• Are ChatBot replies copywrited. Can I just publish them?

    From Peter Jason@pj@jostle.com to aus.legal on Mon Mar 31 15:02:54 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal


    Please advise.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Pete@pjetson@yahoo.com to aus.legal on Mon Mar 31 15:52:08 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    On 31/03/2025 3:02 pm, Peter Jason wrote:

    Please advise.

    Which chatbot? Their website should tell you.

    Also, it's "copyright", as in a right to copy.

    Peter
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Sylvia Else@sylvia@email.invalid to aus.legal on Mon Mar 31 23:21:39 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    On 31-Mar-25 12:02 pm, Peter Jason wrote:

    Please advise.

    The matter is far from settled, but the position in the US appears to be
    that to be subject to copyright, text has to have an author, and that a machine is incapable of being an author, so no copyright arises.

    Australia would probably take the same view.

    In any case, if a chatbot were considered to be the author, it would be incapable of litigating against someone who was allegedly in breach of copyright.

    So I can't see that there's anything to stop you publishing the replies.

    Sylvia.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rod Speed@rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com to aus.legal on Tue Apr 1 09:16:21 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote

    Please advise.

    No they are not copyrighted and you are free to publish them

    Yank stuff has to have a copyright thing on them if they are copyrighted
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Peter Jason@pj@jostle.com to aus.legal on Tue Apr 1 13:11:58 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    On Tue, 01 Apr 2025 09:16:21 +1100, "Rod Speed"
    <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:

    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote

    Please advise.

    No they are not copyrighted and you are free to publish them

    Yank stuff has to have a copyright thing on them if they are copyrighted

    Thanx to all. I have asked about the psychology of religious followers...including the Freudian explanation. Vis... ************************
    In reference to psychoanalysis. What personality traits tend to be
    religious?

    ChatGPT said:
    In psychoanalysis, the idea of a "religious personality" has been
    explored, with a particular focus on how religious tendencies are
    shaped by the unconscious mind, early childhood experiences, and
    internal conflicts. Some psychoanalysts, like Sigmund Freud, Carl
    Jung, and Erik Erikson, have explored the intersection of religion and personality, each providing their own perspective.

    Key Personality Traits Often Associated with Religion in
    Psychoanalysis:

    Dependence and Need for Protection:

    In psychoanalytic theory, particularly from Freud's perspective,
    religion can be seen as a form of psychological defense mechanism. The religious person might exhibit a heightened need for security and
    protection, often seeking solace in the idea of a higher power or
    divine authority. This could stem from early childhood experiences
    where the child felt vulnerable and dependent on caregivers. Religion
    may serve as a means of psychologically compensating for feelings of helplessness or anxiety.

    Obedience to Authority:

    Religious personalities often demonstrate a tendency toward
    conformity, obedience, and submission to a higher power or authority
    figure. Freud viewed religion as a projection of the father figure,
    and he believed that people with strong religious tendencies might
    have unresolved issues with their paternal relationships, leading them
    to seek authority in external figures (e.g., God, religious leaders,
    or doctrines).

    Superego Development:

    Freud's concept of the superegouthe part of the psyche that governs
    moral behavioruoften plays a role in religious personalities. Those
    with a religious personality might have an unusually strong superego,
    which drives them to adhere strictly to moral codes, rituals, and
    religious laws. This can lead to a deep sense of guilt and a need for atonement, as well as a strong desire to be "good" according to
    religious standards.

    Idealization and Transference:

    Religious individuals may idealize the divine or religious leaders,
    which can be understood as a form of transference (in psychoanalytic
    terms). This is when a person projects feelings from past
    relationships (such as with parents) onto a religious figure or belief
    system. The individual may idealize the religious figure as a source
    of safety, love, and protection.

    Conflict Between Id and Superego:

    The religious person may experience internal conflict between the id (representing desires, impulses, and instincts) and the superego
    (representing moralistic, ethical, and religious standards). In
    psychoanalytic theory, this conflict can manifest as guilt,
    repression, and a strong internal drive to avoid sin or wrongdoing,
    often leading to a rigid or highly structured religious adherence.

    Neuroticism:

    In some cases, religion can be linked to neuroticism, where religious
    rituals and practices might serve as a form of psychological coping
    with anxiety, fear, or obsessive tendencies. People with neurotic
    tendencies might rely on religious practices to soothe or regulate
    their emotional states, such as performing rituals repetitively or
    seeking reassurance through prayer.

    Projection:

    Some psychoanalysts suggest that religious individuals might project
    their own repressed emotions, desires, or fears onto external symbols
    or figures, such as gods, spirits, or the devil. This projection can
    serve as a way of dealing with complex emotional states that are
    difficult to process consciously.

    Separation-Individuation:

    From an object relations perspective (which is a psychoanalytic theory
    focusing on the importance of early relationships), religion can also
    be viewed as a way to navigate the process of separation and
    individuation. This process involves an individual gaining a sense of
    self and autonomy from primary caregivers. Religion might serve as a
    way to find a "new parent figure" or a way to cope with the emotional challenges of growing up and forming an independent identity.

    Self-Transcendence:

    On a more positive note, some psychoanalysts, particularly Carl Jung,
    saw religious belief as an expression of a deeper yearning for self-transcendence or integration. Jung believed that religious
    experiences could play a significant role in the individuation process
    (the development of the whole self), where individuals come to terms
    with both their conscious and unconscious aspects. A religious
    personality, in this sense, might seek connection with something
    larger than themselvesuwhether it's a higher power, the collective
    unconscious, or a sense of cosmic unity.

    To Summarize:
    In psychoanalysis, a "religious personality" might display traits such
    as:

    A heightened need for security and protection

    Obedience to authority figures (divine or human)

    A strong, perhaps guilt-ridden, superego

    Idealization of religious figures

    Conflict between unconscious desires (id) and moral standards
    (superego)

    Neurotic behaviors, particularly related to anxiety and ritualistic
    behavior

    Projection of internal emotional conflicts onto religious symbols

    Different psychoanalysts offer different views on the relationship
    between religion and personality, but overall, they tend to agree that
    religion can serve as both a coping mechanism and a way of navigating
    deeper psychological processes.


    You said:
    Thank you, is epigenetics relevant in ongoing generations to be
    religious?

    ChatGPT said:
    Yes, epigenetics can be relevant in understanding how religious
    tendencies or behaviors might be passed down through generations,
    though it's a more indirect process. Epigenetics refers to changes in
    gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA
    sequence. Instead, it involves mechanisms like DNA methylation or
    histone modification, which can be influenced by environmental factors
    and experiences.

    In the context of religion, epigenetics could play a role in shaping
    religious behavior or tendencies across generations in the following
    ways:

    1. Inherited Stress Responses and Coping Mechanisms:
    Religious practices often serve as coping mechanisms for stress,
    anxiety, and trauma. If certain family or community environments
    (e.g., those involving high levels of stress, hardship, or trauma)
    lead to the development of certain epigenetic markers, these markers
    might be passed down to offspring. This could influence the way future generations cope with stress, potentially making them more likely to
    turn to religion or spiritual practices as a source of comfort or
    meaning.

    Example: If an ancestor experienced significant trauma (like war or
    loss), the epigenetic changes from those experiences could influence
    their offspring's responses to stress. This may make the next
    generation more likely to engage in religious or spiritual practices
    that provide emotional comfort and structure.

    2. Social and Cultural Transmission:
    Epigenetic changes can be influenced by the environment and social interactions. If religion plays a significant role in a particular
    family or culture, religious behaviors, values, and traditions might
    be transmitted through social learning (like parents teaching their
    children religious practices). Over time, the social environment can
    interact with genetic predispositions, leading to the reinforcement of religious behaviors.

    Example: If a family or community has been strongly religious for
    generations, certain epigenetic factors could develop in response to
    the social and cultural environment. These factors may influence how individuals in later generations perceive and relate to religion.

    3. Behavioral Epigenetics and Religious Behavior:
    Behavioral epigenetics is a field that looks at how environmental
    factors (like parenting, childhood experiences, social conditions, or
    even religious exposure) influence gene expression. It's possible that
    early experiences with religion, such as the way children are raised
    in religious households or the emotional and psychological benefits of religious engagement, could affect the gene expression related to
    emotional regulation, empathy, and social bonding. These biological
    changes might influence the likelihood of future generations adopting
    similar religious practices.

    Example: A child raised in a highly religious environment may develop epigenetic changes related to emotional regulation and social
    cooperation. As an adult, this person might be more likely to maintain
    those religious practices, which in turn could influence how they
    raise their own children, continuing the cycle.

    4. Psychological and Emotional Development:
    Psychological traits that are linked to religious behaviorusuch as conscientiousness, self-control, or openness to spiritual
    experiencesumight also have an epigenetic component. These traits can
    be influenced by both genetic predispositions and environmental
    factors. If certain epigenetic changes related to these traits are
    passed down, it might increase the likelihood of a person being
    religious or engaging in religious practices.

    Example: If a parent has an epigenetic change that influences
    emotional regulation and moral decision-making (traits that are often
    important in religious contexts), the child may inherit these traits
    and be more likely to be influenced by religious teachings or
    practices.

    5. Intergenerational Effects of Religious Trauma or Experiences:
    In cases of religious trauma, where individuals experience negative
    effects from religious teachings or institutions, there may be lasting psychological and emotional impacts that are passed down
    epigenetically. For example, a parent who has experienced religious
    guilt or fear might pass on epigenetic markers that make their
    children more sensitive to similar emotional or psychological
    stressors.

    Example: A parent who has suffered from religiously induced anxiety
    may pass on epigenetic changes that predispose their child to
    heightened sensitivity to guilt or anxiety. If this child then becomes
    involved in religion, the experience could either exacerbate or
    mitigate those predispositions, depending on the context.

    6. Gene-Environment Interactions:
    Religious behavior could also be the result of complex
    gene-environment interactions. Environmental factors, such as exposure
    to religious teachings, community support, or childhood experiences of
    love and security, might shape an individual's religious identity.
    Over time, these environmental influences could lead to epigenetic
    changes that affect emotional and cognitive processes, which may
    influence future generationsA likelihood to engage in religious
    practices.

    Limitations and Considerations:
    Epigenetics is complex: While epigenetics plays a significant role in
    gene expression, it is still an emerging field, and the precise
    mechanisms linking epigenetics to specific behaviors (like religious tendencies) are not fully understood.

    Environmental influence: Religious behavior is deeply shaped by
    environmental, cultural, and social factors, and epigenetics alone
    cannot explain religious tendencies. It is likely to be one part of a
    much broader picture that also involves family upbringing, culture,
    community, and personal experiences.

    In Conclusion:
    Epigenetics may influence religious behaviors and tendencies across generations, particularly in terms of emotional responses, coping
    mechanisms, and social bonding. However, religion is deeply
    intertwined with cultural, familial, and societal factors, and it is
    the combination of these influencesuboth biological and
    environmentaluthat shapes religious identities across generations.
    While epigenetic changes might subtly influence how individuals
    respond to religious environments or practices, they are not the sole determinant of religious belief or behavior.

    ********************************

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a cuckoo up a
    nut tree, and it's all locked in.
    God save us all.
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rod Speed@rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com to aus.legal on Tue Apr 1 14:21:11 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Please advise.
    No they are not copyrighted and you are free to publish them
    Yank stuff has to have a copyright thing on them if they are copyrighted
    Thanx to all. I have asked about the psychology of religious followers...including the Freudian explanation. Vis... ************************
    In reference to psychoanalysis. What personality traits tend to be religious?
    Its been well known that some schitzophrenics do get religious fantasys
    That was clear with Joan of Arc
    ChatGPT said:
    In psychoanalysis, the idea of a "religious personality" has been
    explored, with a particular focus on how religious tendencies are
    shaped by the unconscious mind, early childhood experiences, and
    internal conflicts. Some psychoanalysts, like Sigmund Freud, Carl
    Jung, and Erik Erikson, have explored the intersection of religion and> personality, each providing their own perspective.
    Key Personality Traits Often Associated with Religion in
    Psychoanalysis:

    Dependence and Need for Protection:

    In psychoanalytic theory, particularly from Freud's perspective,
    religion can be seen as a form of psychological defense mechanism. The> religious person might exhibit a heightened need for security and
    protection, often seeking solace in the idea of a higher power or
    divine authority. This could stem from early childhood experiences
    where the child felt vulnerable and dependent on caregivers. Religion
    may serve as a means of psychologically compensating for feelings of helplessness or anxiety.

