried to hell. Don't tell me this isn't personal.
*Prepares to get dugg down for saying that*- Bilabrin, on 03/05/2008, -0/+8Just wait until that Isreali researcher starts studying Mary.
"The evidence indicates her father said ' If you ever have sex with a man I'll kill you' from an early age and very often...."
- Bilabrin, on 03/05/2008, -0/+8Just wait until that Isreali researcher starts studying Mary.
- arplayer2k, on 03/05/2008, -2/+7Why do u love it? Because you are gods chosen "people" for what your long long long time ago ancestors did, and you are thinking you can live vicariously through that one goodness in time and go to heaven based on that? LOL.
- j0c1f3r, on 03/05/2008, -3/+2if they're gods "chosen" people......what does that make the rest of us?
- xB4R7x, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.
- Lachlan91, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2Dugg for Fight Club
- xB4R7x, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.
- fuckcracker, on 03/05/2008, -4/+2Jews killed Jesus.
- csrster, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1Ok, but what have we done for you _lately_?
- corexian, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3Jesus was a jew.
- squickyclean, on 03/16/2008, -0/+1WRONG!! Although He was likely brought up in a jewish environment, he was not a jew, not even by blood. After all, he is the only begotten Son Of God.
- TechMike, on 05/02/2008, -0/+0Technically, the Romans killed Jesus. The Jewish leaders put them up to it, while his Jewish mother cried.
- blackbeardtron, on 03/05/2008, -0/+5I LOVE BEING A TURTLE!!!
- bosssmiley, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Can turtles be Jewish?
- werries, on 05/01/2008, -0/+1even though its only barely connected....
dugg for my childhood nostalgia.
- codynyc74, on 03/05/2008, -3/+2I love being catholic
- thatwunguy, on 03/21/2008, -0/+1you spelled hypocritical wrong
- RyGuyX, on 03/06/2008, -0/+1Are you retarded? Moses is Old Testament, too. AKA The Torah.
- DarkSamus, on 03/05/2008, -25/+20is it ironic that jews enslaved me now in my office?
- DS3M, on 03/05/2008, -45/+33Many theorize that mushrooms and other psychedelics allow us to get in touch with the One Spirit that moves through everything. That's why, a lot of times ppl feel stuck or melty when they trip, their mind is trying to reconcile consciousness, our everyday facades of reality, and reality itself.
The One spirit does connect everyone and everything, and higher states of consciousness are easier to attain when you fully understand and believe that truth.
So yeah, Moses Tripping makes complete sense- XNihil0Zer0, on 03/05/2008, -10/+32Spoiler: It's all in your head.
- TheOneTrueGod, on 03/05/2008, -1/+3Spoiler: True. Everything is connected. In a way, your head is the whole universe (including the planets and the people and the plants).
- Monk22, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1***** hippies
- TheOneTrueGod, on 03/07/2008, -1/+1Is that different that ***** non-hippies?
- Stevanoski, on 03/09/2008, -0/+1Reported you.
- Monk22, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1***** hippies
- forgiste, on 03/13/2008, -0/+1There's a copy of your entire universe in your head, in fact it's the one you're perceiving now. How do you know you're not dreaming up the entire universe when in reality you're all alone in the void?
- TheOneTrueGod, on 03/05/2008, -1/+3Spoiler: True. Everything is connected. In a way, your head is the whole universe (including the planets and the people and the plants).
- solid12345, on 03/05/2008, -3/+15The One Spirit? If there is this mythical spirit why is it everyone's trip is totally different?
- brownrabbit, on 03/05/2008, -2/+3because the one is the many and the many is the one.
it's all a holographic warble.
research holograms and quantum theory & holonomic brain theory - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holonomic_brain_theor ... - skinjester, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2you're thinking about LSD. take a look at the molecule and there's your answer. The psychotropic substances that appear in nature are much much simpler in terms of structure. And in those cases, mushrooms, DMT, mescaline, ibogaine, etc... the experiences are quite consistent.
You're also thinking about "drugs" (whatever those are) rather than molecular configurations. What I mean is, consider DMT - easily the most intense and comprehensive entheogen of them all. Shift the position of a single atom and you have serotonin.
Basically, no, everyone's trip isn't so different. Unless you've synthesized LSD yourself (unlikely), you really can not be certain what the chemistry consists of. My feeling is the differences you describe are directly proportional to purity - smotpoker, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3Most people's trips are pretty similar. Anyone who has tripped (or done any drug really) more than a couple of times and discussed it with others can attest to this. Most differences are due to uncontrolled conditions. You have to remember there isn't that much human testing of illicit substances [that we know of] under controlled conditions and drugs themselves aren't the only factors to account for a given experience.
Give two random people equal doses fo the exact same thing in the same environment and they will likely describe the experience similarly (though one may be predisposed to notice certain things more than the other or think in different ways may cause a few differences here and there)... In my experience at least. - TheOneTrueGod, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1Everyone has a different relationship to the oneness that the universe is.
- Confuseus, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1its funny how closed minded you Digg athiests are for burying DS3M. would you sleep better at night if instead of Spirit he said Universe? who gives a *****. words are only fingers pointing at the moon
- brownrabbit, on 03/05/2008, -2/+3because the one is the many and the many is the one.
- spaceninja, on 03/05/2008, -13/+7Damn Hippies
- evilpoptart, on 03/05/2008, -3/+11damn judgmentalist's.
- SRSco, on 03/05/2008, -3/+3Apostrophes aren't used to denote a plural.
- dizm, on 03/05/2008, -1/+3If you don't judge, you're a rock
- evilpoptart, on 03/05/2008, -3/+11damn judgmentalist's.
- smotpoker, on 03/05/2008, -1/+3Don't hate
http://noosphere.princeton.edu - davidsetagaya, on 03/05/2008, -5/+4I love how you're trying to turn your viewpoint into some sort of conventional wisdom by using the words, "Many theorize". I'm not angry at you, I just noticed it that's all.
