hope i dont get banned for this...

[sh0kr0k]

Agreed.
BTW thanks for attempting to cover for me, but the word is "VET" their sources, not "GET."
From Wiki:
To vet was originally a horse-racing term, referring to the requirement that a horse be checked for health and soundness by a veterinarian before being allowed to race. Thus, it has taken the general meaning "to check":

My bad! I understand now

Of course anytime someone is pushing an agenda, you've gotta be cautious about what you believe to be fact. However, regardless of how extreme some of Michael Moore's opinions/perspectives are, his films do get people talking about many issues, which hopefully leads to more people asking questions and seeking out the truth for themselves.

Very true! However, in my experience, I can't recall a time that any conversation started by one of these movies has actually been productive because so many people are not able to be cautious about the information they believe. They think that because they watched the movie they've "looked into it" and now have an informed opinion above the rest. Ugh. But hey, it's all part of what makes the world go 'round, right?

 

[OrbWeaver]

I hardly pay attention to anything that claims to have proven or disproven God, religion, etc...I know what I believe, I'm comfortable with my faith as a Baha'i. I've seen lots of films like this pop up claiming to disprove one thing or another.

 

[Dark One]

I hardly pay attention to anything that claims to have proven or disproven God, religion, etc...I know what I believe

Everything I believe can be summed up right there.

On one side, science can explain a billion things - but I'll never believe that it can adequately explain "everything". (That's not to say it can't - I'm just not convinced that it does). And if it can, I believe it's a ridiculously advanced form of science that none of us can possibly understand - at least not now.

On the other side, religion can say a billion things that we have to take on faith - but I'll never believe the consistently re-written word of man (in any religious form) handed down from generations where things like slavery, human sacrifice, war, bigotry, hatred, racism, etc. thrived and continue to thrive to this day. I'm not confident in being able to think I can understand the nature of human existence or the existence of some type of force greater than us when we can't past the basic concepts of all the things mentioned above. We can't even travel outside our own planet's orbit yet with such an expansive universe out there. This is truly an infinitesimal stage of our existence. The underlying messages and value systems of most religions are noble - that's what I try to take with me, and really, I believe that's all I'm meant to.

In the meantime - I'll focus on believing in things that make my own personal world a better place.

Jason

 

[Entrerie]

"We believe in nothing, Lebowski. Nothing. And tomorrow we come back and we cut off your chonson".

 

[Kenso]

Oh, and I only used the word "destroy" because I thought I remembered you using at some point in the original post about not wanting to come across that way. My comment bringing it up was more of an addendum to the thought that many people *are* out to destroy religions instead of building up their own beliefs. Negative instead of Positive. Just to be clear, for the record. Clear as mud, right?

yes i did, but i didnt mean it literal thats all haha

clear as mud! basically crystal eh?

 

[Magius]

Very true! However, in my experience, I can't recall a time that any conversation started by one of these movies has actually been productive because so many people are not able to be cautious about the information they believe. They think that because they watched the movie they've "looked into it" and now have an informed opinion above the rest. Ugh. But hey, it's all part of what makes the world go 'round, right?

Agreed again. Most people emerge from these movies nodding in understanding, rather than contemplation. Much of what is portrayed in Bowling In Columbine is still taken as fact today by much of the public.

A co-worker once gave me a ticket to go to a U2 concert with her when someone else couldn’t. I don’t know much about U2’s music, but I recall them running Columbine footage on the big screen during a song. When they ran their footage featuring Charleston Heston, the woman in front of me raised her hand, pointed her finger, cocked her thumb, and “shot” Heston. Ironic that she would mime what he protects her right to do, but "Moore" to the point it was Bowling In Columbine that painted him a villain, and much of that paint stuck.

 

[Yippee38]

Agreed again. Most people emerge from these movies nodding in understanding, rather than contemplation. Much of what is portrayed in Bowling In Columbine is still taken as fact today by much of the public.

In addition to that, everything on the evening news, Jerry Springer, or whatever other TV show happens to be on, is viewed by 99% of Americans as absolute truth. I am constantly dismayed by the level of mental laziness exhibited by almost everybody. Nobody is willing to question anything. They take it as gospel (pun intended) without further study, investigation, or even thought.

 

[Creeps]

I used to go round and round with people on this. I seem to be in the middle but leaning more towards the scientific explanation of things.

Religion could be an invention because people are afraid to die, they want to live forever and made up this "better place" to journey to once you leave this world.

It's hard to for me to take a lot of things on faith just because someone says so. I've yet to see a burning bush, hear a booming voice and Jesus (or any other god-type) hasn't rang my doorbell to ask if I wanna go hang with him.

On the other hand, who am I to say it doesn't exist. Is any one god better than another? Why is there only 1 god that most people believe in. Why not many? Who are they to say that the beliefs of ancient Egyptians and native American Indians are wrong just because it's different than their own beliefs? See crusades. Killing in the name of Christianity? That's a good belief system there. (sarcasm). One of my favorite quotes, and I can't recall where I heard/read it from "Thou shall not kill... unless I say so".

Science has evolution. I'll side with this before someone saying.. let there be humans. That's just me though.

There's a good scene in the movie CONTACT w/ Jodie Foster and Matthew Mc-can't spell his name. They go round and round for a bit on the same subject. She asks if religion can prove that there's a god. He asks her, do you love your dad? She says yes. He says prove it. I like that one.

 

[BlackRoseMetalHeart]

On the other hand, who am I to say it doesn't exist. Is any one god better than another? Why is there only 1 god that most people believe in. Why not many? Who are they to say that the beliefs of ancient Egyptians and native American Indians are wrong just because it's different than their own beliefs? See crusades. Killing in the name of Christianity? That's a good belief system there. (sarcasm). One of my favorite quotes, and I can't recall where I heard/read it from "Thou shall not kill... unless I say so".

To quote George Carlin:
"Do you believe in God?"
"No."
BAMN! Dead!
"Do you believe in God?"
"Yes."
"Do you believe in my God?"
"No."
BAMN! Dead!
"My God has a bigger dick than your God!"

Science has evolution. I'll side with this before someone saying.. let there be humans. That's just me though.

I've always thought of things in a way that I call "The Combination Theory." That yes evolution did occur (I think people who don't believe that need to go back to the dark ages or live in an Amish commune), but perhaps something consciously set it in to motion with a plan in mind. (Keep in mind, plans don't always go the way you expect them too.) It's always interesting to ponder these sorts of things.