    Obedience to Authority:

    Religious personalities often demonstrate a tendency toward
    conformity, obedience, and submission to a higher power or authority
    figure. Freud viewed religion as a projection of the father figure,
    and he believed that people with strong religious tendencies might
    have unresolved issues with their paternal relationships, leading them> to seek authority in external figures (e.g., God, religious leaders,
    or doctrines).

    Superego Development:

    Freud's concept of the superegorCothe part of the psyche that governs
    moral behaviorrCooften plays a role in religious personalities. Those
    with a religious personality might have an unusually strong superego,
    which drives them to adhere strictly to moral codes, rituals, and
    religious laws. This can lead to a deep sense of guilt and a need for atonement, as well as a strong desire to be "good" according to
    religious standards.

    Idealization and Transference:

    Religious individuals may idealize the divine or religious leaders,
    which can be understood as a form of transference (in psychoanalytic
    terms). This is when a person projects feelings from past
    relationships (such as with parents) onto a religious figure or belief> system. The individual may idealize the religious figure as a source
    of safety, love, and protection.

    Conflict Between Id and Superego:

    The religious person may experience internal conflict between the id (representing desires, impulses, and instincts) and the superego (representing moralistic, ethical, and religious standards). In psychoanalytic theory, this conflict can manifest as guilt,
    repression, and a strong internal drive to avoid sin or wrongdoing,
    often leading to a rigid or highly structured religious adherence.

    Neuroticism:

    In some cases, religion can be linked to neuroticism, where religious
    rituals and practices might serve as a form of psychological coping
    with anxiety, fear, or obsessive tendencies. People with neurotic
    tendencies might rely on religious practices to soothe or regulate
    their emotional states, such as performing rituals repetitively or
    seeking reassurance through prayer.

    Projection:

    Some psychoanalysts suggest that religious individuals might project
    their own repressed emotions, desires, or fears onto external symbols
    or figures, such as gods, spirits, or the devil. This projection can
    serve as a way of dealing with complex emotional states that are
    difficult to process consciously.

    Separation-Individuation:

    From an object relations perspective (which is a psychoanalytic theory> focusing on the importance of early relationships), religion can also
    be viewed as a way to navigate the process of separation and
    individuation. This process involves an individual gaining a sense of
    self and autonomy from primary caregivers. Religion might serve as a
    way to find a "new parent figure" or a way to cope with the emotional challenges of growing up and forming an independent identity.

    Self-Transcendence:

    On a more positive note, some psychoanalysts, particularly Carl Jung,
    saw religious belief as an expression of a deeper yearning for self-transcendence or integration. Jung believed that religious
    experiences could play a significant role in the individuation process> (the development of the whole self), where individuals come to terms
    with both their conscious and unconscious aspects. A religious
    personality, in this sense, might seek connection with something
    larger than themselvesrCowhether it's a higher power, the collective unconscious, or a sense of cosmic unity.

    To Summarize:
    In psychoanalysis, a "religious personality" might display traits such> as:

    A heightened need for security and protection

    Obedience to authority figures (divine or human)

    A strong, perhaps guilt-ridden, superego

    Idealization of religious figures

    Conflict between unconscious desires (id) and moral standards
    (superego)

    Neurotic behaviors, particularly related to anxiety and ritualistic
    behavior

    Projection of internal emotional conflicts onto religious symbols

    Different psychoanalysts offer different views on the relationship
    between religion and personality, but overall, they tend to agree that> religion can serve as both a coping mechanism and a way of navigating
    deeper psychological processes.
    Not bad
    You said:
    Thank you, is epigenetics relevant in ongoing generations to be
    religious?

    ChatGPT said:
    Yes, epigenetics can be relevant in understanding how religious
    tendencies or behaviors might be passed down through generations,
    though it's a more indirect process. Epigenetics refers to changes in
    gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA sequence. Instead, it involves mechanisms like DNA methylation or
    histone modification, which can be influenced by environmental factors> and experiences.

    In the context of religion, epigenetics could play a role in shaping religious behavior or tendencies across generations in the following
    ways:

    1. Inherited Stress Responses and Coping Mechanisms:
    Religious practices often serve as coping mechanisms for stress,
    anxiety, and trauma. If certain family or community environments
    (e.g., those involving high levels of stress, hardship, or trauma)
    lead to the development of certain epigenetic markers, these markers
    might be passed down to offspring. This could influence the way future> generations cope with stress, potentially making them more likely to
    turn to religion or spiritual practices as a source of comfort or
    meaning.

    Example: If an ancestor experienced significant trauma (like war or
    loss), the epigenetic changes from those experiences could influence
    their offspring's responses to stress. This may make the next
    generation more likely to engage in religious or spiritual practices
    that provide emotional comfort and structure.

    2. Social and Cultural Transmission:
    Epigenetic changes can be influenced by the environment and social interactions. If religion plays a significant role in a particular
    family or culture, religious behaviors, values, and traditions might
    be transmitted through social learning (like parents teaching their
    children religious practices). Over time, the social environment can
    interact with genetic predispositions, leading to the reinforcement of> religious behaviors.

    Example: If a family or community has been strongly religious for generations, certain epigenetic factors could develop in response to
    the social and cultural environment. These factors may influence how individuals in later generations perceive and relate to religion.

    3. Behavioral Epigenetics and Religious Behavior:
    Behavioral epigenetics is a field that looks at how environmental
    factors (like parenting, childhood experiences, social conditions, or
    even religious exposure) influence gene expression. It's possible that> early experiences with religion, such as the way children are raised
    in religious households or the emotional and psychological benefits of> religious engagement, could affect the gene expression related to
    emotional regulation, empathy, and social bonding. These biological
    changes might influence the likelihood of future generations adopting
    similar religious practices.

    Example: A child raised in a highly religious environment may develop epigenetic changes related to emotional regulation and social
    cooperation. As an adult, this person might be more likely to maintain> those religious practices, which in turn could influence how they
    raise their own children, continuing the cycle.

    4. Psychological and Emotional Development:
    Psychological traits that are linked to religious behaviorrCosuch as conscientiousness, self-control, or openness to spiritual
    experiencesrComight also have an epigenetic component. These traits can
    be influenced by both genetic predispositions and environmental
    factors. If certain epigenetic changes related to these traits are
    passed down, it might increase the likelihood of a person being
    religious or engaging in religious practices.

    Example: If a parent has an epigenetic change that influences
    emotional regulation and moral decision-making (traits that are often important in religious contexts), the child may inherit these traits
    and be more likely to be influenced by religious teachings or
    practices.

    5. Intergenerational Effects of Religious Trauma or Experiences:
    In cases of religious trauma, where individuals experience negative
    effects from religious teachings or institutions, there may be lasting> psychological and emotional impacts that are passed down
    epigenetically. For example, a parent who has experienced religious
    guilt or fear might pass on epigenetic markers that make their
    children more sensitive to similar emotional or psychological
    stressors.

    Example: A parent who has suffered from religiously induced anxiety
    may pass on epigenetic changes that predispose their child to
    heightened sensitivity to guilt or anxiety. If this child then becomes> involved in religion, the experience could either exacerbate or
    mitigate those predispositions, depending on the context.

    6. Gene-Environment Interactions:
    Religious behavior could also be the result of complex
    gene-environment interactions. Environmental factors, such as exposure> to religious teachings, community support, or childhood experiences of> love and security, might shape an individual's religious identity.
    Over time, these environmental influences could lead to epigenetic
    changes that affect emotional and cognitive processes, which may
    influence future generationsrCO likelihood to engage in religious
    practices.

    Limitations and Considerations:
    Epigenetics is complex: While epigenetics plays a significant role in
    gene expression, it is still an emerging field, and the precise
    mechanisms linking epigenetics to specific behaviors (like religious tendencies) are not fully understood.

    Environmental influence: Religious behavior is deeply shaped by environmental, cultural, and social factors, and epigenetics alone
    cannot explain religious tendencies. It is likely to be one part of a
    much broader picture that also involves family upbringing, culture, community, and personal experiences.

    In Conclusion:
    Epigenetics may influence religious behaviors and tendencies across generations, particularly in terms of emotional responses, coping
    mechanisms, and social bonding. However, religion is deeply
    intertwined with cultural, familial, and societal factors, and it is
    the combination of these influencesrCoboth biological and environmentalrCothat shapes religious identities across generations.
    While epigenetic changes might subtly influence how individuals
    respond to religious environments or practices, they are not the sole determinant of religious belief or behavior.

    ********************************

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a cuckoo up a> nut tree, and it's all locked in.
    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.
    God save us all.
    I'd have you publicly flogged if you hadnt enjoyed that so much the last tinme --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From squeak!@"squeak!"@cheesefactory.com to aus.legal on Tue Apr 1 18:53:02 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    Rod Speed wrote:
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote

    Please advise.

    No they are not copyrighted and you are free to publish them

    Yank stuff has to have a copyright thing on them if they are
    copyrighted

    Thanx to all.-a I have asked about the psychology of religious
    followers...including the Freudian explanation.-a-a Vis...
    ************************
    In reference to psychoanalysis.-a What personality traits tend to be
    religious?

    Its been well known that some schitzophrenics do get religious fantasys

    That was clear with Joan of Arc

    ChatGPT said:
    In psychoanalysis, the idea of a "religious personality" has been
    explored, with a particular focus on how religious tendencies are
    shaped by the unconscious mind, early childhood experiences, and
    internal conflicts. Some psychoanalysts, like Sigmund Freud, Carl
    Jung, and Erik Erikson, have explored the intersection of religion and
    personality, each providing their own perspective.

    Key Personality Traits Often Associated with Religion in
    Psychoanalysis:

    Dependence and Need for Protection:

    In psychoanalytic theory, particularly from Freud's perspective,
    religion can be seen as a form of psychological defense mechanism. The
    religious person might exhibit a heightened need for security and
    protection, often seeking solace in the idea of a higher power or
    divine authority. This could stem from early childhood experiences
    where the child felt vulnerable and dependent on caregivers. Religion
    may serve as a means of psychologically compensating for feelings of
    helplessness or anxiety.

    Obedience to Authority:

    Religious personalities often demonstrate a tendency toward
    conformity, obedience, and submission to a higher power or authority
    figure. Freud viewed religion as a projection of the father figure,
    and he believed that people with strong religious tendencies might
    have unresolved issues with their paternal relationships, leading them
    to seek authority in external figures (e.g., God, religious leaders,
    or doctrines).

    Superego Development:

    Freud's concept of the superegorCothe part of the psyche that governs
    moral behaviorrCooften plays a role in religious personalities. Those
    with a religious personality might have an unusually strong superego,
    which drives them to adhere strictly to moral codes, rituals, and
    religious laws. This can lead to a deep sense of guilt and a need for
    atonement, as well as a strong desire to be "good" according to
    religious standards.

    Idealization and Transference:

    Religious individuals may idealize the divine or religious leaders,
    which can be understood as a form of transference (in psychoanalytic
    terms). This is when a person projects feelings from past
    relationships (such as with parents) onto a religious figure or belief
    system. The individual may idealize the religious figure as a source
    of safety, love, and protection.

    Conflict Between Id and Superego:

    The religious person may experience internal conflict between the id
    (representing desires, impulses, and instincts) and the superego
    (representing moralistic, ethical, and religious standards). In
    psychoanalytic theory, this conflict can manifest as guilt,
    repression, and a strong internal drive to avoid sin or wrongdoing,
    often leading to a rigid or highly structured religious adherence.

