Educating Yourself...maybe

[DGS49]

On the subject of self-examination, is there anything you can think of, that you believed as an adult, and you gave up that belief when presented with factual evidence to the contrary?

I believed in "Evolution," then when the evidence against it became overwhelming, I abandoned that belief.

I believed in the efficacy of the Death Penalty, then saw how rarely and capriciously it is meted out, and no longer believe it is efficacious (and it should be abolished by Constitutional Amendment).

I believed that doctors, lawyers, and graduates of Ivy League schools MUST BE SMART. Then I saw countless examples of idiots with those credentials.

I believed that homosexuality (males only; female is an entirely different proposition) was "learned "behavior. I have reviewed the evidence and it is inherent.

I believed that "rich" people probably did something wrong to become rich (inheritance is a separate case), and now I no longer believe that.

I used to think that if a person were "smart" enough, s/he would eventually align their beliefs with the other "smart" people and the "right" answers would ultimately prevail. Now I see that there are some very smart people - smarter than me to be sure - who are idiots (e.g., Rachel Maddow). But there are also a lot of smarter-then-me people who agree with me totally (or do I agree with them? No matter). Really smart people can disagree, even about very basic facts and principles. This is surprising to me.

I can't think of any religious "facts" that I have had to abandon due to late-arriving factual information.

It's an interesting exercise.

Anyone else?

 

[toobfreak]

I believed in "Evolution," then when the evidence against it became overwhelming, I abandoned that belief.

"Overwhelming evidence?" You might want to go back and reexamine that again.

I believed that homosexuality (males only; female is an entirely different proposition) was "learned "behavior. I have reviewed the evidence and it is inherent.

It may be "wired in" much like left-handedness.

 

[Votto]

I once believed in the gospel of spreading democracy, as if it was a virtue in an of itself that will help "fix" society.

But then I witnessed the terrorist group Hamas being elected in Gaza as the people's representative, whose only ambition in life was to wage war with Israel, at any cost, and with total disregard to human life on either side, I realized I was wrong

Then a light bulb went off and realized that only a moral people can be free. Any society that has the morality of a jail cell can only build a wall around them and hire a warden to help maintain a civil society. Democracy means nothing to such a people because they will only elect people like themselves.

As for the "gay thing", I think it is both naturally occurring and learned. The ancient society of Sparta is proof of it being learned as all male warriors had sex with other males, which is clear evidence of it being learned.

But then, if it is only learned, where did it start to begin with?

So, yea, it is both.

I also used to believe in a young earth via creationism, but that has changed to an Old earth view.

As for evolution, I was never sold on it but have realized not all of it's findings are wrong. It's a mixed bag.

 

[sparky]

most dogs are better people than....people DG........because smart has nothing to do with moral fiber.....~S~

 

[LuckyDuck01!]

My beliefs since becoming an adult haven't changed one bit and I'm well over 70 years of age.
Evolution: Never believed in a deity as the so-called holy books were created by people who lived in a far more primitive era rife with superstition. Evolution is no longer called a theory, but fact and I'm not changing on that.
Death Penalty: In criminal justice classes the professor cited that there have been multiple instances in the past where innocent people were executed by the state.
That's horrible.....but.....now, if we have DNA, video and physical evidence (murder weapon with prints/DNA, corroborating witnesses, et cetera) of the murderer who committed the crime and the crime is particularly horrible, or the person is a serial or mass killer, then keep the death penalty.
I've never believed that just because you graduated from some ivory tower, you were so intelligent that everything that spills out of your mouth is pure gold.
Homosexuality: Humans aren't the only species to have elements within a society to have individuals with prevalences toward the same sex. In some Polynesian societies, if they have several masculine males and no female offspring, the last born "becomes" the designated feminine model for the group. Interesting.
Rich people: I agree wholeheartedly with the statement. Many people get rich by creating/inventing products, patent them and then sell the products, thereby getting rich. That doesn't mean there aren't examples of unscrupulous individuals who got rich by victimizing people.
While individuals can be smart and "some" of those that they associate with can also be very intelligent, mobs/groups in general tend to be much less so.

 

[Zincwarrior]

most dogs are better people than....people DG........because smart has nothing to do with moral fiber.....~S~

Pood agrees!

 

[1srelluc]

I believe Pluto is still a planet....That's all I got.

