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GeekNights 080327 - What do we do?

RymRym
edited March 2008 in Everything Else
Tonight on GeekNights, we had intended to talk about Monty Python. Instead, after Rym discusses some politics, Scott's news turns into an entire show. Thus, I'm afraid we spend much of tonight's show talking about something very sad.

Scott's Thing - The Best Thing Ever
Rym's Thing - Atheism and Spirituality (and Alan Watts)
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Comments

  • ZakoSoldierZakoSoldier
    Does not work
  • Li_AkahiLi_Akahi
    ...something very sad.
    That is terrible, both the event and the grammar used in the article. It should have been obvious that this girl was not in good health for more than just a week, she had probably been showing signs that her health was deteriorating long before that. Her parents must have just been too stupid to notice. They are truly scum of the earth for what they have done.
  • DiagorasDiagoras
    Scott's Thing -The Best Thing Ever
    Chocolate and Bacon? I hope you are kidding. That sounds like something used at Guantanamo.
  • laiklaik
    edited March 2008
    Um, the turtles' pink.
    Post edited by laik on
  • ZeehatZeehat
    I've heard similar stories to that sad one. People just don't give up.
  • CalcaneusCalcaneus
    What is wrong with these people? While I am no expert, I don't know of any part of the Bible that outright suggests not to go to a hospital or seek medical help,
  • AprecheApreche
    What is wrong with these people? While I am no expert, I don't know of any part of the Bible that outright suggests not to go to a hospital or seek medical help,
    It says that if you pray, then god will help you. Praying is easy and cheap. It also makes you feel good if you are a believer. It's not hard to see why a religious nut would choose praying over insulin shots and other unpleasant expensive medical procedures.
  • toonmainettoonmainet
    Are you guys going to do Monty Python next week?
  • AprecheApreche
    edited March 2008
    Are you guys going to do Monty Python next week?
    /sigh
    I really didn't want to do this episode. I wanted to do Monty Python. I should have picked a different news, but when I saw this news, I had to do it. Now I'm all bleh from a not happy episode.
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • VigaViga
    You know what. A long time ago in my old church a family was considering the same tactics that family did. Everyone in the church basically said don't be stupid. Take her to the doctor now. These people needed that. This story reminded me of that.

    I think faith is all well and good but you should do what you can to help yourself as well.

    Meh. I don't know. This story just struck a big cord in me and now I'm sad. I'm not sure what to say or think. It tears me up. In the end faith can't be the be all end all. With this and my personal experiences as reference there's nothing left. Meh. Maybe I think differently because I'm not a christian or an atheist.
  • edifolco25edifolco25
    This story turns my stomach. I have no problem with people who are religious or have faith in god. My parents still go to church every week. However, even though my parents have a strong faith, when we kids growing up and we got sick, they took us to see the god-damned doctor. Why? Because they aren't fucking insane.
  • RailithRailith
    People kill other people because of their beliefs all the time whether those beliefs are religious or otherwise.
  • StarfoxStarfox
    They lived in Wisconsin, so that already tells you something.
    WTF is that supposed to mean?
  • laiklaik
    I have to say, that in this case i see there dilemma. My (Mexican) Grandma has done the same thing when her dad (so my great grandpa) was very ill all she did was pray. Even though there was nothing she could do. So being Mexican, and living in Mexico she was hard core catholic. and thats the way she was raised to handle thing. But in my case it was different i was raised the "health care" way.
  • laiklaik
    They lived in Wisconsin, so that already tells you something.
    WTF is that supposed to mean?
    That means people in Wisconsin's are intherior to the great state of Minnesotans .
  • kage_rodkage_rod
    edited March 2008
    I don't think it has anything to do with religion. That's the only thing I disagree with you on. Yes, religion was their excuse, but that's no reason to hate religion - after all, faith has saved a lot more people than killed.
    (By the way - in my mind, religion is different from beliefs in general - one can be faithful and believe in God, but not be religious or follow anything written/said anywhere - these people were religious.)

    I think that the couple should be put into jail and their kids taken away, myself. It seems simple.
    Post edited by kage_rod on
  • MitchyDMitchyD
    I... What?! THIS IS FUCKING INSANE. This is why religion is bullshit... Words can not express how frustrated I am over this news story.
  • Conan-SanConan-San
    It's just like everything else in this good world, most things are OK on their own, but then you get jokers like these idiots who ruin it and create the negative view.
    See just about every games console fandom ever.