    Neuroticism:

    In some cases, religion can be linked to neuroticism, where religious
    rituals and practices might serve as a form of psychological coping
    with anxiety, fear, or obsessive tendencies. People with neurotic
    tendencies might rely on religious practices to soothe or regulate
    their emotional states, such as performing rituals repetitively or
    seeking reassurance through prayer.

    Projection:

    Some psychoanalysts suggest that religious individuals might project
    their own repressed emotions, desires, or fears onto external symbols
    or figures, such as gods, spirits, or the devil. This projection can
    serve as a way of dealing with complex emotional states that are
    difficult to process consciously.

    Separation-Individuation:

    From an object relations perspective (which is a psychoanalytic theory
    focusing on the importance of early relationships), religion can also
    be viewed as a way to navigate the process of separation and
    individuation. This process involves an individual gaining a sense of
    self and autonomy from primary caregivers. Religion might serve as a
    way to find a "new parent figure" or a way to cope with the emotional
    challenges of growing up and forming an independent identity.

    Self-Transcendence:

    On a more positive note, some psychoanalysts, particularly Carl Jung,
    saw religious belief as an expression of a deeper yearning for
    self-transcendence or integration. Jung believed that religious
    experiences could play a significant role in the individuation process
    (the development of the whole self), where individuals come to terms
    with both their conscious and unconscious aspects. A religious
    personality, in this sense, might seek connection with something
    larger than themselvesrCowhether it's a higher power, the collective
    unconscious, or a sense of cosmic unity.

    To Summarize:
    In psychoanalysis, a "religious personality" might display traits such
    as:

    A heightened need for security and protection

    Obedience to authority figures (divine or human)

    A strong, perhaps guilt-ridden, superego

    Idealization of religious figures

    Conflict between unconscious desires (id) and moral standards
    (superego)

    Neurotic behaviors, particularly related to anxiety and ritualistic
    behavior

    Projection of internal emotional conflicts onto religious symbols

    Different psychoanalysts offer different views on the relationship
    between religion and personality, but overall, they tend to agree that
    religion can serve as both a coping mechanism and a way of navigating
    deeper psychological processes.

    Not bad

    You said:
    Thank you, is epigenetics relevant in ongoing generations to be
    religious?

    ChatGPT said:
    Yes, epigenetics can be relevant in understanding how religious
    tendencies or behaviors might be passed down through generations,
    though it's a more indirect process. Epigenetics refers to changes in
    gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA
    sequence. Instead, it involves mechanisms like DNA methylation or
    histone modification, which can be influenced by environmental factors
    and experiences.

    In the context of religion, epigenetics could play a role in shaping
    religious behavior or tendencies across generations in the following
    ways:

    1. Inherited Stress Responses and Coping Mechanisms:
    Religious practices often serve as coping mechanisms for stress,
    anxiety, and trauma. If certain family or community environments
    (e.g., those involving high levels of stress, hardship, or trauma)
    lead to the development of certain epigenetic markers, these markers
    might be passed down to offspring. This could influence the way future
    generations cope with stress, potentially making them more likely to
    turn to religion or spiritual practices as a source of comfort or
    meaning.

    Example: If an ancestor experienced significant trauma (like war or
    loss), the epigenetic changes from those experiences could influence
    their offspring's responses to stress. This may make the next
    generation more likely to engage in religious or spiritual practices
    that provide emotional comfort and structure.

    2. Social and Cultural Transmission:
    Epigenetic changes can be influenced by the environment and social
    interactions. If religion plays a significant role in a particular
    family or culture, religious behaviors, values, and traditions might
    be transmitted through social learning (like parents teaching their
    children religious practices). Over time, the social environment can
    interact with genetic predispositions, leading to the reinforcement of
    religious behaviors.

    Example: If a family or community has been strongly religious for
    generations, certain epigenetic factors could develop in response to
    the social and cultural environment. These factors may influence how
    individuals in later generations perceive and relate to religion.

    3. Behavioral Epigenetics and Religious Behavior:
    Behavioral epigenetics is a field that looks at how environmental
    factors (like parenting, childhood experiences, social conditions, or
    even religious exposure) influence gene expression. It's possible that
    early experiences with religion, such as the way children are raised
    in religious households or the emotional and psychological benefits of
    religious engagement, could affect the gene expression related to
    emotional regulation, empathy, and social bonding. These biological
    changes might influence the likelihood of future generations adopting
    similar religious practices.

    Example: A child raised in a highly religious environment may develop
    epigenetic changes related to emotional regulation and social
    cooperation. As an adult, this person might be more likely to maintain
    those religious practices, which in turn could influence how they
    raise their own children, continuing the cycle.

    4. Psychological and Emotional Development:
    Psychological traits that are linked to religious behaviorrCosuch as
    conscientiousness, self-control, or openness to spiritual
    experiencesrComight also have an epigenetic component. These traits can
    be influenced by both genetic predispositions and environmental
    factors. If certain epigenetic changes related to these traits are
    passed down, it might increase the likelihood of a person being
    religious or engaging in religious practices.

    Example: If a parent has an epigenetic change that influences
    emotional regulation and moral decision-making (traits that are often
    important in religious contexts), the child may inherit these traits
    and be more likely to be influenced by religious teachings or
    practices.

    5. Intergenerational Effects of Religious Trauma or Experiences:
    In cases of religious trauma, where individuals experience negative
    effects from religious teachings or institutions, there may be lasting
    psychological and emotional impacts that are passed down
    epigenetically. For example, a parent who has experienced religious
    guilt or fear might pass on epigenetic markers that make their
    children more sensitive to similar emotional or psychological
    stressors.

    Example: A parent who has suffered from religiously induced anxiety
    may pass on epigenetic changes that predispose their child to
    heightened sensitivity to guilt or anxiety. If this child then becomes
    involved in religion, the experience could either exacerbate or
    mitigate those predispositions, depending on the context.

    6. Gene-Environment Interactions:
    Religious behavior could also be the result of complex
    gene-environment interactions. Environmental factors, such as exposure
    to religious teachings, community support, or childhood experiences of
    love and security, might shape an individual's religious identity.
    Over time, these environmental influences could lead to epigenetic
    changes that affect emotional and cognitive processes, which may
    influence future generationsrCO likelihood to engage in religious
    practices.

    Limitations and Considerations:
    Epigenetics is complex: While epigenetics plays a significant role in
    gene expression, it is still an emerging field, and the precise
    mechanisms linking epigenetics to specific behaviors (like religious
    tendencies) are not fully understood.

    Environmental influence: Religious behavior is deeply shaped by
    environmental, cultural, and social factors, and epigenetics alone
    cannot explain religious tendencies. It is likely to be one part of a
    much broader picture that also involves family upbringing, culture,
    community, and personal experiences.

    In Conclusion:
    Epigenetics may influence religious behaviors and tendencies across
    generations, particularly in terms of emotional responses, coping
    mechanisms, and social bonding. However, religion is deeply
    intertwined with cultural, familial, and societal factors, and it is
    the combination of these influencesrCoboth biological and
    environmentalrCothat shapes religious identities across generations.
    While epigenetic changes might subtly influence how individuals
    respond to religious environments or practices, they are not the sole
    determinant of religious belief or behavior.

    ********************************

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a cuckoo up a
    nut tree, and it's all locked in.

    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.

    not really hard to explain. knowledge dispels religious beliefs. we know
    now far more about our world than the ancients who founded the most
    common religions. for example, we know there is no heaven above us only
    an incredible amazing universe. also our own intellect challenges
    religious beliefs. for example, the New Testament mentions two
    genealogies for Jesus that purport to establish a lineage to King David. however they contradict each other, so the Xtian belief that Jesus is descended from king David is not proven. but since Xtians believe that
    Jesus was born of a virgin impregnated by the spirit of God, any
    genealogy is irrelevant anyway. many religious beliefs are known to be
    simply wrong, and especially the earliest beliefs about the creation of
    earth and human life.



    God save us all.

    I'd have you publicly flogged if you hadnt enjoyed that so much the
    last tinme
    --
    You have the right not to post. If you give up the right not
    to post, anything you post can and will be used against you.

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From squeak!@"squeak!"@cheesefactory.com to aus.legal on Tue Apr 1 20:56:19 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    Rod Speed wrote:
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    <snip>
    ********************************

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a cuckoo up a >>>> nut tree, and it's all locked in.

    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.
    not really hard to explain.

    We'll see...

    knowledge dispels religious beliefs.

    Doesnt explain why there have been so many
    more atheists in say the last 50 years,

    of course it does. there's less reason to believe in God if we discover
    things we attributed to God have a rational explanation

    or why
    so many of the most famous scientists like
    Darwin and Einstein believed in some sky fairy

    In fact its hard to some up with many who were atheists

    AI says:

    "While Charles Darwin initially had a Unitarian background and attended
    an Anglican school, he later distanced himself from organized religion
    and became an agnostic, not an atheist"

    "Albert Einstein himself stated "I'm not an atheist, and I don't think I
    can call myself a pantheist ... I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals
    himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings".


    we know now far more about our world than the ancients

    We arent talking about ancients.

    the worlds most popular religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have ancient origins. in fact one of the main problems Xtianity has is
    keeping itself relevant in the face of ever increasing knowledge and
    changing social mores that renders it's teachings redundant or
    anachronistic.


    who founded the most-a common religions.

    Its far from clear that they did believe the shit they
    spewed or were just good con men who realised
    that they could get their devotees to buy their shit
    if they claimed that some god or other spoke to
    them personally and they just wrote it down like
    the goat fucker claimed.

    Hard to see how someone could just proclaim
    that some god or other had told him that everyone
    had to hack the end off their kid's dick on day 7
    or whenever it is and they just whipped out their
    knives and started hacking away

    Hard to see that even Billy Graham could get away with that.

    for example, we know there is no heaven above us only an incredible
    amazing universe.

    It was never claimed to be something we could see until we carked it

    Religion is clearly a massive con job designed to
    get people to do what they would not otherwise
    do or else they would end up in hell etc and to
    provide a cushy existence for the priest etc.

    Or just a crutch for pathetically inadequate
    'minds' that just can't accept that when you
    die, that's all there is, you just rot or get
    cremated or feasted on by vultures etc.

    also our own intellect challenges religious beliefs. for example, the
    New Testament mentions two genealogies for Jesus that purport to
    establish a lineage to King David. however they contradict each other,

    The problem with that line is that few of the god
    botherers couldn't even read a bible in their own
    language until only few hundred years ago and even
    when they could they still believed the shit in it.
    so the Xtian belief that Jesus is descended from king David is not
    proven. but since Xtians believe that Jesus was born of a virgin

    That is unique to the roman catholic church

    no it's not


    No one else believes that shit

    impregnated by the spirit of God, any genealogy is irrelevant anyway.
    many religious beliefs are known to be simply wrong, and especially
    the earliest beliefs about the creation of earth and human life.

    Plenty of the worst of them still believe that shit

    And xtianity is just one religion anyway

    God save us all.

    I'd have you publicly flogged if you hadnt enjoyed that so much the
    last tinme
    --
    You have the right not to post. If you give up the right not
    to post, anything you post can and will be used against you.

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rod Speed@rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com to aus.legal on Wed Apr 2 02:17:27 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a cuckoo up >>>>> a nut tree, and it's all locked in.

    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.

    not really hard to explain.

    We'll see...

    knowledge dispels religious beliefs.

    Doesnt explain why there have been so many
    more atheists in say the last 50 years,

    of course it does. there's less reason to believe in God if we discover things we attributed to God have a rational explanation

    That isnt what has happened

    or why
    so many of the most famous scientists like
    Darwin and Einstein believed in some sky fairy

    In fact its hard to some up with many who were atheists

    AI says:

    "While Charles Darwin initially had a Unitarian background and attended
    an Anglican school, he later distanced himself from organized religion
    and became an agnostic, not an atheist"

    So not an atheist, as I said

    "Albert Einstein himself stated "I'm not an atheist, and I don't think I can call myself a pantheist ... I believe in Spinoza's God who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings".