- signal15, on 03/05/2008, -3/+6I don't profess to know what you have been smoking, but you've obviously smoked it all.
- TheOneTrueGod, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1That sounds so cool. :P
- derning, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Don't spoil my fun by making it all intellectual and stuff.
- vonsydow, on 03/05/2008, -0/+7To experience the One spirit is not always a pleasant one, and I think very few people would describe it as "being high" in the traditional sense. A trip is called a trip for a reason, and iI would say people often do go through very similar state experiences, often (when people are by themselves) with a "healing" involving water. The confounding experiences and incidences of psychedelic drugs can be seen as the irrational mind's attack on comfort in physicality, leading to a far more spiritual lifestyle. The behavorial changes a responsible psychedelic user undergoes can be seen as a reuniting of the holy spirit (a change that might leave you following a certain set of guidelines spelled out by moses in early history)...
- skinjester, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2wisdom. Spoken by one who clearly knows. Experiences with The Other can be life altering but I would not describe them as pleasant. Dread is the word that comes to mind.
Its humbling that so-called "primitives" in the rainforest know far more about these matters than we do in the West. For us, everything has to be "entertainment". Keeps us shallow and easily controlled.
- skinjester, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2wisdom. Spoken by one who clearly knows. Experiences with The Other can be life altering but I would not describe them as pleasant. Dread is the word that comes to mind.
- aidave, on 03/05/2008, -1/+5I dugg you up, for being open with your beliefs.
- NewGTGuy, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3Same
- NewGTGuy, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3DS3M, I agree with you... Dugg!
- TheOneTrueGod, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2You have -12 "points" at this time. I think it is not far-fetched to assume that most people who dugg you down do not believe that drugs can really reveal something to you. Coincidentally, most people would only allow beer, coffee and cigarettes in their life. All of those drugs do not reveal much - actually, they help with becoming more unconscious.
- XNihil0Zer0, on 03/05/2008, -10/+32Spoiler: It's all in your head.
- TooHotty, on 03/05/2008, -6/+324How exactly is this a "study"? I mean, I love it but... sounds like some guy got stoned and wrote a paper.
- gypsi, on 03/05/2008, -16/+93hey it worked for the men that wrote the bible
- feliks2, on 03/05/2008, -4/+14stoned? werent they crucified or something? But hey, either way it ***** with their heads for them to have written a giant book of violent fairy tales.
- csw1342, on 03/05/2008, -1/+7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nica ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Council_of_Nic ...
just for fun
- DarkSamus, on 03/05/2008, -7/+62imagine how stoned you gotta be to write on stone
- PDAIsAOk, on 03/05/2008, -3/+39“See I think drugs have done some good things for us, I really do, and if you don't believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favor: go home tonight and take all your albums, all your tapes, and all your cds and burn 'em. 'Cause you know the musicians who made all that great music that's enhanced your lives throughout the years.... Rrrrrrrrreal ***** high on drugs.” BIll Hicks
- allahuakbar, on 03/05/2008, -12/+2You sure that wasn't George Carlin?
- csw1342, on 03/05/2008, -17/+3Really sick of that lame ass quote. Couldn't think for yourself?? Just wondering, a better justification for drug use would be . .
- csw1342, on 03/05/2008, -10/+4Their ***** fun. . .
- Scarfy, on 03/05/2008, -0/+6Did you really just reply to your own comment?
- csw1342, on 03/18/2008, -0/+1And how. . .
- childprey, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3That joke we keep repeating? Significantly less relevant without a concept of narcotics.
- x0rcist, on 03/05/2008, -4/+5Yeah, they called it The Bible.
- dantsai, on 03/05/2008, -0/+12If you read this following article, it mentions that the researcher "freely admits to having experimented with mind-bending substance "about 160 times in various locales in contexts""
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/new ...- Mardi, on 03/05/2008, -0/+8He really did his research then.
- catbeller, on 03/05/2008, -1/+7Exactly. Unlike most Americans, he knows what he's talking about on this subject.
- shig, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1If he's so smart why did he classify DMT (ayahuasca), which is what they're discussing, as a narcotic? Clearly, psychedelics are not narcotics.
"As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don't believe, or a legend, which I don't believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of NARCOTICS," Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday.
If "Shanon" is "researching" narcotics and claiming to have knowledge of what Moses experienced, then I have better thing to do with my time than listen to an Israeli heroin junkie expounding on theology.
- Mardi, on 03/05/2008, -0/+8He really did his research then.
- Abaddon1125, on 03/05/2008, -2/+23Is it just me, or is this entire "study" based on an argument from personal incredulity?
I mean, he says himself, "As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don't believe, or a legend, which I don't believe either..."
I'll agree the supernatural explanation is retarded, but being a legend is entirely plausible. I'm not sayin' the guy isn't right, but the foundation for his conclusion is a little shaky.- ronaldinho, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2Basically, he's saying that Moses must be on drugs because of his own experiences on getting high and seeing things. That's not very convincing to me. Come back when you can find similar cases, and find them in Israel, not Amazon.
- EatingPie, on 03/05/2008, -2/+16"Is it just me, or is this entire "study" based on an argument from personal incredulity? "
Not just you. Notice that there's NO evidence offered. Nor is there any precedence cited -- ie, previous works or historical context that showed the ancient Israelites dabbled in hallucinogens.
-Pie- Zera, on 03/05/2008, -0/+6There's no historical evidence that Moses existed outside of the Bible. So when your start talking about people discussing and proposing wild ideas about religion, remember, that is religion's bread and butter. And in cases like this, it's more than just wild ideas, it's a way to anger people, and that i think was the goal of this article.
- 1ShotJake, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1planes trains and plantains?
