The superiority of one's beliefs

[Mr Walker]

2 hours ago, Sherapy said:

Resting heart rate seems a bit low.

lol No it is actually  excellent. It is the resting heart rate of an athlete, but in my case its governed by my pacemaker. It was set because this was my resting heart rate after my last opertion and was considered excellent during cardio  physio rehab. I am a lucky person, whose heart rate returns rapidly to resting  after exercise. 

Most westerners tend to have too high a heart rate, along with  higher  blood pressure and other results of a sedentary life 

[Mr Walker]

3 hours ago, joc said:

News Flash!  Part of Human Nature IS our animal nature...it's called the Primitive Brain.  We can never evolve beyond what we have always been...animals...very intelligent animals.  Neo Cortex surrounding the Primitive Brain.  Evolution takes a long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long, long...

...time.

lol yes i am very aware of that, but we are no longer apes living in trees.

We live together in close knit communities  with complex environments and challenges  The old responses are no longer pro survival but anti survival.(eg eating all you can while food is available, to survive through the lean times  or responding to  a threat with only fight or flight response rather than intelligence )  We need to respond more with our brains  and less with our bodies, and yes of course we can evolve our responses and behaviours, because a slef aware mind, with discipline, can overcome any biological impulses.  Hence we can obey rules laws and regulations by choice.

Its  evolution of behaviour not body. It is also self directed evolution, and later may even include genetic engineering to improve our social behaviours, controls, and self discipline.

Humans have already stepped far beyond natural evolution, and yet  we are only on the first few steps of the journey to fulfilling our potential 

Of course we are animals but so far we are very unique animals  Humans are one of a kind on this planet  (so far) 

I assume you can control your desires and anger etc 

I assume you know concepts like right and wrong, and try to do right.

I assume  you  can  consciously "feel"   guilt conscience and pride

You are thus more than JUST another primate More than JUST an animal . 

You are human with all the rights and responsibilities that come with being human  

Edited February 3, 2020 by Mr Walker

[Mr Walker]

2 hours ago, Sherapy said:

Meaning?

meaning social behaviours social ethics values and moralities also evolve.

Indeed, any organism evolves over time, including  human societies. 

[Mr Walker]

2 hours ago, Sherapy said:

We probably wouldn’t say “evolve” we would say matured or grew up. It is common to say I was young, or he’s young or she is young eventually they will grow up.

 

Nup. biological evolution is only a subset of general evolution

Evolution, as a term, is much wider than biological evolution  

It began in the early 17th century as a term for unrolling  and by the early 18th century was  a military term ie an evolution of troops meant a wheeling maneuver in a military or naval  group  

 

quote

evolution

[ ev-uh-loo-shuhn or, esp. British, ee-vuh- ]SHOW IPA

SEE SYNONYMS FOR evolution ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

any process of formation or growth; development:the evolution of a language; the evolution of the airplane.

a product of such development; something evolved:The exploration of space is the evolution of decades of research.

Biology. change in the gene pool of a population from generation to generation by such processes as mutation, natural selection, and genetic drift.

a process of gradual, peaceful, progressive change or development, as in social or economic structure or institutions.

a motion incomplete in itself, but combining with coordinated motions to produce a single action, as in a machine.

a pattern formed by or as if by a series of movements:

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/evolution

 

[Mr Walker]

2 hours ago, Habitat said:

Any kind of personal growth is an evolution, an unfolding, a gradual change. I think that was more what Mr W was talking about social progress, individual maturation, he wasn't talking so much about genetics.

Indeed. see post above

Humans have evolved their behaviours constantly and dramatically over the last 10000 years  to respond to changing environments 

With the huge present changes in human environments will come the biggest evolutionary changes in human society that  we have ever seen.

it began in the 50s/sixties and is progressing today with. so far. no end in sight . 

[Mr Walker]

2 hours ago, Sherapy said:

Personal growth is a process of maturation.

Culturally we would call it progress.

Evolution is typically used for Science. 

I have heard spiritualists refer to their growth as evolving.

 

While evolution IS used specifically in science, science adopted it from a wider cultural usage which still exists, to describe the process of biological change  

This is the problem with people who have limited  knowledge or understanding on a topic. They think  their interpretation is the only valid one 

For example "The role and status of women has evoved rapidly and markedly since the 50s in western societies"

is a standard and normal use of the term  

so is" The fleet performed a complex evolution."   

Edited February 3, 2020 by Mr Walker

[Daughter of the Nine Moons]

My goodness, you folks love to argue with each other. One thread gets closed and without skipping a beat it's back to this one. Let's try to keep this one civil without the usual sniping and personal commentary.

[XenoFish]

1 hour ago, Daughter of the Nine Moons said:

My goodness, you folks love to argue with each other. One thread gets closed and without skipping a beat it's back to this one. Let's try to keep this one civil without the usual sniping and personal commentary.

Keep things civil? That would be a miracle.

[docyabut2]

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2019 at 7:07 PM, Jodie.Lynne said:

Often on these boards, we see an attitude of superiority, from both the believers and the non believers in religion, spirituality, or deity.

I see a lot of signs of smug satisfaction on the part of believers, with a strong dose of sympathy thrown in. 

And on the part of non-believers, I also see an intellectual smugness, being that those folk are 'smarter than the primitives'. ( yes, I have been guilty of this myself, but I am trying to be better)

 

For the record, I don't believe in any of the religions that man has concocted. Nor do I embrace 'spirituality', because it sounds just like religion, without the structure. Kind of like saying something isn't 'red', it's 'cinnamon'. Or "It's not a 'used car', it's 'pre-owned'." No offense is intended to anyone, just my own POV on the subject that changing the nomenclature, doesn't change the subject matter.