    So not an atheist, as I said

    we know now far more about our world than the ancients

    We arent talking about ancients.

    the worlds most popular religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have ancient origins.

    But there were plenty of superficially xtian cults
    that got started in the 19th century and they
    clearly believe in some sky fairy or other.

    in fact one of the main problems Xtianity has is keepingitself relevant
    in the face of ever increasing knowledge

    It really has nothing to do with knowledge.

    and changing social mores that rendersit's teachings redundant or anachronistic.

    Its actually about the church's practices like woman
    priests and stuff like that rather than knowledge

    And we have had new religions in the 20th century
    too like Scientology and the Bagwan etc. Clearly some
    need cults like that, nothing to do with knowledge.

    who founded the most common religions.

    Its far from clear that they did believe the shit they
    spewed or were just good con men who realised
    that they could get their devotees to buy their shit
    if they claimed that some god or other spoke to
    them personally and they just wrote it down like
    the goat fucker claimed.

    Hard to see how someone could just proclaim
    that some god or other had told him that everyone
    had to hack the end off their kid's dick on day 7
    or whenever it is and they just whipped out their
    knives and started hacking away

    Hard to see that even Billy Graham could get away with that.

    for example, we know there is no heaven above us only an incredible
    amazing universe.

    It was never claimed to be something we could see until we carked it

    Religion is clearly a massive con job designed to
    get people to do what they would not otherwise
    do or else they would end up in hell etc and to
    provide a cushy existence for the priest etc.

    Or just a crutch for pathetically inadequate
    'minds' that just can't accept that when you
    die, that's all there is, you just rot or get
    cremated or feasted on by vultures etc.

    also our own intellect challenges religious beliefs. for example, the
    New Testament mentions two genealogies for Jesus that purport to
    establish a lineage to King David. however they contradict each other,

    The problem with that line is that few of the god
    botherers couldn't even read a bible in their own
    language until only few hundred years ago and even
    when they could they still believed the shit in it.
    so the Xtian belief that Jesus is descended from king David is not
    proven. but since Xtians believe that Jesus was born of a virgin

    That is unique to the roman catholic church

    no it's not

    Corse it is. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_devotions#:~:text=Marian%20devotions%20are%20external%20pious,rejected%20in%20other%20Christian%20denominations.

    No one else believes that shit

    impregnated by the spirit of God, any genealogy is irrelevant anyway.
    many religious beliefs are known to be simply wrong, and especially
    the earliest beliefs about the creation of earth and human life.

    Plenty of the worst of them still believe that shit

    And xtianity is just one religion anyway
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Peter Jason@pj@jostle.com to aus.legal on Wed Apr 2 07:03:34 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    On Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:21:11 +1100, "Rod Speed"
    <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:

    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote

    Please advise.

    No they are not copyrighted and you are free to publish them

    Yank stuff has to have a copyright thing on them if they are copyrighted

    Thanx to all. I have asked about the psychology of religious
    followers...including the Freudian explanation. Vis...
    ************************
    In reference to psychoanalysis. What personality traits tend to be
    religious?

    Its been well known that some schitzophrenics do get religious fantasys

    That was clear with Joan of Arc

    ChatGPT said:
    In psychoanalysis, the idea of a "religious personality" has been
    explored, with a particular focus on how religious tendencies are
    shaped by the unconscious mind, early childhood experiences, and
    internal conflicts. Some psychoanalysts, like Sigmund Freud, Carl
    Jung, and Erik Erikson, have explored the intersection of religion and
    personality, each providing their own perspective.

    Key Personality Traits Often Associated with Religion in
    Psychoanalysis:

    Dependence and Need for Protection:

    In psychoanalytic theory, particularly from Freud's perspective,
    religion can be seen as a form of psychological defense mechanism. The
    religious person might exhibit a heightened need for security and
    protection, often seeking solace in the idea of a higher power or
    divine authority. This could stem from early childhood experiences
    where the child felt vulnerable and dependent on caregivers. Religion
    may serve as a means of psychologically compensating for feelings of
    helplessness or anxiety.

    Obedience to Authority:

    Religious personalities often demonstrate a tendency toward
    conformity, obedience, and submission to a higher power or authority
    figure. Freud viewed religion as a projection of the father figure,
    and he believed that people with strong religious tendencies might
    have unresolved issues with their paternal relationships, leading them
    to seek authority in external figures (e.g., God, religious leaders,
    or doctrines).

    Superego Development:

    Freud's concept of the superegouthe part of the psyche that governs
    moral behavioruoften plays a role in religious personalities. Those
    with a religious personality might have an unusually strong superego,
    which drives them to adhere strictly to moral codes, rituals, and
    religious laws. This can lead to a deep sense of guilt and a need for
    atonement, as well as a strong desire to be "good" according to
    religious standards.

    Idealization and Transference:

    Religious individuals may idealize the divine or religious leaders,
    which can be understood as a form of transference (in psychoanalytic
    terms). This is when a person projects feelings from past
    relationships (such as with parents) onto a religious figure or belief
    system. The individual may idealize the religious figure as a source
    of safety, love, and protection.

    Conflict Between Id and Superego:

    The religious person may experience internal conflict between the id
    (representing desires, impulses, and instincts) and the superego
    (representing moralistic, ethical, and religious standards). In
    psychoanalytic theory, this conflict can manifest as guilt,
    repression, and a strong internal drive to avoid sin or wrongdoing,
    often leading to a rigid or highly structured religious adherence.

    Neuroticism:

    In some cases, religion can be linked to neuroticism, where religious
    rituals and practices might serve as a form of psychological coping
    with anxiety, fear, or obsessive tendencies. People with neurotic
    tendencies might rely on religious practices to soothe or regulate
    their emotional states, such as performing rituals repetitively or
    seeking reassurance through prayer.

    Projection:

    Some psychoanalysts suggest that religious individuals might project
    their own repressed emotions, desires, or fears onto external symbols
    or figures, such as gods, spirits, or the devil. This projection can
    serve as a way of dealing with complex emotional states that are
    difficult to process consciously.

    Separation-Individuation:

    From an object relations perspective (which is a psychoanalytic theory
    focusing on the importance of early relationships), religion can also
    be viewed as a way to navigate the process of separation and
    individuation. This process involves an individual gaining a sense of
    self and autonomy from primary caregivers. Religion might serve as a
    way to find a "new parent figure" or a way to cope with the emotional
    challenges of growing up and forming an independent identity.

    Self-Transcendence:

    On a more positive note, some psychoanalysts, particularly Carl Jung,
    saw religious belief as an expression of a deeper yearning for
    self-transcendence or integration. Jung believed that religious
    experiences could play a significant role in the individuation process
    (the development of the whole self), where individuals come to terms
    with both their conscious and unconscious aspects. A religious
    personality, in this sense, might seek connection with something
    larger than themselvesuwhether it's a higher power, the collective
    unconscious, or a sense of cosmic unity.

    To Summarize:
    In psychoanalysis, a "religious personality" might display traits such
    as:

    A heightened need for security and protection

    Obedience to authority figures (divine or human)

    A strong, perhaps guilt-ridden, superego

    Idealization of religious figures

    Conflict between unconscious desires (id) and moral standards
    (superego)

    Neurotic behaviors, particularly related to anxiety and ritualistic
    behavior

    Projection of internal emotional conflicts onto religious symbols

    Different psychoanalysts offer different views on the relationship
    between religion and personality, but overall, they tend to agree that
    religion can serve as both a coping mechanism and a way of navigating
    deeper psychological processes.

    Not bad

    You said:
    Thank you, is epigenetics relevant in ongoing generations to be
    religious?

    ChatGPT said:
    Yes, epigenetics can be relevant in understanding how religious
    tendencies or behaviors might be passed down through generations,
    though it's a more indirect process. Epigenetics refers to changes in
    gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA
    sequence. Instead, it involves mechanisms like DNA methylation or
    histone modification, which can be influenced by environmental factors
    and experiences.

    In the context of religion, epigenetics could play a role in shaping
    religious behavior or tendencies across generations in the following
    ways:

    1. Inherited Stress Responses and Coping Mechanisms:
    Religious practices often serve as coping mechanisms for stress,
    anxiety, and trauma. If certain family or community environments
    (e.g., those involving high levels of stress, hardship, or trauma)
    lead to the development of certain epigenetic markers, these markers
    might be passed down to offspring. This could influence the way future
    generations cope with stress, potentially making them more likely to
    turn to religion or spiritual practices as a source of comfort or
    meaning.

    Example: If an ancestor experienced significant trauma (like war or
    loss), the epigenetic changes from those experiences could influence
    their offspring's responses to stress. This may make the next
    generation more likely to engage in religious or spiritual practices
    that provide emotional comfort and structure.

    2. Social and Cultural Transmission:
    Epigenetic changes can be influenced by the environment and social
    interactions. If religion plays a significant role in a particular
    family or culture, religious behaviors, values, and traditions might
    be transmitted through social learning (like parents teaching their
    children religious practices). Over time, the social environment can
    interact with genetic predispositions, leading to the reinforcement of
    religious behaviors.

    Example: If a family or community has been strongly religious for
    generations, certain epigenetic factors could develop in response to
    the social and cultural environment. These factors may influence how
    individuals in later generations perceive and relate to religion.

    3. Behavioral Epigenetics and Religious Behavior:
    Behavioral epigenetics is a field that looks at how environmental
    factors (like parenting, childhood experiences, social conditions, or
    even religious exposure) influence gene expression. It's possible that
    early experiences with religion, such as the way children are raised
    in religious households or the emotional and psychological benefits of
    religious engagement, could affect the gene expression related to
    emotional regulation, empathy, and social bonding. These biological
    changes might influence the likelihood of future generations adopting
    similar religious practices.

    Example: A child raised in a highly religious environment may develop
    epigenetic changes related to emotional regulation and social
    cooperation. As an adult, this person might be more likely to maintain
    those religious practices, which in turn could influence how they
    raise their own children, continuing the cycle.

    4. Psychological and Emotional Development:
    Psychological traits that are linked to religious behaviorusuch as
    conscientiousness, self-control, or openness to spiritual
    experiencesumight also have an epigenetic component. These traits can
    be influenced by both genetic predispositions and environmental
    factors. If certain epigenetic changes related to these traits are
    passed down, it might increase the likelihood of a person being
    religious or engaging in religious practices.

    Example: If a parent has an epigenetic change that influences
    emotional regulation and moral decision-making (traits that are often
    important in religious contexts), the child may inherit these traits
    and be more likely to be influenced by religious teachings or
    practices.

    5. Intergenerational Effects of Religious Trauma or Experiences:
    In cases of religious trauma, where individuals experience negative
    effects from religious teachings or institutions, there may be lasting
    psychological and emotional impacts that are passed down
    epigenetically. For example, a parent who has experienced religious
    guilt or fear might pass on epigenetic markers that make their
    children more sensitive to similar emotional or psychological
    stressors.

    Example: A parent who has suffered from religiously induced anxiety
    may pass on epigenetic changes that predispose their child to
    heightened sensitivity to guilt or anxiety. If this child then becomes
    involved in religion, the experience could either exacerbate or
    mitigate those predispositions, depending on the context.

    6. Gene-Environment Interactions:
    Religious behavior could also be the result of complex
    gene-environment interactions. Environmental factors, such as exposure
    to religious teachings, community support, or childhood experiences of
    love and security, might shape an individual's religious identity.
    Over time, these environmental influences could lead to epigenetic
    changes that affect emotional and cognitive processes, which may
    influence future generationsA likelihood to engage in religious
    practices.

    Limitations and Considerations:
    Epigenetics is complex: While epigenetics plays a significant role in
    gene expression, it is still an emerging field, and the precise
    mechanisms linking epigenetics to specific behaviors (like religious
    tendencies) are not fully understood.

