Freethought & Rationalism Archive

chestercopperpot · 10-22-2006, 10:04 AM

Pope: Science is bad. Science is scary. Very, very scary! Stop learning!

Haha.

Quote:

The Pope reminded academics and students at a Catholic university in Rome of Icarus who, in the Greek myth, made wings with feathers and wax to escape captivity in Crete. Ignoring the warnings of his father Daedalus, he flew too close to the sun, resulting in his "ruinous fall and death," the Pope said.

"Letting yourself be seduced by discovery without paying attention to the criteria of a deeper vision could lead to the drama the myth speaks of," he told the Pontifical Lateranense University at the inauguration of a new academic year.

How ironic that he warns of the lesson of one myth so that the real world doesn't fall prey to other myths.

At least I think that is ironic. Anyway, what an idiot. Discuss.

Alethias · 10-22-2006, 10:18 AM

I see it as pretty much a "Don't abandon your heritage" sermon. It is common for christians to believe that the only way a human can be moral is to be religious. In essence he is telling them not to abandon the moral guidance their catholicism gives them while on the path of scientific discovery.

The problem with this is that the moral guidance of catholicism is based on things that don't even exist. Since the foundation is a non-existent god, the only real foundation at the base is whatever the churches representatives tell you. Go a few years back and if they tell you it's ok to burn infidels in the holy lands, then it's ok, by gawd. If they tell you to burn heretics at the stake, it's ok, by gawd. If they tell you the Nazi's are ok people and you really should support them, it's ok, by gawd.

The closest I can figure out that seems like an absolute moral value(at least to me) is that human pain and suffering are bad, and human happiness is good. If I do what I can to promote both(less pain, more happiness) for myself, my family and others, I am living a moral life. Judging by that standard, I thinks the popes way is immoral.

Sure, we need moral guidelines in how we do science or we'll get burned. The pope can't provide them, however.

Alethias

geddit? · 10-22-2006, 10:24 AM

Scientists theorize that wearing big gold phallic hats may cause brain damage.

Pope replies:

"You're going to Hell - please continue to tithe."

LoungeHead · 10-22-2006, 09:23 PM

The big gold hat stops others from reading his mind

Vitalstatistix · 10-22-2006, 09:35 PM

Modern day tower of babel. It doesn't seem all that high once you've taken bio 101, mr pope.

Godless Raven · 10-22-2006, 09:38 PM

He should have just warned them that when buying wings to fly to the sun...wax...not the greatest idea!

Thor Q. Mada · 10-23-2006, 02:37 AM

This is nothing new. Barely they have apologized for the crimes of the past and they are already planning the crimes of the future.
It is the duty of science to question and explore everything. The church trying to stop that in the past has caused about 500 years of delay in scientific development.
Who knows?? Maybe I die from a cancer which could have been cured a long time ago were it not for them.
They are the real criminals by excellence. Stupidity to the extreme.
Why do we even listen to them. In the past they have consistently chosen the side of the oppressors. Why do we allow them to lecture us??
They dont have the moral highground as they want us to believe.
A bunch of immoral lying bad old men wearing womens clothes is all they are

RAFH · 10-23-2006, 03:26 AM

I think the pope's admonishment is simply, "stay away from this issue." The church has lost virtually all real authority as more and more subjects are investigated, considered, theorized, tested and explained. This is the big one, the real big one, the last real big one. So far its always been possible to point to the origin of life or the origin of the universe and their still unexplained status. Crack those two issues and things will get very difficult for the faith.

angela2 · 10-23-2006, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chestercopperpot

Pope: Science is bad. Science is scary. Very, very scary! Stop learning!

Haha.

How ironic that he warns of the lesson of one myth so that the real world doesn't fall prey to other myths.

At least I think that is ironic. Anyway, what an idiot. Discuss.

Do you have the full text of this speech or are you satisfied to form opinions on someone else's selections?

Not very scientific or scholarly method.

Biff the unclean · 10-23-2006, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angela2

Do you have the full text of this speech or are you satisfied to form opinions on someone else's selections?

Not very scientific or scholarly method.

Yes, how dare you read a report from Reuters that portrays an attitude towards scientific research that Benedict has consistently held. It isn't a long enough article for Angela to pick cherries from.:banghead:

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

10-22-2006, 10:18 AM	#2
Alethias Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 7,198	I see it as pretty much a "Don't abandon your heritage" sermon. It is common for christians to believe that the only way a human can be moral is to be religious. In essence he is telling them not to abandon the moral guidance their catholicism gives them while on the path of scientific discovery. The problem with this is that the moral guidance of catholicism is based on things that don't even exist. Since the foundation is a non-existent god, the only real foundation at the base is whatever the churches representatives tell you. Go a few years back and if they tell you it's ok to burn infidels in the holy lands, then it's ok, by gawd. If they tell you to burn heretics at the stake, it's ok, by gawd. If they tell you the Nazi's are ok people and you really should support them, it's ok, by gawd. The closest I can figure out that seems like an absolute moral value(at least to me) is that human pain and suffering are bad, and human happiness is good. If I do what I can to promote both(less pain, more happiness) for myself, my family and others, I am living a moral life. Judging by that standard, I thinks the popes way is immoral. Sure, we need moral guidelines in how we do science or we'll get burned. The pope can't provide them, however. Alethias

10-22-2006, 10:24 AM	#3
geddit? Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: ny Posts: 713	Scientists theorize that wearing big gold phallic hats may cause brain damage. Pope replies: "You're going to Hell - please continue to tithe."

10-22-2006, 09:23 PM	#4
LoungeHead Banned Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Aotearoa Posts: 3,483	The big gold hat stops others from reading his mind

10-22-2006, 09:35 PM	#5
Vitalstatistix Banned Join Date: May 2006 Location: Sol 3 Posts: 1,076	Modern day tower of babel. It doesn't seem all that high once you've taken bio 101, mr pope.

10-22-2006, 09:38 PM	#6
Godless Raven Contributor Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Cun City, Vulgaria Posts: 10,293	He should have just warned them that when buying wings to fly to the sun...wax...not the greatest idea!

10-23-2006, 02:37 AM	#7
Thor Q. Mada Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Asia Posts: 3,558	This is nothing new. Barely they have apologized for the crimes of the past and they are already planning the crimes of the future. It is the duty of science to question and explore everything. The church trying to stop that in the past has caused about 500 years of delay in scientific development. Who knows?? Maybe I die from a cancer which could have been cured a long time ago were it not for them. They are the real criminals by excellence. Stupidity to the extreme. Why do we even listen to them. In the past they have consistently chosen the side of the oppressors. Why do we allow them to lecture us?? They dont have the moral highground as they want us to believe. A bunch of immoral lying bad old men wearing womens clothes is all they are

10-23-2006, 03:26 AM	#8
RAFH Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Kahaluu, Hawaii Posts: 6,400	I think the pope's admonishment is simply, "stay away from this issue." The church has lost virtually all real authority as more and more subjects are investigated, considered, theorized, tested and explained. This is the big one, the real big one, the last real big one. So far its always been possible to point to the origin of life or the origin of the universe and their still unexplained status. Crack those two issues and things will get very difficult for the faith.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.