 

[DGS49]

As for Evolution, the only people who are convinced that it is "fact" are those with zero scientific chops. Indeed, the biology community has coined the expression, "NeoEvolutionist" to take heat away from those who maintain the "faith" in it. The linked article, should one choose to read it closely, explains why Evolution simply cannot be the case. Science, not feelings.

The Biggest Lie of Them All

Exploring the biggest lie: evolution and its impact on belief and society.

townhall.com

 

[Woodznutz]

"Overwhelming evidence?" You might want to go back and reexamine that again.

The evidence for special creation is overwhelming, so it does leave evolution in the dust.

A metaphor for the two beliefs can be extrapolated from a humorous bit from Mark Twain.

"There are two most remarkable men in the world, Kipling, and myself. Together we possess all knowledge. Kipling knows all that can be known...and I know the rest."

 

[Woodznutz]

Death Penalty: In criminal justice classes the professor cited that there have been multiple instances in the past where innocent people were executed by the state.
That's horrible.....but.....now, if we have DNA, video and physical evidence (murder weapon with prints/DNA, corroborating witnesses, et cetera) of the murderer who committed the crime and the crime is particularly horrible, or the person is a serial or mass killer, then keep the death penalty.

Most murder victims are also criminals, so executing the murderer is a 'twofer'.

 

[Anathema]

The only viewpoint I’ve changed as an adult has been my religious affiliation, abd that was caused more by personal experiences than “facts”.

 

[toobfreak]

Most murder victims are also criminals,

Most victims of murder are already criminals themselves therefore deserved death?

 

[Woodznutz]

Most victims of murder are already criminals themselves therefore deserved death?

Apparently, the state thinks so. As long as they are in prison, they are pretty safe from being murdered, and from murdering someone. However, the state releases them onto "the mean streets" ostensibly so they will be murdered.

Actually, there's some logic to that.

 

[sparky]

Anyone else?

the problem is the facts and science are biased DG

~S~

 

[Jarlaxle]

Most murder victims are also criminals, so executing the murderer is a 'twofer'.

What.

Apparently, the state thinks so. As long as they are in prison, they are pretty safe from being murdered, and from murdering someone. However, the state releases them onto "the mean streets" ostensibly so they will be murdered.

Actually, there's some logic to that.

No, that's gibberish.

 

[Woodznutz]

What.



No, that's gibberish.

What.

One study revealed that 67 percent of murders were crooks killing crooks.

Victims are often criminals, and that is a paradox American policing can’t solve

Police cannot truly safeguard the same people at whom they regularly point their guns.

theoutline.com

No, that's gibberish.

Can you explain why career criminals are routinely released from prison?
Or why drunk drivers are allowed to drive after multiple DUI convictions?

 

[Zebra]

My beliefs since becoming an adult haven't changed one bit and I'm well over 70 years of age.
Evolution: Never believed in a deity as the so-called holy books were created by people who lived in a far more primitive era rife with superstition. Evolution is no longer called a theory, but fact and I'm not changing on that.
Death Penalty: In criminal justice classes the professor cited that there have been multiple instances in the past where innocent people were executed by the state.
That's horrible.....but.....now, if we have DNA, video and physical evidence (murder weapon with prints/DNA, corroborating witnesses, et cetera) of the murderer who committed the crime and the crime is particularly horrible, or the person is a serial or mass killer, then keep the death penalty.
I've never believed that just because you graduated from some ivory tower, you were so intelligent that everything that spills out of your mouth is pure gold.
Homosexuality: Humans aren't the only species to have elements within a society to have individuals with prevalences toward the same sex. In some Polynesian societies, if they have several masculine males and no female offspring, the last born "becomes" the designated feminine model for the group. Interesting.
Rich people: I agree wholeheartedly with the statement. Many people get rich by creating/inventing products, patent them and then sell the products, thereby getting rich. That doesn't mean there aren't examples of unscrupulous individuals who got rich by victimizing people.
While individuals can be smart and "some" of those that they associate with can also be very intelligent, mobs/groups in general tend to be much less so.

a good list!

 

[Woodznutz]

As for Evolution, the only people who are convinced that it is "fact" are those with zero scientific chops. Indeed, the biology community has coined the expression, "NeoEvolutionist" to take heat away from those who maintain the "faith" in it. The linked article, should one choose to read it closely, explains why Evolution simply cannot be the case. Science, not feelings.

The Biggest Lie of Them All

Exploring the biggest lie: evolution and its impact on belief and society.

townhall.com

You don't need a microscope to debunk evolution, just the normal measure of brain cells.