    Environmental influence: Religious behavior is deeply shaped by
    environmental, cultural, and social factors, and epigenetics alone
    cannot explain religious tendencies. It is likely to be one part of a
    much broader picture that also involves family upbringing, culture,
    community, and personal experiences.

    In Conclusion:
    Epigenetics may influence religious behaviors and tendencies across
    generations, particularly in terms of emotional responses, coping
    mechanisms, and social bonding. However, religion is deeply
    intertwined with cultural, familial, and societal factors, and it is
    the combination of these influencesuboth biological and
    environmentaluthat shapes religious identities across generations.
    While epigenetic changes might subtly influence how individuals
    respond to religious environments or practices, they are not the sole
    determinant of religious belief or behavior.

    ********************************

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a cuckoo up a
    nut tree, and it's all locked in.

    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.

    Probably the rise of the welfare state. Religious institutions were
    always a defacto "welfare state" in education, hospitals, orphanages
    etc, now taken over by govts.

    The difficulty in revruitment of quality clergy given the endless
    opportunities in the secular world.

    The rise in education, news media and prosperity. Religion was
    always the opium of the poorer sort.



    God save us all.

    I'd have you publicly flogged if you hadnt enjoyed that so much the last >tinme

    O goody! Will you wear those 12" pumps, vinyl tights, and purple wig;
    like last time?
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From squeak!@"squeak!"@cheesefactory.com to aus.legal on Wed Apr 2 12:04:56 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    Rod Speed wrote:
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a cuckoo >>>>>> up aa nut tree, and it's all locked in.

    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.

    not really hard to explain.

    We'll see...

    knowledge dispels religious beliefs.

    Doesnt explain why there have been so many
    more atheists in say the last 50 years,

    of course it does. there's less reason to believe in God if we
    discover things we attributed to God have a rational explanation

    That isnt what has happened

    it is what's happened and what is happening. how many ppl do you know
    who believe that thunder and lightning are caused by gods being angry,
    or that the earth is flat?


    or why
    so many of the most famous scientists like
    Darwin and Einstein believed in some sky fairy

    In fact its hard to some up with many who were atheists

    AI says:

    "While Charles Darwin initially had a Unitarian background and
    attended an Anglican school, he later distanced himself from
    organized religion and became an agnostic, not an atheist"

    So not an atheist, as I said

    "Albert Einstein himself stated "I'm not an atheist, and I don't
    think I can call myself a pantheist ... I believe in Spinoza's God
    who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a
    God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings".

    So not an atheist, as I said


    so no longer persons of traditional faith as you claimed

    we know now far more about our world than the ancients

    We arent talking about ancients.

    the worlds most popular religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
    have ancient origins.

    But there were plenty of superficially xtian cults
    that got started in the 19th century and they
    clearly believe in some sky fairy or other.

    in fact one of the main problems Xtianity has isa keeping itself
    relevant in the face of ever increasing knowledge

    It really has nothing to do with knowledge.

    it has everything to do with knowledge. every time something in the
    bible is proven false, it's another nail in the coffin for Xtianity



    anda changing social mores that renders it's teachings redundant ora
    anachronistic.

    Its actually about the church's practices like woman
    priests and stuff like that rather than knowledge

    which is a good example of social mores rendering the church's teachings redundant or anachronistic, just as i said


    And we have had new religions in the 20th century
    too like Scientology and the Bagwan etc. Clearly some
    need cults like that, nothing to do with knowledge.

    who founded the mosta common religions.

    Its far from clear that they did believe the shit they
    spewed or were just good con men who realised
    that they could get their devotees to buy their shit
    if they claimed that some god or other spoke to
    them personally and they just wrote it down like
    the goat fucker claimed.

    Hard to see how someone could just proclaim
    that some god or other had told him that everyone
    had to hack the end off their kid's dick on day 7
    or whenever it is and they just whipped out their
    knives and started hacking away

    Hard to see that even Billy Graham could get away with that.

    for example, we know there is no heaven above us only an incredible
    amazing universe.

    It was never claimed to be something we could see until we carked it

    Religion is clearly a massive con job designed to
    get people to do what they would not otherwise
    do or else they would end up in hell etc and to
    provide a cushy existence for the priest etc.

    Or just a crutch for pathetically inadequate
    'minds' that just can't accept that when you
    die, that's all there is, you just rot or get
    cremated or feasted on by vultures etc.

    also our own intellect challenges religious beliefs. for example,
    the New Testament mentions two genealogies for Jesus that purport
    to establish a lineage to King David. however they contradict each
    other,

    The problem with that line is that few of the god
    botherers couldn't even read a bible in their own
    language until only few hundred years ago and even
    when they could they still believed the shit in it.
    so the Xtian belief that Jesus is descended from king David is not
    proven. but since Xtians believe that Jesus was born of a virgin

    That is unique to the roman catholic church

    no it's not

    Corse it is. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_devotions#:~:text=Marian%20devotions%20are%20external%20pious,rejected%20in%20other%20Christian%20denominations.


    you've misrepresented what I said, viz; "Xtians believe that Jesus was
    born of a virgin impregnated by the spirit of God", which is a core
    tenet of all Christian persuasions. but your right, veneration of Mary
    is a Catholic only thing, afaik.


    No one else believes that shit

    impregnated by the spirit of God, any genealogy is irrelevant
    anyway. many religious beliefs are known to be simply wrong, and
    especially the earliest beliefs about the creation of earth and
    human life.

    Plenty of the worst of them still believe that shit

    And xtianity is just one religion anyway
    --
    You have the right not to post. If you give up the right not
    to post, anything you post can and will be used against you.

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From squeak!@"squeak!"@cheesefactory.com to aus.legal on Wed Apr 2 12:13:20 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    Peter Jason wrote:
    On Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:21:11 +1100, "Rod Speed"
    <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:

    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Please advise.
    No they are not copyrighted and you are free to publish them
    Yank stuff has to have a copyright thing on them if they are copyrighted >>> Thanx to all. I have asked about the psychology of religious
    followers...including the Freudian explanation. Vis...
    ************************
    In reference to psychoanalysis. What personality traits tend to be
    religious?
    Its been well known that some schitzophrenics do get religious fantasys

    That was clear with Joan of Arc

    ChatGPT said:
    In psychoanalysis, the idea of a "religious personality" has been
    explored, with a particular focus on how religious tendencies are
    shaped by the unconscious mind, early childhood experiences, and
    internal conflicts. Some psychoanalysts, like Sigmund Freud, Carl
    Jung, and Erik Erikson, have explored the intersection of religion and
    personality, each providing their own perspective.
    Key Personality Traits Often Associated with Religion in
    Psychoanalysis:

    Dependence and Need for Protection:

    In psychoanalytic theory, particularly from Freud's perspective,
    religion can be seen as a form of psychological defense mechanism. The
    religious person might exhibit a heightened need for security and
    protection, often seeking solace in the idea of a higher power or
    divine authority. This could stem from early childhood experiences
    where the child felt vulnerable and dependent on caregivers. Religion
    may serve as a means of psychologically compensating for feelings of
    helplessness or anxiety.

    Obedience to Authority:

    Religious personalities often demonstrate a tendency toward
    conformity, obedience, and submission to a higher power or authority
    figure. Freud viewed religion as a projection of the father figure,
    and he believed that people with strong religious tendencies might
    have unresolved issues with their paternal relationships, leading them
    to seek authority in external figures (e.g., God, religious leaders,
    or doctrines).

    Superego Development:

    Freud's concept of the superegorCothe part of the psyche that governs
    moral behaviorrCooften plays a role in religious personalities. Those
    with a religious personality might have an unusually strong superego,
    which drives them to adhere strictly to moral codes, rituals, and
    religious laws. This can lead to a deep sense of guilt and a need for
    atonement, as well as a strong desire to be "good" according to
    religious standards.

    Idealization and Transference:

    Religious individuals may idealize the divine or religious leaders,
    which can be understood as a form of transference (in psychoanalytic
    terms). This is when a person projects feelings from past
    relationships (such as with parents) onto a religious figure or belief
    system. The individual may idealize the religious figure as a source
    of safety, love, and protection.

    Conflict Between Id and Superego:

    The religious person may experience internal conflict between the id
    (representing desires, impulses, and instincts) and the superego
    (representing moralistic, ethical, and religious standards). In
    psychoanalytic theory, this conflict can manifest as guilt,
    repression, and a strong internal drive to avoid sin or wrongdoing,
    often leading to a rigid or highly structured religious adherence.

    Neuroticism:

    In some cases, religion can be linked to neuroticism, where religious
    rituals and practices might serve as a form of psychological coping
    with anxiety, fear, or obsessive tendencies. People with neurotic
    tendencies might rely on religious practices to soothe or regulate
    their emotional states, such as performing rituals repetitively or
    seeking reassurance through prayer.

    Projection:

    Some psychoanalysts suggest that religious individuals might project
    their own repressed emotions, desires, or fears onto external symbols
    or figures, such as gods, spirits, or the devil. This projection can
    serve as a way of dealing with complex emotional states that are
    difficult to process consciously.

    Separation-Individuation:

    From an object relations perspective (which is a psychoanalytic theory
    focusing on the importance of early relationships), religion can also
    be viewed as a way to navigate the process of separation and
    individuation. This process involves an individual gaining a sense of
    self and autonomy from primary caregivers. Religion might serve as a
    way to find a "new parent figure" or a way to cope with the emotional
    challenges of growing up and forming an independent identity.

    Self-Transcendence:

    On a more positive note, some psychoanalysts, particularly Carl Jung,
    saw religious belief as an expression of a deeper yearning for
    self-transcendence or integration. Jung believed that religious
    experiences could play a significant role in the individuation process
    (the development of the whole self), where individuals come to terms
    with both their conscious and unconscious aspects. A religious
    personality, in this sense, might seek connection with something
    larger than themselvesrCowhether it's a higher power, the collective
    unconscious, or a sense of cosmic unity.

    To Summarize:
    In psychoanalysis, a "religious personality" might display traits such
    as:

    A heightened need for security and protection

    Obedience to authority figures (divine or human)

    A strong, perhaps guilt-ridden, superego

    Idealization of religious figures

    Conflict between unconscious desires (id) and moral standards
    (superego)

    Neurotic behaviors, particularly related to anxiety and ritualistic
    behavior

    Projection of internal emotional conflicts onto religious symbols

    Different psychoanalysts offer different views on the relationship
    between religion and personality, but overall, they tend to agree that
    religion can serve as both a coping mechanism and a way of navigating
    deeper psychological processes.
    Not bad

    You said:
    Thank you, is epigenetics relevant in ongoing generations to be
    religious?

    ChatGPT said:
    Yes, epigenetics can be relevant in understanding how religious
    tendencies or behaviors might be passed down through generations,
    though it's a more indirect process. Epigenetics refers to changes in
    gene expression that do not involve alterations to the underlying DNA
    sequence. Instead, it involves mechanisms like DNA methylation or
    histone modification, which can be influenced by environmental factors
    and experiences.

    In the context of religion, epigenetics could play a role in shaping
    religious behavior or tendencies across generations in the following
    ways:

    1. Inherited Stress Responses and Coping Mechanisms:
    Religious practices often serve as coping mechanisms for stress,
    anxiety, and trauma. If certain family or community environments
    (e.g., those involving high levels of stress, hardship, or trauma)
    lead to the development of certain epigenetic markers, these markers
    might be passed down to offspring. This could influence the way future
    generations cope with stress, potentially making them more likely to
    turn to religion or spiritual practices as a source of comfort or
    meaning.

    Example: If an ancestor experienced significant trauma (like war or
    loss), the epigenetic changes from those experiences could influence
    their offspring's responses to stress. This may make the next
    generation more likely to engage in religious or spiritual practices
    that provide emotional comfort and structure.

    2. Social and Cultural Transmission:
    Epigenetic changes can be influenced by the environment and social
    interactions. If religion plays a significant role in a particular
    family or culture, religious behaviors, values, and traditions might
    be transmitted through social learning (like parents teaching their
    children religious practices). Over time, the social environment can
    interact with genetic predispositions, leading to the reinforcement of
    religious behaviors.