    Whilst I'm of the opinion that being religious is fine, I'm not fine with stupid shit like this.
  • ErynEryn
    edited March 2008
    This joke/story/fable is old and well-known, and it's getting bandied about around the web a bunch thanks to this news story. For those who have never heard it before, though, this is a very appropriate analogue to what these people were thinking and what they should have been thinking, even being religious:
    [A man] heard a radio report that the river was going to rush up and flood the town. And that all the residents should evacuate their homes. But the man said, 'I'm religious. I pray. God loves me. God will save me.'

    The waters rose up. A guy in a row boat came along and he shouted, 'Hey, hey you! You in there. The town is flooding. Let me take you to safety.' But the man shouted back, 'I'm religious. I pray. God loves me. God will save me.'

    A helicopter was hovering overhead. And a guy with a megaphone shouted, 'Hey you, you down there. The town is flooding. Let me drop this ladder and I'll take you to safety.' But the man shouted back that he was religious, that he prayed, that God loved him and that God will take him to safety.

    Well... the man drowned. And standing at the gates of St. Peter, he demanded an audience with God. 'Lord,' he said, 'I'm a religious man, I pray. I thought you loved me. Why did this happen?'

    God said, 'I sent you a radio report, a helicopter, and a guy in a rowboat. What the hell are you doing here?
    Post edited by Eryn on
  • GunfireGunfire
    edited March 2008
    You lose your rights when you infringe upon the rights of another, and when someone is in your charge, passive transgression should bear the same punishment as active. With regard to that punishment, any parent, claming to love his/her child, confronted with the evidence that his/her inaction lead directly to the death of his/her child, and having no sense of self-blame, is quite obviously mentally disturbed.
    Post edited by Gunfire on
  • AprecheApreche
    They lived in Wisconsin, so that already tells you something.
    WTF is that supposed to mean?
    Packers fans.
  • RymRym
    Yes, religion was their excuse, but that's no reason to hate religion
    No, it's just one more reason.
    faith has saved a lot more people than killed.
    I'd highly doubt that.
  • chaosof99chaosof99
    Packers fans.
    C'mon, people who wear blocks of cheese on their heads are without a doubt completely normal.
  • lackofcheeselackofcheese
    I'd like to see one example where people of no faith did something like this...
  • RymRym
    I'd like to see one example where people of no faith did something like this...
    Well, there are the people who refuse real medicine for homeopathy and other nonsense. It's not religion, but it's most certainly unfounded and unwarranted faith, which really makes it no different.
  • lackofcheeselackofcheese
    Yeah, that's why I worded it as "no faith" ;)
  • RymRym
    I don't think it has anything to do with religion.
    Actually, I feel as though this statement belittles their faith no less than the things I say about anyone else's. Actions aside, their beliefs were no more founded than the beliefs of any other religion in the world. Any indictment against the validity of their beliefs is equally applicable to any christian, nay, anyone adherent to any religion.

    The evidence that they are "right" is equal in strength to the evidence that any other religion is. You shouldn't discriminate.
  • lackofcheeselackofcheese
    edited March 2008
    Agreed.
    Faith is believing in something, despite inadequate evidence, and acting upon that belief.

    All faiths should be treated equally, religious or not. Also, faith is always a negative trait in a human being, because it removes the utterly crucial step in a person's reasoning which is "what if I'm wrong?"


    If at the very least those parents had thought along those lines, then they'd think:
    -What if I'm wrong and God won't save our daughter
    -She would die
    -We don't want that

    Seriously, every last little bit of faith is a detriment to the world. No more needs to be said.
    Post edited by lackofcheese on
  • RymRym
    Well, a degree of faith is necessary as, being solipsistic beings, we cannot prove to ourselves that anything exists beyond our own consciousness. The key, however, is that all rational faith includes doubt. That doubt is what makes a human being rational. Faith must crumble in the face of contradictory evidence. Anything less is, to not mince words, pathetic.
  • chaosof99chaosof99
    I'd like to see one example where people of no faith did something like this...
    I hope you didn't just say that you want to see another death caused by stupidity.
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