Oh Lucky Earthlings!

[Abbey Marie]

This could easily have gone in Science, too, but anyway...

I'm taking a course on Planets, and every week, the professor at some point talks about how "incredibly lucky" we are that the Earth has this or that feature. Tilt, magnetic poles, etc.

I'm no scientist or astronomer, but it seems to me that if you don't believe in Biblical creation you should have to come up with something a bit stronger than "luck" to explain such things.

If this is indicative of learning these days, I can only imagine the huge crop of Atheists our colleges are currently graduating.

[pete311]

There are many creation stories. Why choose biblical?

Luck is better than making up a fairy tale.

[Abbey Marie]

There are many creation stories. Why choose biblical?

Luck is better than making up a fairy tale.


If ya have to ask... :cool:

[pete311]

and btw, there are millions of planets that weren't so lucky. A lottery jackpot winner is very lucky. 1 in 350 million is amazing. Why is it hard to believe it can't happen with a planet?

[pete311]

If ya have to ask... :cool:

I know the answer. It's all where you were born. If you were born in India, it would be a Hindu creation story.

[Russ]

This could easily have gone in Science, too, but anyway...

I'm taking a course on Planets, and every week, the professor at some point talks about how "incredibly lucky" we are that the Earth has this or that feature of the planet. Tilt, magnetic poles, etc.

I'm no scientist or astronomer, but it seems to me that if you don't believe in Biblical creation you should have to come up with something a bit stronger than "luck" to explain such things.

If this is indicative of learning these days, I can only imagine the huge crop of Atheists our colleges are currently graduating.

Amen, Abbey! I've thought for a long time that atheists actually do believe in a god - the god of random chance. They believe he can do anything - create life, intricate and interdependent microcosms, stable physical systems. He's amazing.

[Abbey Marie]

and btw, there are millions of planets that weren't so lucky. A lottery jackpot winner is very lucky. 1 in 350 million is amazing. Why is it hard to believe it can't happen with a planet?


Don't you see your own statement of how amazing it is, points towards it being more than mere "luck"?

[pete311]

Don't you see your own statement of how amazing it is, points towards it being more than mere "luck"?

I do find it amazing, but I don't see how it requires more than luck, no. Please explain.

[Russ]

and btw, there are millions of planets that weren't so lucky. A lottery jackpot winner is very lucky. 1 in 350 million is amazing. Why is it hard to believe it can't happen with a planet?

Pete, I think you are proving Abbey's point about the "huge crop of atheists" our colleges are probably churning out.

[pete311]

Pete, I think you are proving Abbey's point about the "huge crop of atheists" our colleges are probably churning out.

How am I proving it?

[Russ]

I do find it amazing, but I don't see how it requires more than luck, no. Please explain.

Looks like we got ourselves a Richard Dawkins on our hands! Woohoo! :rolleyes:

[pete311]

Looks like we got ourselves a Richard Dawkins on our hands! Woohoo! :rolleyes:

Insightful, thanks

[jimnyc]

Maybe we can get some feedback from a famous atheist, like Dawkins... wait, he's too busy out there supporting NAMBLA. :rolleyes:

[pete311]

btw, I wouldn't say the earth is lucky. It doesn't care. If you looked back at the history of the earth you'd see exactly why things are the way they are. The earth was not waiting in line for it's habitable ticket to be picked. It is we who are lucky.

[Abbey Marie]

btw, I wouldn't say the earth is lucky. It doesn't care. If you looked back at the history of the earth you'd see exactly why things are the way they are. The earth was not waiting in line for it's habitable ticket to be picked. It is we who are lucky.

Semantics. Ok.

[Russ]

Maybe we can get some feedback from a famous atheist, like Dawkins... wait, he's too busy out there supporting NAMBLA. :rolleyes:

Ha! Hilarious, and not surprising! :laugh2:

[pete311]

Also we may be lucky to have earth, but that doesn't mean earth is totally unique in its ability to host life. We have found many potential "earth like" planets and just about every astrobiologist thinks we'll find life outside earth.

[Abbey Marie]

Also we may be lucky to have earth, but that doesn't mean earth is totally unique in its ability to host life. We have found many potential "earth like" planets and just about every astrobiologist thinks we'll find life outside earth.


Oh goody! Maybe we can find some potential hard working taxpayers out there in the cosmos. You know, to help pay for all those handouts you libs are so fond of.

[pete311]

Oh goody! Maybe we can find some potential hard working taxpayers out there in the cosmos. You know, to help pay for all those handouts you libs are so fond of.

or maybe we can send you there. great job train wrecking your own thread, bravo!

[Abbey Marie]

or maybe we can send you there. great job train wrecking your own thread, bravo!


Well, I think it's going swimmingly.

Btw, I'm female, so you should have said "Brava!"

[pete311]

Well, I think it's going swimmingly.

Ah yes I see now how when starting this thread about how lucky planet earth is that you planned for it to include an off topic juvenile attack on another member about some political beef. stop fooling yourself and acting like a child. I await your witty insulting response, or from one of your circle jerk cliche friends on here.

[Russ]

Ah yes I see now how when starting this thread about how lucky planet earth is that you planned for it to include an off topic juvenile attack on another member about some political beef. stop fooling yourself and acting like a child. I await your witty insulting response, or from one of your circle jerk cliche friends on here.

Wow, nice post. What are you, in seventh grade?