    Example: If a family or community has been strongly religious for
    generations, certain epigenetic factors could develop in response to
    the social and cultural environment. These factors may influence how
    individuals in later generations perceive and relate to religion.

    3. Behavioral Epigenetics and Religious Behavior:
    Behavioral epigenetics is a field that looks at how environmental
    factors (like parenting, childhood experiences, social conditions, or
    even religious exposure) influence gene expression. It's possible that
    early experiences with religion, such as the way children are raised
    in religious households or the emotional and psychological benefits of
    religious engagement, could affect the gene expression related to
    emotional regulation, empathy, and social bonding. These biological
    changes might influence the likelihood of future generations adopting
    similar religious practices.

    Example: A child raised in a highly religious environment may develop
    epigenetic changes related to emotional regulation and social
    cooperation. As an adult, this person might be more likely to maintain
    those religious practices, which in turn could influence how they
    raise their own children, continuing the cycle.

    4. Psychological and Emotional Development:
    Psychological traits that are linked to religious behaviorrCosuch as
    conscientiousness, self-control, or openness to spiritual
    experiencesrComight also have an epigenetic component. These traits can
    be influenced by both genetic predispositions and environmental
    factors. If certain epigenetic changes related to these traits are
    passed down, it might increase the likelihood of a person being
    religious or engaging in religious practices.

    Example: If a parent has an epigenetic change that influences
    emotional regulation and moral decision-making (traits that are often
    important in religious contexts), the child may inherit these traits
    and be more likely to be influenced by religious teachings or
    practices.

    5. Intergenerational Effects of Religious Trauma or Experiences:
    In cases of religious trauma, where individuals experience negative
    effects from religious teachings or institutions, there may be lasting
    psychological and emotional impacts that are passed down
    epigenetically. For example, a parent who has experienced religious
    guilt or fear might pass on epigenetic markers that make their
    children more sensitive to similar emotional or psychological
    stressors.

    Example: A parent who has suffered from religiously induced anxiety
    may pass on epigenetic changes that predispose their child to
    heightened sensitivity to guilt or anxiety. If this child then becomes
    involved in religion, the experience could either exacerbate or
    mitigate those predispositions, depending on the context.

    6. Gene-Environment Interactions:
    Religious behavior could also be the result of complex
    gene-environment interactions. Environmental factors, such as exposure
    to religious teachings, community support, or childhood experiences of
    love and security, might shape an individual's religious identity.
    Over time, these environmental influences could lead to epigenetic
    changes that affect emotional and cognitive processes, which may
    influence future generationsrCO likelihood to engage in religious
    practices.

    Limitations and Considerations:
    Epigenetics is complex: While epigenetics plays a significant role in
    gene expression, it is still an emerging field, and the precise
    mechanisms linking epigenetics to specific behaviors (like religious
    tendencies) are not fully understood.

    Environmental influence: Religious behavior is deeply shaped by
    environmental, cultural, and social factors, and epigenetics alone
    cannot explain religious tendencies. It is likely to be one part of a
    much broader picture that also involves family upbringing, culture,
    community, and personal experiences.

    In Conclusion:
    Epigenetics may influence religious behaviors and tendencies across
    generations, particularly in terms of emotional responses, coping
    mechanisms, and social bonding. However, religion is deeply
    intertwined with cultural, familial, and societal factors, and it is
    the combination of these influencesrCoboth biological and
    environmentalrCothat shapes religious identities across generations.
    While epigenetic changes might subtly influence how individuals
    respond to religious environments or practices, they are not the sole
    determinant of religious belief or behavior.

    ********************************

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a cuckoo up a
    nut tree, and it's all locked in.
    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.
    Probably the rise of the welfare state. Religious institutions were
    always a defacto "welfare state" in education, hospitals, orphanages
    etc, now taken over by govts.

    The difficulty in revruitment of quality clergy given the endless opportunities in the secular world.

    The rise in education, news media and prosperity. Religion was
    always the opium of the poorer sort.


    I agree with all that. in earlier times the Church was often central to
    the lifestyle of villages and small communities. with changing
    lifestyles resulting from opportunities for travel, increased
    communications, television, the internet, etc, life revolving around
    local institutions has become unnecessary.

    God save us all.
    I'd have you publicly flogged if you hadnt enjoyed that so much the last
    tinme
    O goody! Will you wear those 12" pumps, vinyl tights, and purple wig;
    like last time?
    --
    You have the right not to post. If you give up the right not
    to post, anything you post can and will be used against you.

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rod Speed@rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com to aus.legal on Wed Apr 2 13:41:50 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a cuckoo >>>>>>> up a nut tree, and it's all locked in.

    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.

    not really hard to explain.

    We'll see...

    knowledge dispels religious beliefs.

    Doesnt explain why there have been so many
    more atheists in say the last 50 years,

    of course it does. there's less reason to believe in God if we
    discover things we attributed to God have a rational explanation

    That isnt what has happened

    it is what's happened and what is happening.

    Doesnt explain why there was lots of knowledge
    in the 19th century but very few atheists.

    how many ppl do you know who believe that thunderand lightning are
    caused by gods being angry,

    We stopped doing that LONG before there were many atheists

    or that the earth is flat?

    We stopped doing that LONG before there were many atheists

    or why
    so many of the most famous scientists like
    Darwin and Einstein believed in some sky fairy

    In fact its hard to some up with many who were atheists

    AI says:

    "While Charles Darwin initially had a Unitarian background and
    attended an Anglican school, he later distanced himself from organized >>> religion and became an agnostic, not an atheist"

    So not an atheist, as I said

    "Albert Einstein himself stated "I'm not an atheist, and I don't think >>> I can call myself a pantheist ... I believe in Spinoza's God who
    reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a God
    who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings".

    So not an atheist, as I said

    so no longer persons of traditional faith as you claimed

    I never said anything about traditional faith,
    we are discussing any belief in any sky fairy.

    we know now far more about our world than the ancients

    We arent talking about ancients.

    the worlds most popular religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
    have ancient origins.

    But there were plenty of superficially xtian cults
    that got started in the 19th century and they
    clearly believe in some sky fairy or other.

    in fact one of the main problems Xtianity has is keeping itself
    relevant in the face of ever increasing knowledge

    It really has nothing to do with knowledge.

    it has everything to do with knowledge.

    Are you Punch or Judy ?

    every time something in the bible is proven false,it's another nail in
    the coffin for Xtianity

    Mindlessly simplistic given that everyone knew that
    no one was ever turned to a pillar of salt, that no one
    survived a trip thru a whale and Darwin proved that
    there never was any personal creation of every single
    animal by some god or other in the 19th century but
    that did not produce any atheists then

    and changing social mores that renders it's teachings redundant or
    anachronistic.

    Its actually about the church's practices like woman
    priests and stuff like that rather than knowledge

    which is a good example of social mores rendering the church'steachings redundant or anachronistic, just as i said

    That's not knowledge as you ignorantly claimed.

    And we have had new religions in the 20th century
    too like Scientology and the Bagwan etc. Clearly some
    need cults like that, nothing to do with knowledge.

    who founded the most common religions.

    Its far from clear that they did believe the shit they
    spewed or were just good con men who realised
    that they could get their devotees to buy their shit
    if they claimed that some god or other spoke to
    them personally and they just wrote it down like
    the goat fucker claimed.

    Hard to see how someone could just proclaim
    that some god or other had told him that everyone
    had to hack the end off their kid's dick on day 7
    or whenever it is and they just whipped out their
    knives and started hacking away

    Hard to see that even Billy Graham could get away with that.

    for example, we know there is no heaven above us only an incredible >>>>> amazing universe.

    It was never claimed to be something we could see until we carked it

    Religion is clearly a massive con job designed to
    get people to do what they would not otherwise
    do or else they would end up in hell etc and to
    provide a cushy existence for the priest etc.

    Or just a crutch for pathetically inadequate
    'minds' that just can't accept that when you
    die, that's all there is, you just rot or get
    cremated or feasted on by vultures etc.

    also our own intellect challenges religious beliefs. for example,
    the New Testament mentions two genealogies for Jesus that purport to >>>>> establish a lineage to King David. however they contradict each
    other,

    The problem with that line is that few of the god
    botherers couldn't even read a bible in their own
    language until only few hundred years ago and even
    when they could they still believed the shit in it.
    so the Xtian belief that Jesus is descended from king David is not >>>>> proven. but since Xtians believe that Jesus was born of a virgin

    That is unique to the roman catholic church

    no it's not

    Corse it is.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_devotions#:~:text=Marian%20devotions%20are%20external%20pious,rejected%20in%20other%20Christian%20denominations.

    you've misrepresented what I said, viz; "Xtians believe thatJesus was
    born of a virgin impregnated by the spirit of God",

    Plenty of xtians don't, as that article says,

    which is a core tenet of all Christian persuasions.

    BULLSHIT

    but your right, veneration of Mary is a Catholic only thing, afaik.

    No one else believes that shit

    impregnated by the spirit of God, any genealogy is irrelevant
    anyway. many religious beliefs are known to be simply wrong, and
    especially the earliest beliefs about the creation of earth and
    human life.

    Plenty of the worst of them still believe that shit

    And xtianity is just one religion anyway
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From squeak!@"squeak!"@cheesefactory.com to aus.legal on Wed Apr 2 18:22:31 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    Rod Speed wrote:
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a
    cuckoo up aa nut tree, and it's all locked in.

    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.

    not really hard to explain.

    We'll see...

    knowledge dispels religious beliefs.

    Doesnt explain why there have been so many
    more atheists in say the last 50 years,

    of course it does. there's less reason to believe in God if we
    discover things we attributed to God have a rational explanation

    That isnt what has happened

    it is what's happened and what is happening.

    Doesnt explain why there was lots of knowledge
    in the 19th century but very few atheists.

    there's a lot more knowledge now about everything than there was in the
    1800's


    how many ppl do you knowa who believe that thunder and lightning are
    caused by gods being angry,

    We stopped doing that LONG before there were many atheists

    or that the earth is flat?

    We stopped doing that LONG before there were many atheists

    those are just examples to illustrate the point.


    or why
    so many of the most famous scientists like
    Darwin and Einstein believed in some sky fairy

    In fact its hard to some up with many who were atheists

    AI says:

    "While Charles Darwin initially had a Unitarian background and
    attended an Anglican school, he later distanced himself from
    organized religion and became an agnostic, not an atheist"

    So not an atheist, as I said

    "Albert Einstein himself stated "I'm not an atheist, and I don't
    think I can call myself a pantheist ... I believe in Spinoza's God
    who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a
    God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings".

    So not an atheist, as I said

    so no longer persons of traditional faith as you claimed

    I never said anything about traditional faith,
    we are discussing any belief in any sky fairy.

    belief in God is generally taken to mean belief in a Creator Being, and especially one who takes an interest in human affairs.


    we know now far more about our world than the ancients

    We arent talking about ancients.

    the worlds most popular religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
    have ancient origins.

    But there were plenty of superficially xtian cults
    that got started in the 19th century and they
    clearly believe in some sky fairy or other.

    in fact one of the main problems Xtianity has isa keeping itself
    relevant in the face of ever increasing knowledge

    It really has nothing to do with knowledge.

    it has everything to do with knowledge.

    Are you Punch or Judy ?

    every time something in thea bible is proven false, it's another nail
    in the coffin for Xtianity

    Mindlessly simplistic given that everyone knew that
    no one was ever turned to a pillar of salt, that no one
    survived a trip thru a whale and Darwin proved that
    there never was any personal creation of every single
    animal by some god or other in the 19th century but
    that did not produce any atheists then

    more ppl believed those things in the past than now, and many still do
    believe them


    anda changing social mores that renders it's teachings redundant
    ora anachronistic.