- shig, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2They are claiming that Moses, or whomever, extracted DMT from the bark of an Acacia tree which is possible. I don't know if anyone here has experience with DMT, but let me tell you, Moses wouldn't be talking about God coming down to speak with him on the mountain. He would be talking about how he traveled through the cosmos to see God where He resides. And robot elves, can't forget the robot elves.
- kneelB4zod, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1I think it depends on the dosage and how you take it maybe he was tripping on shrooms as his trip up the mountain sounds a lot more earth based to me. That and he probably never existed anyway.
- Richandler, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2Carl Sagan anyone?
- gypsi, on 03/05/2008, -16/+93hey it worked for the men that wrote the bible
- Voxster, on 03/05/2008, -56/+21This "story" is not surprising by any means. Critics, naysayers, whoever.... will always come and go. I remember John Lennon once proclaiming the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ himself. Lennon's popularity is not what is was in the Beatlemania hayday. McCartney has his wealth but he is now only newsworthy because of a nasty divorce. Harrison? Ringo? Where are you now?. So much for the popularity contest.
If this so called "scholar" believes that Moses was high on drugs at Sinai and hallucinated the 10 Commandments, I wonder why - in all honesty - that there is not one person who is either reading or responding to this article that can say say that they have kept the 10 Commandments. I know I haven't. Anyone ever stolen a piece of candy or anything else that didn't belong to you? Then you are a thief. Ever told even the smallest of lies (bearing false witness)? Then that would make us liars. Ever been envious over someone else's possessions? Then I guess we would be guilty of coveting. And that is only 3 of 10.
It would only make sense for Moses to have visions (or hallucinations) of behaviors that were self serving. Who gets high and then rights down a list of rules that are impossible to keep, though morally correct. That doesn't even withstand the simplest of logic.
God gave us the 10 commandments so that we could our sinful reflection in the mirror. That mirror being the stone tablets. Further, those 10 "rules" are written in everyone's heart anyway. No matter what time or civilization an individual may live their lives - a man for instance - do you think that if he were to get caught sleeping with another man's wife that the their would be hell to pay - from both sides? People know what is right and wrong for the most part. It's only when a person honestly admits they are a sinner in the eyes of God, that -- and here lies the problem -- they must acknowledge a Creator God - and that is what they fear the most - Being held accountable for their actions. ---- Just like the "scholar" who wrote the article.- gordonj, on 03/05/2008, -7/+25"It would only make sense for Moses to have visions (or hallucinations) of behaviors that were self serving. Who gets high and then rights down a list of rules that are impossible to keep, though morally correct. That doesn't even withstand the simplest of logic."
I wasn't aware drug induced hallucinations were subject to logic. In fact that just sounds silly.- Voxster, on 03/05/2008, -4/+10gordonj - the "logic" was in reference to everyday common sense that people have --- not drug induced logic. You're correct - hallucinations aren't logical, but then again thats not what I was referring to. Read carefully!
- gordonj, on 03/05/2008, -3/+7Could you explain it to me? I can't understand why you're trying to apply sense and logic to something that is almost by definition nonsensical and illogical.
- Voxster, on 03/06/2008, -0/+1Let me try one more time. It doesn't make sense that a person (In this case, Moses) would get "high" on something, and during the process of tripping out, make up a series of rules and regulations that are contrary to human nature. I mean really, isn't the purpose of taking mind altering drugs - in whatever form - to feel good about one's self and have a pleasurable experience? So when I say that it doesn't seem logical - that is to what I am referring.
When you say "Could you explain it to me? I can't understand why you're trying to apply sense and logic to something that is almost by definition nonsensical and illogical." -- That IS my point. It is completely nonsensical and illogical to believe what this "scholar" is saying.
It would be more believable if the scholar was stating that Moses went to Mt. Sinai, discovered a "truth" serum, drank it, and then returned with a set of rules that are nearly impossible to keep. Interestingly enough, all the "rules" are legit. we just can't keep them.
Either way, doesn't matter. Most everyone who is posting, digging down, would most likely diggdown, discount, and discard the Bible as God's written word anyway. Always interesting to see people get so involved, "intellectual and scholarly", and actually get down right ticked off about something or Someone they don't believe in in the first place.
- Voxster, on 03/06/2008, -0/+1Let me try one more time. It doesn't make sense that a person (In this case, Moses) would get "high" on something, and during the process of tripping out, make up a series of rules and regulations that are contrary to human nature. I mean really, isn't the purpose of taking mind altering drugs - in whatever form - to feel good about one's self and have a pleasurable experience? So when I say that it doesn't seem logical - that is to what I am referring.
- XNihil0Zer0, on 03/05/2008, -2/+10Take some ayahuasca,
http://www.bouncingbearbotanicals.com/mimosa-hosti ...
http://www.bouncingbearbotanicals.com/syrian-rue-p ...
And then tell me you didn't talk to god. - RobotBuddha, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3"It would only make sense for Moses to have visions (or hallucinations) of behaviors that were self serving. Who gets high and then rights down a list of rules that are impossible to keep, though morally correct. That doesn't even withstand the simplest of logic."
That's pretty much the bulk of the behavior oriented commentary that I've received while using Ayahuasca. For that substance in particular, it's more the norm than the exception for most people who use it. The reason for it could be argued, set, setting, expectation, whatever. But the fact is that it's not at all uncommon to be reprimanded for bad behavior and told to "sin no more" and the like.
- gordonj, on 03/05/2008, -3/+7Could you explain it to me? I can't understand why you're trying to apply sense and logic to something that is almost by definition nonsensical and illogical.
- Voxster, on 03/05/2008, -4/+10gordonj - the "logic" was in reference to everyday common sense that people have --- not drug induced logic. You're correct - hallucinations aren't logical, but then again thats not what I was referring to. Read carefully!