[Abbey Marie]

Ah yes I see now how when starting this thread about how lucky planet earth is that you planned for it to include an off topic juvenile attack on another member about some political beef. stop fooling yourself and acting like a child. I await your witty insulting response, or from one of your circle jerk cliche friends on here.

Nope, I did not foresee you, Pete.

As for off-topic, with the ever-growing entitlement thinking of people like you, I cannot think of a better use of alien life- can you?

[pete311]

Wow, nice post. What are you, in seventh grade?

ah but abbys post was warranted? we were having a decent discussion until she attacked me. exactly what I said would happen.

[jimnyc]

Ah yes I see now how when starting this thread about how lucky planet earth is that you planned for it to include an off topic juvenile attack on another member about some political beef. stop fooling yourself and acting like a child. I await your witty insulting response, or from one of your circle jerk cliche friends on here.

I believe it was YOU, in the very first reply of this thread, referred to things as a "fairy tale". Now call me crazy, but I've been around a few places and have watched a lot of these debates, and well I could be wrong, but that there seems like an opening shot, a little bit of an insult. So regardless of what anyone else may or may not say, don't act above anything. Your intent was to insult and we all know it. So what, no big deal to me, honestly. But still ironic that you condemn about a thread going off topic or ruined or whatever, while you slyly tried to insult religion from your opening post. Will you be honest about this, or will you do the liberal shuffle?

[pete311]

Well, I think it's going swimmingly.

Btw, I'm female, so you should have said "Brava!"

I am not speaking in Italian.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/bravo

[pete311]

I believe it was YOU, in the very first reply of this thread, referred to things as a "fairy tale".

Until you can prove to me otherwise, the bible is a fairy tale by definition.

[jimnyc]

Until you can prove to me otherwise, the bible is a fairy tale by definition.

:rolleyes:

Next question - do you not see that as insulting to those of the various faiths that do believe?

[Abbey Marie]

Wow, nice post. What are you, in seventh grade?


Our Christian-phobic friends tend to get very angry over, well, Christianity.


http://www.beingconfidentofthis.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/he-who-has-ears.jpg?w=120

[pete311]

:rolleyes:

Next question - do you not see that as insulting to those of the various faiths that do believe?

You trying to be PC now after all your hate on gays and muslims?

Why do you think it is insulting? A book that has super natural beings and includes moral teachings is a fairy tale.

[jimnyc]

You trying to be PC now after all your hate on gays and muslims?

Why do you think it is insulting? A book that has super natural beings and includes moral teachings is a fairy tale.

That's not what I asked you, fuckface!!

But I'm glad you made the relation to gays and muslims. And yes, I do condemn a lot of them, and NO, I am VERY far from PC. But even you imply that what you wrote was un-PC. But then a few posts later, you act above it all - even though you kick started things in post #2.

[pete311]

That's not what I asked you, fuckface!!

But I'm glad you made the relation to gays and muslims. And yes, I do condemn a lot of them, and NO, I am VERY far from PC. But even you imply that what you wrote was un-PC. But then a few posts later, you act above it all - even though you kick started things in post #2.

I don't see anything wrong with calling it what it is. I have no beef with Christians. My wife is one.

[jimnyc]

I don't see anything wrong with calling it what it is. I have no beef with Christians. My wife is one.

My wife is one too. See that, we have more in common than you think. Does your wife own some cool guns and know how to use them? :)

[pete311]

My wife is one too. See that, we have more in common than you think. Does your wife own some cool guns and know how to use them? :)

No but we've been to the range and my dad has a few. Does that count? :beer:

[jimnyc]

No but we've been to the range and my dad has a few. Does that count? :beer:

A little respect. You should follow Dad's lead and use your constitutional rights to bear arms, and protect your home with an uzi.

[Russ]

Until you can prove to me otherwise, the bible is a fairy tale by definition.

Ha, that's rich. The Bible has been waiting for thousands of years, just to be proven historical or not by the whimsical opinion of Pete311 on debatepolicy.com. Wow! What will Pete311's momentous decision be?

[NightTrain]

Ha, that's rich. The Bible has been waiting for thousands of years, just to be proven historical or not by the whimsical opinion of Pete311 on debatepolicy.com. Wow! What will Pete311's momentous decision be?

The suspense is killing me.

[pete311]

A little respect. You should follow Dad's lead and use your constitutional rights to bear arms, and protect your home with an uzi.

I live on the edge of a very bad area. The thought has crossed my mind.

[pete311]

Ha, that's rich. The Bible has been waiting for thousands of years, just to be proven historical or not by the whimsical opinion of Pete311 on debatepolicy.com. Wow! What will Pete311's momentous decision be?

Either prove me wrong or by definition it's a fairy tale. No tricks, simple as that.

[Russ]

Either prove me wrong or by definition it's a fairy tale. No tricks, simple as that.

Pete, there are two types of people with which you can't prove anything: the wise man who knows all, or the foolish man who thinks he does and won't listen to anything anyone else says. Let's just say I don't think that anyone can prove anything to you.

[pete311]

Pete, there are two types of people with which you can't prove anything: the wise man who knows all, or the foolish man who thinks he does and won't listen to anything anyone else says. Let's just say I don't think that anyone can prove anything to you.

mmmm no, I can understand the difference between the Canterbury Tales and something like "A People's History of the United States". Your response is a total cop out.