    Its actually about the church's practices like woman
    priests and stuff like that rather than knowledge

    which is a good example of social mores rendering the church's
    teachings redundant or anachronistic, just as i said

    That's not knowledge as you ignorantly claimed.

    you ask why there are more atheists today, and I've given you reasons
    why there are, as has Peter Jason, but you don't seem to want accept any
    of them


    And we have had new religions in the 20th century
    too like Scientology and the Bagwan etc. Clearly some
    need cults like that, nothing to do with knowledge.

    who founded the mosta common religions.

    Its far from clear that they did believe the shit they
    spewed or were just good con men who realised
    that they could get their devotees to buy their shit
    if they claimed that some god or other spoke to
    them personally and they just wrote it down like
    the goat fucker claimed.

    Hard to see how someone could just proclaim
    that some god or other had told him that everyone
    had to hack the end off their kid's dick on day 7
    or whenever it is and they just whipped out their
    knives and started hacking away

    Hard to see that even Billy Graham could get away with that.

    for example, we know there is no heaven above us only an
    incredible amazing universe.

    It was never claimed to be something we could see until we carked it

    Religion is clearly a massive con job designed to
    get people to do what they would not otherwise
    do or else they would end up in hell etc and to
    provide a cushy existence for the priest etc.

    Or just a crutch for pathetically inadequate
    'minds' that just can't accept that when you
    die, that's all there is, you just rot or get
    cremated or feasted on by vultures etc.

    also our own intellect challenges religious beliefs. for example, >>>>>> the New Testament mentions two genealogies for Jesus that purport >>>>>> to establish a lineage to King David. however they contradict
    each other,

    The problem with that line is that few of the god
    botherers couldn't even read a bible in their own
    language until only few hundred years ago and even
    when they could they still believed the shit in it.
    so the Xtian belief that Jesus is descended from king David is
    not proven. but since Xtians believe that Jesus was born of a virgin

    That is unique to the roman catholic church

    no it's not

    Corse it is.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_devotions#:~:text=Marian%20devotions%20are%20external%20pious,rejected%20in%20other%20Christian%20denominations.


    you've misrepresented what I said, viz; "Xtians believe that Jesus
    was born of a virgin impregnated by the spirit of God",

    Plenty of xtians don't, as that article says,

    that article is about Marian devotions, not the Virgin Birth


    which is a core tenet of all Christian persuasions.

    BULLSHIT

    as I said, it's a core belief of the Xtian faith for both protestant and catholic persuasions, and AI agrees..

    "Most mainstream Christian denominations, including Roman Catholic,
    Eastern Orthodox, and many Protestant churches, believe that Jesus was
    born of a virgin, a core tenet of their faith"

    it's part of the Apostles Creed used by mainstream Christian Churches as
    a declaration of faith and for devotions, prayers, etc.,

    "The Apostles' Creed is a statement of Christian faith that has been
    used in various forms since the early centuries of Christianity. It's
    often recited in church services and serves as a summary of essential Christian beliefs."


    but your right, veneration of Mary is a Catholic only thing, afaik.

    No one else believes that shit

    impregnated by the spirit of God, any genealogy is irrelevant
    anyway. many religious beliefs are known to be simply wrong, and
    especially the earliest beliefs about the creation of earth and
    human life.

    Plenty of the worst of them still believe that shit

    And xtianity is just one religion anyway
    --
    You have the right not to post. If you give up the right not
    to post, anything you post can and will be used against you.

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From squeak!@"squeak!"@cheesefactory.com to aus.legal on Wed Apr 2 18:41:38 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    MightyMouse wrote:
    Rod Speed wrote:
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a
    cuckoo up a nut tree, and it's all locked in.

    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.

    not really hard to explain.

    We'll see...

    knowledge dispels religious beliefs.

    Doesnt explain why there have been so many
    more atheists in say the last 50 years,

    of course it does. there's less reason to believe in God if we
    discover things we attributed to God have a rational explanation

    That isnt what has happened

    it is what's happened and what is happening.

    Doesnt explain why there was lots of knowledge
    in the 19th century but very few atheists.

    there's a lot more knowledge now about everything than there was in
    the 1800's


    how many ppl do you knowa who believe that thunder and lightning are
    caused by gods being angry,

    We stopped doing that LONG before there were many atheists

    or that the earth is flat?

    We stopped doing that LONG before there were many atheists

    those are just examples to illustrate the point.


    or why
    so many of the most famous scientists like
    Darwin and Einstein believed in some sky fairy

    In fact its hard to some up with many who were atheists

    AI says:

    "While Charles Darwin initially had a Unitarian background and
    attended an Anglican school, he later distanced himself from
    organized religion and became an agnostic, not an atheist"

    So not an atheist, as I said

    "Albert Einstein himself stated "I'm not an atheist, and I don't
    think I can call myself a pantheist ... I believe in Spinoza's God
    who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in
    a God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings".

    So not an atheist, as I said

    so no longer persons of traditional faith as you claimed

    I never said anything about traditional faith,
    we are discussing any belief in any sky fairy.

    belief in God is generally taken to mean belief in a Creator Being,
    and especially one who takes an interest in human affairs.


    we know now far more about our world than the ancients

    We arent talking about ancients.

    the worlds most popular religions, Judaism, Christianity, and
    Islam have ancient origins.

    But there were plenty of superficially xtian cults
    that got started in the 19th century and they
    clearly believe in some sky fairy or other.

    in fact one of the main problems Xtianity has isa keeping itself
    relevant in the face of ever increasing knowledge

    It really has nothing to do with knowledge.

    it has everything to do with knowledge.

    Are you Punch or Judy ?

    every time something in thea bible is proven false, it's another
    nail in the coffin for Xtianity

    Mindlessly simplistic given that everyone knew that
    no one was ever turned to a pillar of salt, that no one
    survived a trip thru a whale and Darwin proved that
    there never was any personal creation of every single
    animal by some god or other in the 19th century but
    that did not produce any atheists then

    more ppl believed those things in the past than now, and many still do believe them


    anda changing social mores that renders it's teachings redundant
    ora anachronistic.

    Its actually about the church's practices like woman
    priests and stuff like that rather than knowledge

    which is a good example of social mores rendering the church's
    teachings redundant or anachronistic, just as i said

    That's not knowledge as you ignorantly claimed.

    you ask why there are more atheists today, and I've given you reasons
    why there are, as has Peter Jason, but you don't seem to want accept
    any of them


    And we have had new religions in the 20th century
    too like Scientology and the Bagwan etc. Clearly some
    need cults like that, nothing to do with knowledge.

    who founded the mosta common religions.

    Its far from clear that they did believe the shit they
    spewed or were just good con men who realised
    that they could get their devotees to buy their shit
    if they claimed that some god or other spoke to
    them personally and they just wrote it down like
    the goat fucker claimed.

    Hard to see how someone could just proclaim
    that some god or other had told him that everyone
    had to hack the end off their kid's dick on day 7
    or whenever it is and they just whipped out their
    knives and started hacking away

    Hard to see that even Billy Graham could get away with that.

    for example, we know there is no heaven above us only an
    incredible amazing universe.

    It was never claimed to be something we could see until we carked it

    Religion is clearly a massive con job designed to
    get people to do what they would not otherwise
    do or else they would end up in hell etc and to
    provide a cushy existence for the priest etc.

    Or just a crutch for pathetically inadequate
    'minds' that just can't accept that when you
    die, that's all there is, you just rot or get
    cremated or feasted on by vultures etc.

    also our own intellect challenges religious beliefs. for
    example, the New Testament mentions two genealogies for Jesus
    that purport to establish a lineage to King David. however they >>>>>>> contradict each other,

    The problem with that line is that few of the god
    botherers couldn't even read a bible in their own
    language until only few hundred years ago and even
    when they could they still believed the shit in it.
    so the Xtian belief that Jesus is descended from king David is
    not proven. but since Xtians believe that Jesus was born of a
    virgin

    That is unique to the roman catholic church

    no it's not

    Corse it is.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_devotions#:~:text=Marian%20devotions%20are%20external%20pious,rejected%20in%20other%20Christian%20denominations.


    you've misrepresented what I said, viz; "Xtians believe that Jesus
    was born of a virgin impregnated by the spirit of God",

    Plenty of xtians don't, as that article says,

    that article is about Marian devotions, not the Virgin Birth


    which is a core tenet of all Christian persuasions.

    BULLSHIT

    as I said, it's a core belief of the Xtian faith for both protestant
    and catholic persuasions, and AI agrees..

    "Most mainstream Christian denominations, including Roman Catholic,
    Eastern Orthodox, and many Protestant churches, believe that Jesus was
    born of a virgin, a core tenet of their faith"

    it's part of the Apostles Creed used by mainstream Christian Churches
    as a declaration of faith and for devotions, prayers, etc.,

    "The Apostles' Creed is a statement of Christian faith that has been
    used in various forms since the early centuries of Christianity. It's
    often recited in church services and serves as a summary of essential Christian beliefs."


    but your right, veneration of Mary is a Catholic only thing, afaik.

    No one else believes that shit

    impregnated by the spirit of God, any genealogy is irrelevant
    anyway. many religious beliefs are known to be simply wrong, and >>>>>>> especially the earliest beliefs about the creation of earth and >>>>>>> human life.

    Plenty of the worst of them still believe that shit

    And xtianity is just one religion anyway



    btw.. the belief in the virgin birth of Christ as espoused in the New Testament stems from a passage in Isiah referring to a virgin birth.
    however, the Hebrew word used there is 'almah' which normally is used to
    mean a 'young woman', but can also mean a virgin. the Hebrew word for
    virgin is 'betula', so most likely the verse was mistranslated. and
    besides that, it's disputed by biblical scholars whether the Isiah
    passage refers to the birth of Jesus anyway, which most likely it does not.
    --
    You have the right not to post. If you give up the right not
    to post, anything you post can and will be used against you.

    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rod Speed@rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com to aus.legal on Thu Apr 3 02:32:15 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a >>>>>>>>> cuckoo up a nut tree, and it's all locked in.

    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.

    not really hard to explain.

    We'll see...

    knowledge dispels religious beliefs.

    Doesnt explain why there have been so many
    more atheists in say the last 50 years,

    of course it does. there's less reason to believe in God if we
    discover things we attributed to God have a rational explanation

    That isnt what has happened

    it is what's happened and what is happening.

    Doesnt explain why there was lots of knowledge
    in the 19th century but very few atheists.

    there's a lot more knowledge now abouteverything than there was in the 1800's

    But not about stuff that affects the belief in some sky fairy or other.

    how many ppl do you know who believe that thunderand lightning are
    caused by gods being angry,

    We stopped doing that LONG before there were many atheists

    or that the earth is flat?

    We stopped doing that LONG before there were many atheists

    those are just examples to illustrate the point.

    They don't explain why so few believe in some sky fairy NOW

    or why so many of the most famous scientists like
    Darwin and Einstein believed in some sky fairy

    In fact its hard to some up with many who were atheists

    AI says:

    "While Charles Darwin initially had a Unitarian background and
    attended an Anglican school, he later distanced himself from
    organized religion and became an agnostic, not an atheist"

    So not an atheist, as I said

    "Albert Einstein himself stated "I'm not an atheist, and I don't
    think I can call myself a pantheist ... I believe in Spinoza's God >>>>> who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a >>>>> God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings".

    So not an atheist, as I said

    so no longer persons of traditional faith as you claimed

    I never said anything about traditional faith,
    we are discussing any belief in any sky fairy.

    belief in God is generally taken to mean belief in a Creator Being,

    Religion is about a hell of a lot more than just that,
    most obviously with the pollytheistic relgions and
    ancestor worship etc which is in fact much common
    than your simplistic claim about what religion is about.

    and especially one who takes an interest in human affairs.

    Which isnt necessarily about a creator
    god and nothing to do with knowledge.

    we know now far more about our world than the ancients

    We arent talking about ancients.

    the worlds most popular religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam >>>>> have ancient origins.

    But there were plenty of superficially xtian cults
    that got started in the 19th century and they
    clearly believe in some sky fairy or other.

    in fact one of the main problems Xtianity has is keeping itself
    relevant in the face of ever increasing knowledge

    It really has nothing to do with knowledge.

    it has everything to do with knowledge.