- wlmh65, on 03/05/2008, -4/+10Some elements of your comment are incorrect. First, the scriptures state that the commandments are not too difficult for people (Deut. 30.12). Second, bearing false witness applies to just that: committing perjury before a court of law. Third, many thinkers and scientists have been inspired to create quite logical writings through use of psychoactive drugs. Fourth, God did not give the commandments to reflect our natures back to ourselves; rather, he created them to constitute a community of people to serve as an example of how to best live in harmony with creation, including our fellows. See http://www.mesora.org/ to learn more.
- XNihil0Zer0, on 03/05/2008, -2/+19You state that modifying your consciousness can only be a self serving act. But for millenia many cultures, including the israelites apparently, have used hallucinagins in religious rites to experience what they consider the divine and holy. DMT, the main component in the acacia brews mentioned in the article, Is a neurotransmitter released by the perineal gland in the brain when you dream and as you die. One of the most common effects it induces is the feeling that you are communicating with something. Depending on what the person believes this can be experienced in many ways. Some people think they are comunicating with aliens, some with God, some with parallel versions of themselves. When my friend and I took it he thought he was being instilled with ancient knowledge from the little Penny Hardaway puppet from the Nike commercials. Ancient people didn't understand neurotransmitters so they genuinely thought they were experiencing the divine. So if you're Moses and God is talking directly to you, you're probably going to want to right down what he says, and tell people about it.
- longtext, on 03/05/2008, -1/+18Psychotropic drugs have been used for centuries for religious and divining purposes, it wasn't until recent times that they were used on a recreational basis.
- salinger, on 03/05/2008, -2/+7First of all Lennon is dead :)
Second of all, Lennons Jesus comment was meant to illustrate how ridiculous people were being at the time..taking the band more seriously than they did their own religion.- haterrade, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1just to clarify, it was more about how religion is slowly dying as an important facet of everyday life and other things are taking the void such as television and entertainment
- weezcnr, on 03/05/2008, -5/+3Wow I logged in just to digg down the stupidity and complete disregard of logic that your comment contained.
- kinseyincanada, on 03/05/2008, -3/+3What the hell to The Beatles have to do with this?
- allahuakbar, on 03/05/2008, -3/+1Voxster what are you tripping on? I want some of that *****.
- derning, on 03/05/2008, -1/+5Wow. Talk about MISSING THE POINT.
- grimlenn, on 03/05/2008, -6/+2I agree with your general point: the idea that over one million people got high on drugs and all imagined the same things at once is, by my oppinion, much more ridiculous then simply believing the truth of it, metaphorically or otherwise. I admit, for someone who understands the actual text and knows the commentaries and the details, I had to laugh at this "scholar"'s idea; the fact is that his only proof of his theory (if you can call it that) is Exodus 19:16 "And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of a horn exceeding loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled." Apparently, this was similiar to what the researcher heard and saw when he himself was high. Oh, and the small episode with the "burning bush," which automatically made Moses into some drug-addict. Im sorry, but he simply misunderstood. There is an interpretation to all of these verses that no doubt make make much more sense in light of the following evidence.Why?
1) Moses did not just get the simple, admitedly obviouse 10 commandments when up on Mt. Sinai. Just look at the surrounding chapters (Exodus 20-35), where God, or Moses, depicts detailed laws regarding topics from domestic thievery to the measurments of the Ark. There is simply no way that someone high on drugs could come up with such detail. Talking to God does not equal having some "enlightenment" and telling everyone to be good, in this case. Moses is recieving (or creating) the legal, religious, and political systems of a whole nation (and these are quite logical and functional). Not something created by someone high on drugs.
2) Could you imagine a group of over a million people having a religious orgy together on drugs going across the middle east and conquering 5-6 nations? Because, if you know the text, you know this is what happened for the rest of the time in the desert (40 years) and when they came into Israel. I do not think that is possible if they were on drugs - in fact i doubt they could have even survived in the Sinai desert if they were all high.- skinjester, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2exactly - just like there's no way someone "high" (your limited vocabulary) on "drugs" could come up with the structure of the DNA molecule. Except...
- grimlenn, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1It is possible to come up with an insightful theory about something when your on drugs, however that is different from coming up with a detailed system that will consider many different factors of human behavior etc... Next "time", try to make "a" legitimate counter-point except for "complaining" on using the word "high" - I wasnt writing a paper jackass (putting random quotation marks on words; making unfinished clauses that dont make sense).
- skinjester, on 03/05/2008, -1/+2exactly - just like there's no way someone "high" (your limited vocabulary) on "drugs" could come up with the structure of the DNA molecule. Except...
- ashleegirl, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Thanks so much for worrying about my spiritual wellbeing, but I don't have to keep the ten commandments. I have a go to heaven free card.
Nerdorable: Go to heaven free card!- ashleegirl, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1http://nerdorable.blogspot.com/2008/03/go-to-heave ...
- ronaldinho, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1What's with the rant? It made no sense. What's the Beatles and obeying the Ten Commandments got to do with it? Are you on crack?
- Voxster, on 03/06/2008, -0/+1yeah man -on crack. Let me dumb it down for you a little. Comparison between the Beatles and Christ was to simply point out, as this so called scholar has suddenly appeared on the world scene, that people in general are rather quick to try to belittle the truth of the Bible. They all fade away but the Bible doesn't. Understand? (allow me a sec to re-pack my pipe)....... Thanks.
- gordonj, on 03/05/2008, -7/+25"It would only make sense for Moses to have visions (or hallucinations) of behaviors that were self serving. Who gets high and then rights down a list of rules that are impossible to keep, though morally correct. That doesn't even withstand the simplest of logic."
- gordonj, on 03/05/2008, -6/+39Anyone ever hear of The Good Friday Experiment?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsh_Chapel_Experime ...- MeHow, on 03/05/2008, -1/+7They have a more recent experiment
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/53164/psy ... - EwMo, on 03/05/2008, -2/+0Have you ever heard of Scientology?
