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Creationism: God's gift to the ignorant (Religion bashing alert)
Times Online UK ^ | May 21, 2005 | Richard Dawkins

Posted on 05/25/2005 3:41:22 AM PDT by billorites

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To: From many - one.
Distressed? Not in the slightest! I was entertained by such a poor test case.

implement: 1. A tool or instrument used in doing work; 3. A means of achieving an end.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

manual: 1. (a) Of or relating to the hands; (b) Done by, used by, or operated with the hands.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

What could possibly have made you think that your hands weren't included?

2,061 posted on 05/31/2005 11:38:31 AM PDT by AntiGuv (™)
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To: js1138
I do know something about the people who defend the rosenbergs, having lived next door to Robert Meeropol in college.

Wow.

I can't blame the Meeropols. If I were accused of treason, I'd hope my kids would spend their lives protesting my innocence. The ACLU is different. They're now trying to bring up the Rosenbergs w.r.t. Zacharias Moussaoi. Which, i suppose is appropriate; he's also guilty.

2,062 posted on 05/31/2005 11:41:55 AM PDT by Right Wing Professor
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To: Right Wing Professor

Actually the Meeropols were still in the closet while in college. I didn't know anything about Robert until years later when I saw their book advertised.


2,063 posted on 05/31/2005 11:46:15 AM PDT by js1138 (e unum pluribus)
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To: From many - one.
the Sumerian creation story does not involve turtles

Well then check out the ancient babylonian myths.... :^)

BTW lots of creation myths from many cultures and eras have distinct parallels with Genesis.

2,064 posted on 05/31/2005 11:46:55 AM PDT by betty boop (Nature loves to hide. -- Heraclitus)
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To: AntiGuv

1. As I said, it was not a "test case" it was an exploration of the boundaries of your definiton.

2. If you re-read the definitions you quoted you will see that the phrase "manual implement" appears redundant if, in your usage, a manual implement can include just hands.


2,065 posted on 05/31/2005 11:51:25 AM PDT by From many - one.
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To: From many - one.

Redundant how? An implement can be nonmanual - e.g., divine. Therefore, the adjective is obviously required, therefore it is not even remotely redundant.


2,066 posted on 05/31/2005 11:56:34 AM PDT by AntiGuv (™)
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To: betty boop

Try again.

Babylonian creation myth:

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~humm/Resources/Ane/enumaA.html


2,067 posted on 05/31/2005 11:57:27 AM PDT by From many - one.
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To: betty boop
...creation myth of the ancient Sumerians...

Which is the same myth copied by much later by the Hebrews. No turtles at all.

2,068 posted on 05/31/2005 11:59:56 AM PDT by Doctor Stochastic (Vegetabilisch = chaotisch is der Charakter der Modernen. - Friedrich Schlegel)
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To: AntiGuv

Let us recap:
your post 1931:

"PS. If you can find me a manmade object that cannot be identified as such via evidence of the application of manual implements, or alternatively of a non-manmade object that evidences the application of manual implements, then I'll reconsider."

I suggested a clay figurine which would be manmade but without implements.

You then equated hands with "manual implements" and then suggested that an implement could be divine, requiring the use of "manual" to modify "implement".

My suggestion is that the terminology, as you are using it, could be confusing.

And my next boundaries question is how you would deal with a hand twined piece of fiber, say from a rotted piece of a a nettle or flax.


2,069 posted on 05/31/2005 12:16:54 PM PDT by From many - one.
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To: From many - one.
You then equated hands with "manual implements" ...

Making steel guitars and pipe organs "pedal instruments"?

2,070 posted on 05/31/2005 12:22:40 PM PDT by Doctor Stochastic (Vegetabilisch = chaotisch is der Charakter der Modernen. - Friedrich Schlegel)
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To: Doctor Stochastic; AntiGuv

If I have it right AntiGuv would consider feet themselves as pedal instruments.


2,071 posted on 05/31/2005 12:34:35 PM PDT by From many - one.
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To: From many - one.

instruments should have been implements. Caffeine time.


2,072 posted on 05/31/2005 12:36:01 PM PDT by From many - one.
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To: From many - one.

I didn't equate hands with "manual implements" - only an illiterate would do so, or think that I had done so. I said that hands are one of a number of "manual implements"..

When in doubt, look up the words, because I use words as they are properly defined unless I quite clearly state otherwise.

Anything that a hand has touched will have evidence of being touched by hand, unless it has been further modified, in which case it will evidence the further modification. If in doubt, go look up the word "forensics" and "DNA"..

I reject this inane, contrived notion that objects must be identified at a glance. If you're confused, pick it up and study it.


2,073 posted on 05/31/2005 12:41:20 PM PDT by AntiGuv (™)
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To: From many - one.; Doctor Stochastic; Alamo-Girl; PatrickHenry; marron; AntiGuv
Will check my home library later tonight and get you my cite re: the Sumerian and/or the Babylonian creation myth.

But really, the point of my reply was not to discuss ancient mythology. If you read it again, you might see that the point I raised could be just as easily satisfied by the iceberg example. Are you trying to change the subject?

Thanks for writing!

2,074 posted on 05/31/2005 12:53:20 PM PDT by betty boop (Nature loves to hide. -- Heraclitus)
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To: betty boop

Try Iriquois and Papuan.

There is also a turtle involved in a Hind "churning of the sea" myth and soome other turtles in various meso-American tales.


2,075 posted on 05/31/2005 1:00:57 PM PDT by From many - one.
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To: AntiGuv

I do not respond to the content of posts that use ad hominem arguments.

Should you wish to re-phrase you post I will reply.


2,076 posted on 05/31/2005 1:02:58 PM PDT by From many - one.
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To: From many - one.

I didn't use an ad hominem. <<<< That should be taken as a hint that the way many people use the term "ad hominem" to signify just any ole insult is a misuse of the phrase.


2,077 posted on 05/31/2005 1:10:39 PM PDT by AntiGuv (™)
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To: betty boop

But if you don't take the time to check your references, people may assume that you didn't take the time to check the validity of the rest of your posts. Others may think that you are trying to pull a fast one (like tricking people into guessing whether Moses took two or seven animals of each kind on the Ark) by slipping an incorrect comment into an otherwise well thought out article.

You do have a bunch of self-appointed referees on FR though.


2,078 posted on 05/31/2005 1:15:29 PM PDT by Doctor Stochastic (Vegetabilisch = chaotisch is der Charakter der Modernen. - Friedrich Schlegel)
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To: From many - one.; jwalsh07
I'll give you some examples to work with:

ad hominem: Richard Dawkins is a Marxist, therefore his views on evolution have no credibility.

not ad hominem: Richard Dawkins is a Marxist, therefore he's worthy of contempt.

2,079 posted on 05/31/2005 1:18:01 PM PDT by AntiGuv (™)
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To: AntiGuv

from your post:

"I didn't equate hands with "manual implements" - only an illiterate would do so, or think that I had done so. I said that hands are one of a number of "manual implements".. "

That's ad hominem. You were trying to attack me, rather than my post.


2,080 posted on 05/31/2005 1:19:53 PM PDT by From many - one.
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