    Are you Punch or Judy ?

    every time something in the bible is proven false, it's another nail
    in the coffin for Xtianity

    Mindlessly simplistic given that everyone knew that
    no one was ever turned to a pillar of salt, that no one
    survived a trip thru a whale and Darwin proved that
    there never was any personal creation of every single
    animal by some god or other in the 19th century but
    that did not produce any atheists then

    more ppl believed those things in the pastthan now, and many still do believe them

    Nothing to do with knowledge. Stupid africans
    still believe that if your house is struck by lightning,
    it must have been organised by one of your
    neighbour so its fine to kill them for doing that.

    and changing social mores that rendersit's teachings redundant or >>>>> anachronistic.

    Its actually about the church's practices like woman
    priests and stuff like that rather than knowledge

    which is a good example of social mores rendering the church's
    teachings redundant or anachronistic, just as i said

    That's not knowledge as you ignorantly claimed.

    you ask why there are more atheists today,

    No I didnt.

    and I've given you reasons why there are,

    You actually made ignorant CLAIMS about why
    that happened and can't explain the evidence
    that shows it can't have been due to knowledge
    or a change in social mores

    as has Peter Jason,

    He just made quite different claims.

    but you don't seem to want accept any of them

    Because the evidence doesnt support the
    claims, particularly the fact that the massive
    drop in the belief in some sky fairy or other
    has only happened in the last 50 years or so.

    And we have had new religions in the 20th century
    too like Scientology and the Bagwan etc. Clearly some
    need cults like that, nothing to do with knowledge.

    who founded the most common religions.

    Its far from clear that they did believe the shit they
    spewed or were just good con men who realised
    that they could get their devotees to buy their shit
    if they claimed that some god or other spoke to
    them personally and they just wrote it down like
    the goat fucker claimed.

    Hard to see how someone could just proclaim
    that some god or other had told him that everyone
    had to hack the end off their kid's dick on day 7
    or whenever it is and they just whipped out their
    knives and started hacking away

    Hard to see that even Billy Graham could get away with that.

    for example, we know there is no heaven above us only an
    incredible amazing universe.

    It was never claimed to be something we could see until we carked it

    Religion is clearly a massive con job designed to
    get people to do what they would not otherwise
    do or else they would end up in hell etc and to
    provide a cushy existence for the priest etc.

    Or just a crutch for pathetically inadequate
    'minds' that just can't accept that when you
    die, that's all there is, you just rot or get
    cremated or feasted on by vultures etc.

    also our own intellect challenges religious beliefs. for example, >>>>>>> the New Testament mentions two genealogies for Jesus that purport >>>>>>> to establish a lineage to King David. however they contradict each >>>>>>> other,

    The problem with that line is that few of the god
    botherers could even read a bible in their own
    language until only few hundred years ago and even
    when they could they still believed the shit in it.

    so the Xtian belief that Jesus is descended from king David is not >>>>>>> proven. but since Xtians believe that Jesus was born of a virgin

    That is unique to the roman catholic church

    no it's not

    Corse it is.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_devotions#:~:text=Marian%20devotions%20are%20external%20pious,rejected%20in%20other%20Christian%20denominations.

    you've misrepresented what I said, viz; "Xtians believe that Jesus was >>> born of a virgin impregnated by the spirit of God",

    Plenty of xtians don't, as that article says,

    that article is about Marian devotions, not the Virgin Birth

    There can be no Marian devotion without a belief in virgin birth

    which is a core tenet of all Christian persuasions.

    BULLSHIT

    as I said, it's a core belief of the Xtian faith for both protestant

    You are completely wrong about that.

    and catholic persuasions,

    and AI agrees..

    No it doesnt with protestants.

    "Most mainstream Christian denominations, including Roman Catholic,
    Eastern Orthodox, and many Protestant churches,

    Only some of them which were rebranded roman catholicism.

    believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, a core tenet of their faith"

    Bullshit its a core tenet of their faith. That only gets
    a mention twice is their collection of fairy storys.

    it's part of the Apostles Creed used by mainstream Christian Churches as
    a declaration of faith and for devotions, prayers, etc.,

    "The Apostles' Creed is a statement of Christian faith that has been
    used in various forms since the early centuries of Christianity. It's
    often recited in church services and serves as a summary of essential Christian beliefs."

    Not true of most non roman catholic traditions.

    but your right, veneration of Mary is a Catholic only thing, afaik.

    No one else believes that shit

    impregnated by the spirit of God, any genealogy is irrelevant
    anyway. many religious beliefs are known to be simply wrong, and >>>>>>> especially the earliest beliefs about the creation of earth and >>>>>>> human life.

    Plenty of the worst of them still believe that shit

    And xtianity is just one religion anyway
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Rod Speed@rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com to aus.legal on Thu Apr 3 02:37:13 2025
    From Newsgroup: aus.legal

    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    MightyMouse wrote:
    Rod Speed wrote:
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    MightyMouse <squeak!@cheesefactory.com> wrote
    Rod Speed wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote
    Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
    Peter Jason <pj@jostle.com> wrote

    To summarize therefore, religious people are as crazy as a >>>>>>>>>> cuckoo up a nut tree, and it's all locked in.

    Yep, but the real problem with that claim is that it is
    hard to explain why almost everyone was a nut case
    at one time and now far fewer are.

    not really hard to explain.

    We'll see...

    knowledge dispels religious beliefs.

    Doesnt explain why there have been so many
    more atheists in say the last 50 years,

    of course it does. there's less reason to believe in God if we
    discover things we attributed to God have a rational explanation

    That isnt what has happened

    it is what's happened and what is happening.

    Doesnt explain why there was lots of knowledge
    in the 19th century but very few atheists.

    there's a lot more knowledge now about everything than there was in the
    1800's


    how many ppl do you know who believe that thunder and lightning are >>>> caused by gods being angry,

    We stopped doing that LONG before there were many atheists

    or that the earth is flat?

    We stopped doing that LONG before there were many atheists

    those are just examples to illustrate the point.


    or why
    so many of the most famous scientists like
    Darwin and Einstein believed in some sky fairy

    In fact its hard to some up with many who were atheists

    AI says:

    "While Charles Darwin initially had a Unitarian background and
    attended an Anglican school, he later distanced himself from
    organized religion and became an agnostic, not an atheist"

    So not an atheist, as I said

    "Albert Einstein himself stated "I'm not an atheist, and I don't >>>>>> think I can call myself a pantheist ... I believe in Spinoza's God >>>>>> who reveals himself in the orderly harmony of what exists, not in a >>>>>> God who concerns himself with fates and actions of human beings".

    So not an atheist, as I said

    so no longer persons of traditional faith as you claimed

    I never said anything about traditional faith,
    we are discussing any belief in any sky fairy.

    belief in God is generally taken to mean belief in a Creator Being, and
    especially one who takes an interest in human affairs.


    we know now far more about our world than the ancients

    We arent talking about ancients.

    the worlds most popular religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam >>>>>> have ancient origins.

    But there were plenty of superficially xtian cults
    that got started in the 19th century and they
    clearly believe in some sky fairy or other.

    in fact one of the main problems Xtianity has is keeping itself >>>>>> relevant in the face of ever increasing knowledge

    It really has nothing to do with knowledge.

    it has everything to do with knowledge.

    Are you Punch or Judy ?

    every time something in the bible is proven false, it's another nail >>>> in the coffin for Xtianity

    Mindlessly simplistic given that everyone knew that
    no one was ever turned to a pillar of salt, that no one
    survived a trip thru a whale and Darwin proved that
    there never was any personal creation of every single
    animal by some god or other in the 19th century but
    that did not produce any atheists then

    more ppl believed those things in the past than now, and many still do
    believe them


    and changing social mores that renders it's teachings redundant >>>>>> or anachronistic.

    Its actually about the church's practices like woman
    priests and stuff like that rather than knowledge

    which is a good example of social mores rendering the church's
    teachings redundant or anachronistic, just as i said

    That's not knowledge as you ignorantly claimed.

    you ask why there are more atheists today, and I've given you reasons
    why there are, as has Peter Jason, but you don't seem to want accept
    any of them


    And we have had new religions in the 20th century
    too like Scientology and the Bagwan etc. Clearly some
    need cults like that, nothing to do with knowledge.

    who founded the most common religions.

    Its far from clear that they did believe the shit they
    spewed or were just good con men who realised
    that they could get their devotees to buy their shit
    if they claimed that some god or other spoke to
    them personally and they just wrote it down like
    the goat fucker claimed.

    Hard to see how someone could just proclaim
    that some god or other had told him that everyone
    had to hack the end off their kid's dick on day 7
    or whenever it is and they just whipped out their
    knives and started hacking away

    Hard to see that even Billy Graham could get away with that.

    for example, we know there is no heaven above us only an
    incredible amazing universe.

    It was never claimed to be something we could see until we carked >>>>>>> it

    Religion is clearly a massive con job designed to
    get people to do what they would not otherwise
    do or else they would end up in hell etc and to
    provide a cushy existence for the priest etc.

    Or just a crutch for pathetically inadequate
    'minds' that just can't accept that when you
    die, that's all there is, you just rot or get
    cremated or feasted on by vultures etc.

    also our own intellect challenges religious beliefs. for example, >>>>>>>> the New Testament mentions two genealogies for Jesus that purport >>>>>>>> to establish a lineage to King David. however they contradict >>>>>>>> each other,

    The problem with that line is that few of the god
    botherers couldn't even read a bible in their own
    language until only few hundred years ago and even
    when they could they still believed the shit in it.
    so the Xtian belief that Jesus is descended from king David is >>>>>>>> not proven. but since Xtians believe that Jesus was born of a >>>>>>>> virgin

    That is unique to the roman catholic church

    no it's not

    Corse it is.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marian_devotions#:~:text=Marian%20devotions%20are%20external%20pious,rejected%20in%20other%20Christian%20denominations.

    you've misrepresented what I said, viz; "Xtians believe that Jesus
    was born of a virgin impregnated by the spirit of God",

    Plenty of xtians don't, as that article says,

    that article is about Marian devotions, not the Virgin Birth


    which is a core tenet of all Christian persuasions.

    BULLSHIT

    as I said, it's a core belief of the Xtian faith for both protestant
    and catholic persuasions, and AI agrees..

    "Most mainstream Christian denominations, including Roman Catholic,
    Eastern Orthodox, and many Protestant churches, believe that Jesus was
    born of a virgin, a core tenet of their faith"

    it's part of the Apostles Creed used by mainstream Christian Churches
    as a declaration of faith and for devotions, prayers, etc.,

    "The Apostles' Creed is a statement of Christian faith that has been
    used in various forms since the early centuries of Christianity. It's
    often recited in church services and serves as a summary of essential
    Christian beliefs."


    but your right, veneration of Mary is a Catholic only thing, afaik.

    No one else believes that shit

    impregnated by the spirit of God, any genealogy is irrelevant >>>>>>>> anyway. many religious beliefs are known to be simply wrong, and >>>>>>>> especially the earliest beliefs about the creation of earth and >>>>>>>> human life.

    Plenty of the worst of them still believe that shit

    And xtianity is just one religion anyway

    btw.. the belief in the virgin birth of Christ as espoused in the New Testament stems from a passage in Isiah referring to a virgin birth.

    Bullshit and it only gets a mention twice in the collection of fairy storys

    however, the Hebrew word used there is 'almah' which normally is used to mean a 'young woman', but can also mean a virgin. the Hebrew word for virgin is 'betula', so most likely the verse was mistranslated.

    The two who mentioned what that slut claimed didnt speak hebrew and there
    were no translations for them to read when they made that stupid claim.

    and besides that, it's disputed by biblical scholars whether the Isiah passage refers to the birth of Jesus anyway, which most likely it does
    not.

    Irrelevant to what that slut is said to have claimed. No evidence that she ever did
    --- Synchronet 3.21d-Linux NewsLink 1.2