- MeHow, on 03/05/2008, -1/+7They have a more recent experiment
- ZandorMonkeyBoy, on 03/05/2008, -37/+20So a stoner makes up a buncha rules while tripping and years later they're burning witches and killing muslims and having inquisitions? If Moses stayed off the ***** we'd have no religion and no reason to go to war? Good stuff.
- wlmh65, on 03/05/2008, -3/+23There was religion before Moshe. Ever heard of the Vedas? The Pyramids? Ancient Sumeria? Religion is as old as humanity.
- linkin2, on 03/05/2008, -0/+7Muslims believe in moses and jesus as prophets.
- evilpoptart, on 03/05/2008, -2/+10and im pretty sure people would still be killing each other, theres always a reason for that it seems.
- bwtaha, on 03/05/2008, -1/+4stoners don't trip
- ashleegirl, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1Unless, of course, it is the great sky banana's shedding season.
- ICSU, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3That'd happen only if all the other self-proclaimed prophets stayed off crack.
- vonsydow, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1not crack, elf crack (dmt)
- Sneakas, on 03/05/2008, -1/+3I am tired of the misconception that being 'stoned' and 'tripping' are the same.
When one gets stoned, it's usually from some type of cannabis and the user experiences euphoria, relaxation, and a slightly altered perspective on ordinary situations (laughing at things that aren't normally funny.) When one trips, it is usually from a psychedelic substance which results in a much more severe distortion of perception.
You can't "trip" on weed.
- canewediggit, on 03/05/2008, -19/+280dude dude dude, check this out. i'm gonna, like, part the red sea and we can just, like, WALK across.
woooooooaaaaaaahhhhhhh- Coven, on 03/05/2008, -3/+58Moses: Let my people go!
Pharaoh: What are you high?
Moses: Now that you mention it...- unicronband, on 03/05/2008, -5/+51Let my people grow!
- VgRasta, on 03/05/2008, -3/+22And God saw that it was good.
- unicronband, on 03/05/2008, -5/+51Let my people grow!
- pintomp3, on 03/05/2008, -1/+10and god said "let there be a light"
- ganjadude4391, on 03/05/2008, -2/+3followed by "now flick your bic"
- blackbeardtron, on 03/05/2008, -0/+9No wonder they wandered around in the desert for 40 years... they were baked out of their minds.
- TMLutas, on 03/14/2008, -0/+1It's the 40 years part that makes this so ridiculous. A people wandering around the desert stoned out of their gourds might be seeing funny stuff but they wouldn't come out of it the military power that the Israelites were when they cleared out Canaan. This is nonsense on stilts
- lolmax, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3Many people who have taken a large enough dose of LSD, mushrooms, DMT, peyote, etc will tell you they certainly saw, felt or contacted "god", so feeling like you have supernatural abilities isn't far off. I don't prescribe to any one religion, but I do believe in god largely due to my experiences with psychedelics. Mind you...I use the word "god" to describe the energy and matter that connects the entire universe
- Confuseus, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2the word God has been defiled by organized religion. we need a new word to use, i like the word 'emptiness' of buddhism since it doesn't connotate God to be a personal being which ruffles some feathers
- Coven, on 03/05/2008, -3/+58Moses: Let my people go!
- wlmh65, on 03/05/2008, -24/+14Regarding claims that the commandments cannot be kept: Hashem himself states that they are not too complicated, and are not too difficult for people to deal with (Deut. 30.12); also, there are only seven that apply to most of the world. For more: http://www.mesora.org/
On the hallucinogen point: even had Moshe been on an acid trip, that doesn't mean that wasn't a means whereby he became suitably aware of ideas and impressions from the Creator/Source/Beingness that are usually blocked out by our mind.
Drugs (e.g., alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, LSD, pot) like driving, scuba diving, firing a gun, etc. are only dangerous when done without proper training, custom or care. Anything can be harmful when done irresponsibly or to excess—but this possibility does not mean it should be illegal for all, contrary to the desires of those who think that they know best for all people, not only themselves, and enforce their majority opinion at the barrel of a gun. To ban drugs when the responsible user has done no harm to others is nothing more than the theft of personal freedom, and theft, unlike drugs, is banned by the Mosaic scriptures.- fwertz, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3SO THERE IS A CHANCE?
- bwtaha, on 03/05/2008, -2/+3dugg for a strong unbiased and well made point
- dkol97, on 03/05/2008, -2/+4Absolutely. I'm surprised this comment has received a lot of negativity, I guess a lot of people are ignorant. Personally, I think all drugs should be legal. People are always going to be using them, and there is no evidence that legalizing them will lead to increased usage. If you look back at the history of these drug laws, they are stemmed from racism. Large waves of crimes committed in the south by African-Americans released fear into the Caucasian population. Naturally, marijuana was the supposed culprit. It was therefore believed that marijuana will make you jump out of a 5 story window and then kill the first person you see. Mass hysteria. This misinformation lead to the Harry Anslinger era. These racist laws are the structure of our drug laws today. Theres no sense behind them. And no, I am not a drug user, if anyone thought that.
- wlmh65, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1The most dugg comments are simplistic nonsense. This is why true personal freedom will never exist in the world: not because of dictators or strongmen, but because of the great mass of people who find it more comfortable to live in fear of reality and mock those who think and act differently. This is why the Up Aganist the Wall ***** were right.
Rule of the law of liberty, not the law of men; a republic, not a democracy.
- wlmh65, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1The most dugg comments are simplistic nonsense. This is why true personal freedom will never exist in the world: not because of dictators or strongmen, but because of the great mass of people who find it more comfortable to live in fear of reality and mock those who think and act differently. This is why the Up Aganist the Wall ***** were right.
- tribecanet, on 03/05/2008, -16/+329Imagine if he had said "Mohamed was high on drugs".
- solid12345, on 03/05/2008, -35/+65He didn't need drugs he had pre-pubescent girls and boys for pleasure instead.
