Originally Posted by Russ T
Questions for each person to ponder.

If a man told you his son was dying and that you could save him by sacrificing something you like to eat for the rest of your life, would you?


I'm willing to take part in these questions (though I do not yet see the purpose in them) in hopes that you will in turn take part in the questions being asked of you.

In answer to the above question, it depends if there was actually any truth to the man's statement. How do I know beyond a reasonable doubt that his son will be saved by my abstaining from eating a certain food evermore (what will happen if I ever give in to my craving, years and years later, and eat that certain something)? If this isn't some sort of trick question and it really is as direct as you've worded, I believe I would do it if it were someone close to me or I felt compelled to help them.

That may sound harsh but remember people die every day. Here is a true and very current story. Three gypsy street urchins asked me (at different locations, not all at once) if I had any spare change while I was walking to work this morning, two of whom exhibited (possibly fake) debilitating ailments. I left a paltry amount of coins in the hands of the eldest one (who was the first one I passed, by happenstance). The next time they or others ask me the answer might be no. For all I know they need the money to buy vital medicine to stay alive. But, hey, I need to stay alive too. I can't go around helping the entire world out. How many poor, dying people are you helping on a daily basis? How many starving kittens in the street are you taking in (I've taken one in and I can't afford to take in any more (even though they're everywhere in my neighborhood))? Mother Nature is cruel only to be kind. If every dying person in Africa or India (or, Hell, America for that matter!) were saved from their doom, we as a species would overpopulate and suffer on an even larger scale.

In a perfect world though, sure, I'd abstain from a favourite food so some man's son (or nevermind it's they're son, so some man period) can live.

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If someone came to you and said that a book was written by God that had predicted the future thousands of years in advance, is numerologically perfect, that it teaches us how to live for the benefit of all, and that it profoundly changed their life, would you read it?


Someone meaning who? A man in orange robes with a shaven head and a sidelock asking me if I want to become a Hare Krishna? I'd probably say thank you but no thank you. A man on a street corner shouting how we are all sinners and the world is coming to an end? I'd probably keep on walking. A seemingly mystical being surrounded by a sphere of white glowing light? I think I just might decide to give it a read. You, Russ T., in mentioning your religious doctrine the holy bible? Well it depends on how you presented it to me but, sure, I might consider reading it (I have read some of it in fact). But that doesn't mean I believe it is what it claims to be. Even if the bible is proven to predict the future, how is that validation that God wrote it? Why could it not have been written by (your version of) Satan? You can't be for sure. You can only be certain that its predictions are accurate. If someone gives me a piece of paper which tells what will happen tomorrow written on it, and I then give it to you, will you believe that I wrote it just because I gave it to you and it came true?

Now for my question, as I have taken the time to answer yours.

What do you intend to do about the misused quote of yours regarding Darwin? Will you acknowledge the fault in its wording and either change it and/or stop using it?