In my life, I really don't care what anyone believes, as long as it doesn't harm or impinge on others. If a person wants to believe that they are better than others, because of their faith, or their skin colour, or who they identify as, or who they love, then that is their prerogative. AS LONG AS... they do not try to impose those views on others. 

 

So my question is.....

Does you belief, or lack thereof, make you feel one up on those who think differently?

yep, I studied  all the religions and beliefs . All have something good in them , but something bad. Some believe we all came from aliens:)

Edited February 3, 2020 by docyabut2

[Kleng]

I'm not gonna get into what I do or don't believe, but I'm glad this has been addressed because I've refrained from posting on this site for years for this exact reason alone.

A decade ago this site used to be very receptive to "open dialogue" about a massive range of subjects, if people disagreed on a matter, it would be discussed openly and intelligently with very little smugness or "smarter than thou" attitudes. It was a comfortable community to be a part of. 

Now I can hardly stand to open threads or read comments on subjects because people seem to be in the mindset of their way being the only right way, not to mention sometimes simply being unwittingly (and factually) wrong about certain things while having their nose stuck in the air believing they are right. For instance, someone saying polar bears ate penguins. They don't. Polar bears and penguins don't even live on the same continent as one another. Literally on opposite sides of the planet. 

Anywho, with all that being said, there have been times I've internalized the idea of "knowing something you don't know", but have always tried to consciously treat my peers with sincerity and dignity. Always open to hear what they believe and why, and have even had my own beliefs and opinions swayed simply from a shift of perspective granted by someone else. 

Thank you for addressing this matter.

Edited February 3, 2020 by Kleng
Typo

[Grandpa Greenman]

On 12/21/2019 at 7:07 PM, Jodie.Lynne said:

Does you belief, or lack thereof, make you feel one up on those who think differently?

My beliefs work for me, but they don't work for everyone.  I really don't care what people believe, as long as I am left in peace with my beliefs. 

[XenoFish]

6 minutes ago, Grandpa Greenman said:

My beliefs work for me, but they don't work for everyone.  I really don't care what people believe, as long as I am left in peace with my beliefs. 

Good to see you again GG.

[+Hammerclaw]

22 minutes ago, Grandpa Greenman said:

My beliefs work for me, but they don't work for everyone.  I really don't care what people believe, as long as I am left in peace with my beliefs. 

My question would be--why do some people feel so down about other people, who are secure and content in beliefs they don't share? Why is that such a problem? 

[XenoFish]

12 minutes ago, Hammerclaw said:

My question would be--why do some people feel so down about other people, who are secure and content in beliefs they don't share? Why is that such a problem? 

Human nature perhaps.

[+Hammerclaw]

Just now, XenoFish said:

Human nature perhaps.

Interesting. Elaborate, please.

[XenoFish]

1 minute ago, Hammerclaw said:

Interesting. Elaborate, please.

Insecurity, offense, fear. Uncertainty might be a reason. Depending on the beliefs there might be past trauma associated to it. 

[+Hammerclaw]

Just now, XenoFish said:

Insecurity, offense, fear. Uncertainty might be a reason. Depending on the beliefs there might be past trauma associated to it. 

The fear of isolation, the stigma of being different. That's not so much a problem in metropolitan America, where one usually moves, anonymously, through crowds of strangers who know little or nothing about one another. To me, it's seems more of some sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

[XenoFish]

2 minutes ago, Hammerclaw said:

The fear of isolation, the stigma of being different. That's not so much a problem in metropolitan America, where one usually moves, anonymously, through crowds of strangers who know little or nothing about one another. To me, it's seems more of some sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

I don't know really. My only "rule" is so long as it harms none, who cares.

[Guyver]

15 hours ago, Habitat said:

What, an overnight transformation ? 

Yes....it was.

[Habitat]

41 minutes ago, Guyver said:

Yes....it was.

That is something, isn't it.

[Guyver]

17 minutes ago, Habitat said:

That is something, isn't it.

Yes.  It seemed like a miracle to me.  

[lightly]

Everyone sees life and things a bit differently?  We are each a complex mix of beliefs ,and disbeliefs, created by the sum total of all our experiences ?  I don't see these differences as measures of superiority or inferiority...just points of view.

We can argue about everything till the cows come home...and the only absolute Truth we will know ...is that the cows came home.  ? 

 

Edited February 3, 2020 by lightly

[Habitat]

19 minutes ago, Guyver said:

Yes.  It seemed like a miracle to me.  

You know the before and after better than anyone else.

[Mr Walker]

13 hours ago, Daughter of the Nine Moons said:

My goodness, you folks love to argue with each other. One thread gets closed and without skipping a beat it's back to this one. Let's try to keep this one civil without the usual sniping and personal commentary.

It is the school teacher in me. Especially retired, I need someone to debate and argue with

 Or, maybe its just me, and that's why I became a school teacher.   

[+Desertrat56]

45 minutes ago, Mr Walker said:

It is the school teacher in me. Especially retired, I need someone to debate and argue with

 Or, maybe its just me, and that's why I became a school teacher.   

So, you think arguing and debate are a school teachers job.  Were you the debate teacher?  Lawyers, not teachers are people who like to argue.  Doesn't recommend you as a teacher to say that.

Edited February 4, 2020 by Desertrat56