- SteelChicken, on 03/05/2008, -16/+20I PUT A JIHAD ON YOU
- creepyneighbor, on 03/05/2008, -6/+18I see your Jihad and raise you a squad of Army Rangers. ;-)
- Bilabrin, on 03/05/2008, -1/+4I almost just suffocated laughing at your comment!
- onetimer, on 03/05/2008, -27/+12I DEMAND that you remove that completely insensitive comment, solid12345, you filthy filthy infidel.
- EwMo, on 03/05/2008, -3/+12I love how you say that and have a Star of David as your avatar
- Mesmorize, on 03/05/2008, -0/+5It was a joke guys.
- Monk22, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1we know, it wasn't funny
- arbouler, on 03/05/2008, -3/+22the claim pre-pubescent girls is probable, where did you hear about the 'boys' part?
starting a rumor or heard a rumor?- colonelbuckshot, on 03/05/2008, -12/+6When he got into paradise he got many fresh-faced boys to go along with the virgins.
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate/heaven.ht ... - ronaldinho, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Probably knew that while he was on drugs
- colonelbuckshot, on 03/05/2008, -12/+6When he got into paradise he got many fresh-faced boys to go along with the virgins.
- irisblaze, on 03/05/2008, -1/+16well actually since Moses is one of the most important messengers/prophets in Islam, this was as much as offensive to muslims too @tribecanet
- headzoo, on 03/05/2008, -0/+5True. Muslims follow most of the same prophets as Christians.. Even Jesus (Although they don't think he was the son of God). So, can we stop fighting now?
- catbeller, on 03/05/2008, -1/+3No, no, no -- family arguments are the most violent.
- nazsco, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1his joke was not on the believes. but on the latest irrational ***** happening. can we all stop talking serious now?
- headzoo, on 03/05/2008, -0/+5True. Muslims follow most of the same prophets as Christians.. Even Jesus (Although they don't think he was the son of God). So, can we stop fighting now?
- catbeller, on 03/05/2008, -3/+12Unlike the Bible?
For each sequential near-genocidal attack on peaceful Semitic city-states, God commands the Israelis to kill all the men but keep the hot women and young girls for slavery (wink-wink) so as to bear strong Israeli children through rape.
Um, Lot has guests at his home who he knows to be angels, tho he pretends not to know this. A crowd shows up, demanding he toss the strangers to them for fun and death. Lot, no fool he, curries favor with the LORD and the angels by offering up his weeping virginal girl children to the crowd for mass rape and probably death. As a reward, the LORD lets him get out of town before the LORD murders everyone in a firestorm. Stupid woman looks back, of course, and gets what's coming to her -- horrifying unworldly death. Lot, you see, is a Godly man.
Um, for disobeying the LORD, Eve and every woman who will ever live must give birth in pain, IE her easy-exit vagina became one inch in diameter, incapable of passing the melon-sized baby head. God doesn't like women much. I assume Caesarean sections are an afront to the LORD.
Lemme see, how many rapes and tricks to get women into his bed did King David pull? I recall him sending his son off to die to nail his daughter-in-law. And do you think all of Solomon's wives were 21 and over? Sleeping with prepubescents was common up until VERY recently.
Lemme see, didn't Noah's or Abraham's daughters get him drunk to knock themselves up with him while he was passed out? Bible stories are fun.
Lemme see more: Jesus the God or Prophet at the end of days will send every non-believer into the fiery pit to burn forever and ever time without end - Revelations. I assume all the Muslims, including little boys and girls, will be burning there too, which will probably hurt more than sex.
And this you believe is superior to Islam? BOTH BOOKS are rife with rape, child sex and horror. All you really need to take away from both books is: don't hurt people. don't murder. don't steal. don't lie. And you don't need a book or a fiery pit to believe that.
All the rest is just priests, prophets and kings demanding money, power, and tail, all pretending to be the voice of the LORD.- fxu1989, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1tl;dr
- neocognitism, on 03/05/2008, -4/+5Actually Israel has the most lax laws on pedophilia in the developed world. There are a huge number of complaints, pedophiles "get off" with almost no jailtime, and victims are intimidated not to report it. Moreover, they say most of it happens *within a family*
http://www.israelenews.com/view.asp?ID=1045
Sorry to burst your bubble there, but thems the facts, neonominator!
- SteelChicken, on 03/05/2008, -16/+20I PUT A JIHAD ON YOU
- chulaka, on 03/05/2008, -10/+18He probably was... I mean, either that or he was insane. Just like Jesus and Moses. If they were not on drugs.
Too bad that they all had a pretty bad trip.- Zarokima, on 03/05/2008, -4/+11Jesus didn't have a bad trip, he was just into S&M and took it too far.
- Matri, on 03/05/2008, -2/+4Forgot his safe word, I'll bet.
- Pulch, on 03/05/2008, -0/+0"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me"?
- chulaka, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1Actually I am wrong. Jesus was not on drugs, he was the drug dealer.
"Look dude, that guy walks on water!", "Look dude, he gave us water and it turned into wine!".
- Zarokima, on 03/05/2008, -4/+11Jesus didn't have a bad trip, he was just into S&M and took it too far.
- VgRasta, on 03/05/2008, -9/+10BREAKING: Israeli Researcher Gets 3 Years In Prison
- katrayun, on 03/05/2008, -2/+8For his own protection.
- Mesmorize, on 03/05/2008, -1/+5Israeli society is secular.
- lextori, on 03/13/2008, -0/+0because the rabbinate doesn't prohibit marriages for bot having enough proof that you're a jew or anything at all like that?
- JulyZerg, on 03/05/2008, -9/+2But he was... all these religious freaks were!
- EwMo, on 03/05/2008, -7/+0*Muhammad
- catwoman2970, on 03/05/2008, -9/+23YOU INFIDEL!!! I KILL YOU!!!
- 8KROM, on 03/05/2008, -2/+7I AM COMING AT YOU!! YOU WILL EXPLODE!!
- waspbr, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2Achmed?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MugQDD2FcKQ&feature ... - blarson77, on 04/25/2008, -0/+0Dirka Dirka!!
- chase001, on 03/05/2008, -1/+12They don't have to. Muslims would be offended by this because if you knew anything about their faith you would know that Moses and Jesus are Prophets in Islam.
- Freedom74, on 03/05/2008, -0/+11Moses is an important prophet in Islam. So they must not be pleased by this paper.
- MuffinPatrol, on 03/05/2008, -1/+3What else is new.
- kneelB4zod, on 03/05/2008, -1/+5Remember Mohamed flew over the moon on the back of a horse. . .
- bosssmiley, on 03/06/2008, -0/+1*Pfffffft* Mr Spoon did that in a soup can.
- bosssmiley, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3Naaaaah. Mohammed had sunstroke.
- jonweiss, on 03/17/2008, -0/+0Let me see, Jesus said "Love one another", Mohammad said "Kill the infidels"...Hmmm, I gotta go with the idea that Mo was doing the hard stuff, or at the very least he had been hitting the wine jug pretty hard.
- solid12345, on 03/05/2008, -35/+65He didn't need drugs he had pre-pubescent girls and boys for pleasure instead.
- solid12345, on 03/05/2008, -17/+83While there is probably some truth to this, how can you call this "research?"
Nobody even knows if Moses existed in the first place.- SteelChicken, on 03/05/2008, -32/+6yeah a whole bunch of people imagined it and all wrote down the same imaginary story
- kooft, on 03/05/2008, -3/+25Or they copied from one another.
- bitterbug, on 03/05/2008, -1/+15Odin is pleased you feel that way, and hopes that you dedicate one of your battles to him soon.
- feliks2, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1Yeah, because, you know, they were high...
- deadlyassmite, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1I, know, how, to use, comma's, also,,,,,,,,,
- ICSU, on 03/05/2008, -3/+13By that logic, alien abductions, Yeti, Lochness monster, all the gods ... all are real!
But that's not logic...
- HoratioHellpop, on 03/05/2008, -9/+2Stellar logic, that.
How do we know that anyone more than 150 years old actually existed? Were you there? If not, do you believe what someone else wrote down?- Iconoclast314, on 03/05/2008, -0/+6Because there's evidence that people in the past existed. Where's the evidence that Moses existed?
- kneelB4zod, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1Exactly!
- Iconoclast314, on 03/05/2008, -0/+6Because there's evidence that people in the past existed. Where's the evidence that Moses existed?
- Zera, on 03/05/2008, -0/+6Exactly... of all the people in the Bible, Moses was the least likely to have actually existed. There is literally no historic or archaeological evidence Moses existed, outside the Bible. At least with Jesus and others there are other works from the time corroborating that these people existed.
- dopplerdog, on 03/05/2008, -1/+10Actually, there aren't *any* works outside the bible that are eyewitness accounts to the Jesus story. There are some sources (e.g. Suetonius) that indirectly may speak of his followers (not evidence for Jesus' historicity), others that report what Christians believed (not evidence either), others that refer to a "Chrestus" in Rome (whereas Jesus was never in Rome), others that are outright falsifications (e.g. Josephus). Other than that, we have NOTHING outside the bible to corroborate the story - we only proceed on the assumption that the Gospels are historical documents (which is a BIG assumption: they could well have been fictional tales with a moral, or intended as a passion play to be performed, etc, etc). The historicity of Jesus is entirely questionable, and the faithful must take it solely on faith.
- Zera, on 03/05/2008, -3/+1Oh, I wasn't saying Jesus was a holy person. Just some dude that existed at that time who's mom was either raped or had an extra-marital affair. He thought very highly of himself so much so as he thought he knew how others should live better than they themselves did, so he started preaching about the world and how one should conduct ones self.
Very similar to Jim Jones or L.Ron Hubbard. I'm not saying the stories in the Bible are true (or corroborated), but I am merely saying that there was most likely a dude named Jesus who walked around and started a cult. There is quite a bit of evidence in favor of that.
- Zera, on 03/05/2008, -3/+1Oh, I wasn't saying Jesus was a holy person. Just some dude that existed at that time who's mom was either raped or had an extra-marital affair. He thought very highly of himself so much so as he thought he knew how others should live better than they themselves did, so he started preaching about the world and how one should conduct ones self.
- dopplerdog, on 03/05/2008, -1/+10Actually, there aren't *any* works outside the bible that are eyewitness accounts to the Jesus story. There are some sources (e.g. Suetonius) that indirectly may speak of his followers (not evidence for Jesus' historicity), others that report what Christians believed (not evidence either), others that refer to a "Chrestus" in Rome (whereas Jesus was never in Rome), others that are outright falsifications (e.g. Josephus). Other than that, we have NOTHING outside the bible to corroborate the story - we only proceed on the assumption that the Gospels are historical documents (which is a BIG assumption: they could well have been fictional tales with a moral, or intended as a passion play to be performed, etc, etc). The historicity of Jesus is entirely questionable, and the faithful must take it solely on faith.
- ElbowGeek, on 03/05/2008, -4/+6It's important to keep the context of the Bible stories in mind. In the old testament there were many stories which were nicked by the Israelis from Babylonian and other sources and rebranded. As for Jesus, you have to understand that there were many people running around in those days calling themselves the son of God and doing parlour tricks, including apparently raising the dead with the help of an accomplice, to convince their then-gullible villagers that they should hand over their hard-earned shekels. Kind of like today's televangelists. So it's very likely that the Jesus of the Bible was merely a composite, with one main character who happened to be a bit smarter than the rest and actually did have some good advice for those he encountered.
In a lot of ways, the Jesus character was something of the movie action-hero of his time - one man against the evil oppressors. Even when he lost that last battle he came back at the last minute to save the day, or mankind if you will. Same plot, different millennium.- mmd643, on 03/05/2008, -2/+3I logged in specifically to digg you up. It's nice to see somebody else who has a clue.
- shig, on 03/05/2008, -0/+3Nothing existed before 5 minutes ago. Memories, matter, all of it. In fact it gets destroyed and recreated every 10 minutes. I've done "research." Of course, it's just a memory of the research, created in my head 6 minutes ago.
- SteelChicken, on 03/05/2008, -32/+6yeah a whole bunch of people imagined it and all wrote down the same imaginary story
- loganhid, on 03/05/2008, -23/+9*****
- spaceninja, on 03/05/2008, -40/+83Anyone who believes in imaginary sky wizards are on drugs.
- evilpoptart, on 03/05/2008, -16/+123 words, flying spaghetti monster.
- sirfugu, on 03/05/2008, -8/+3Flying spaghetti monster?!? I love that guy!
- Vindexus, on 03/05/2008, -6/+6i think flying spaghetti monster is a pretty cool guy. eh touches people with his noodly appendage and doesn't afraid of anything.
- allahuakbar, on 03/05/2008, -5/+4The FSM could kick Yahweh's ass with one noodle tied behind his back.
- sirfugu, on 03/05/2008, -8/+3Flying spaghetti monster?!? I love that guy!
- feliks2, on 03/05/2008, -2/+19NONONO PAGAN!!!! There is only ONE sky wizard, not many. You will burn in Hell and be tortured by the Lava Warlock.
- Richandler, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2You know something, if the bible actually said "Sky Wizard" and "Lava Warlock" I would totally be on board.
- ICSU, on 03/05/2008, -2/+1That's the better reason.
- skyfyre, on 03/05/2008, -5/+12Anyone who can't respect the beliefs of others, even if they don't share those beliefs, is a douche nozzle.
- Strman, on 03/05/2008, -4/+11I'm gonna make some ***** up, kill people in the name of it, and attempt to force the moral values that are exclusive to my belief system on others. You can't disprove my beliefs so please respect them.
- Jones82, on 03/05/2008, -6/+1Nice strman
- Phyraxus, on 03/05/2008, -1/+5That actually sums it up quite nicely and is no strawman.
- BlackOut2300, on 03/05/2008, -0/+0Strman is his name.
- Iconoclast314, on 03/05/2008, -0/+7You don't respect beliefs, you provide reasons for having them. Religious faith is the only area where people expect others to respect their beliefs instead of providing reasons. Doctors believe that HIV causes AIDS, and they have evidence. If I tell you that the United States fought a war for independence from Great Britain in the latter part of the 18th century, and you (being extra skeptical) ask me how I know that, it wouldn't be an adequate reply to say, "Well that's my belief and you should respect it." If I believe that I was abducted by aliens and the only evidence I offered was a bad dream I had, you would be well within your rights to mock my belief.
Just don't disrespect the person, that's all. Beliefs are fair game.- mmd643, on 03/05/2008, -0/+1I agree, however if somebody is a brain-dead *****, why should I respect them?
- mmd643, on 03/05/2008, -0/+2Why should I respect your irrational belief? Your religious beliefs are on the same level as your political beliefs and other debatable subjects. Religion deserves no special respect, and you shall receive none from me. Back up your claims with evidence and we can have an open minded discussion.
- B1gm1tch, on 03/05/2008, -1/+0I'm curious, what in your mind would constitute evidence? I'd like to tell you to look in the mirror but I'm guessing you've already done that and missed the point. Obviously this is just my opinion, but Atheism seems to come from failing to look at the big picture. It's barely conceivable to consider how many things are required to life or even the whole universe to exist at all. I find the existence of God far more believable than the notion that it "just happened".
- mmd643, on 03/13/2008, -0/+0It didn't "just happen", and to suggest that shows a complete lack of understanding in regards to evolutionary theory, replication with variation and survival of the fittest.
What would constitute evidence? Get a dictionary, look up the word and figure it out.
- mmd643, on 03/13/2008, -0/+0It didn't "just happen", and to suggest that shows a complete lack of understanding in regards to evolutionary theory, replication with variation and survival of the fittest.
- B1gm1tch, on 03/05/2008, -1/+0I'm curious, what in your mind would constitute evidence? I'd like to tell you to look in the mirror but I'm guessing you've already done that and missed the point. Obviously this is just my opinion, but Atheism seems to come from failing to look at the big picture. It's barely conceivable to consider how many things are required to life or even the whole universe to exist at all. I find the existence of God far more believable than the notion that it "just happened".
- Strman, on 03/05/2008, -4/+11I'm gonna make some ***** up, kill people in the name of it, and attempt to force the moral values that are exclusive to my belief system on others. You can't disprove my beliefs so please respect them.
- bryceman111, on 03/05/2008, -1/+9Dude, sweet band name..."Imaginary Sky Wizard"
- empiric, on 03/05/2008, -3/+1I was going to say that I don't think your comparison is reasonable, but then I realized you don't either. If you did think "imaginary sky wizard" was equally plausible to whatever you're comparing to, you'd just use standard terminology, confident that people would find it unreasonable based on its intrinsic content and usual description.
Instead, you've just demonstrated yourself as an intellectually-dishonest guy who believes in argument-by-osmosis. I didn't even need a "sky wizard" for that obvious fact.- drkroman9, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1you speak nonsense. silence yourself before you make yourself a bigger fool.
he was exaggerating for effect.- empiric, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1Exaggerating for effect. Right. Stating things as they aren't, hoping for an effect with respect to what is.
Of course, suggesting I'm a "fool" means nothing to me, but I do find it
- empiric, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1Exaggerating for effect. Right. Stating things as they aren't, hoping for an effect with respect to what is.
- drkroman9, on 03/05/2008, -1/+1you speak nonsense. silence yourself before you make yourself a bigger fool.
- evilpoptart, on 03/05/2008, -16/+123 words, flying spaghetti monster.