1. Danny W is joking, and it should have been obvious to anyone who read the post that mentioned dinosaurs.

2. I think that the Big Bang is quite possibly wrong, but the best explanation the smartest minds of our time have for the big question. Creationism presents a very bad solution to the problem, and has no scientific backing.

3. Religious people don't always try to stick their religion down others' throats, but that is sometimes the case. There are also times when atheists are quite loud about the faults of the religious. In both cases, the people are being rude. The difference lies in that atheists are, as far as science can tell, right. Being right, however, does not excuse breaches of social etiquette.

Man, you are good in this :P

Okay if creationism is just a stupid idea then how was the universe created?

The standard theory that's now widely accepted is the Big Bang Theory... Most people don't realize however that Georges Lamaitre, a Belgian physicist AND Roman Catholic priest came up with the theory. Also it was widely criticized by secular scientists of the time in favor of the Solid State Universe because they viewed the BBT as being too biased yet hardly any reputable scientists supports Solid State over Big Bang anymore.

To put it simply, religion answers all the questions science CAN'T.

...So you want to silence their beliefs so you can expouse yours, eh? That sounds no better than fundie creationists, isn't it? If you want to subjugate religious beliefs, you are no better than they are.

You say religous people are always the offensive ones, but I'd argue a few guys like Dawkins aren't 'on the defensive'.

My take? Keep the debate civil, and allow them to believe in whatever they want as long as it doesn't restrict other people's freedoms. That goes for Christians and atheists. If I want to believe in a God, I don't want you dictating that I cannot. If I want to argue that people shouldn't partake in X, Y and Z, then I should be allowed to - provided I do not force unwilling participants to give up their freedoms.

fixed

and im sure they dont want to be run by a bunch of "godless heathens". im sure they want you (and atheists) to keep your fiction out of their reality. at least try to think of it from their point of view.

and atheists are always defensive? what the hell are you doing then? you call their beliefs "fairy tale"...why? just because you dont believe in it is is fairy tale? your being as offensive as these offensive religious people you hate so much.you talk as if you want them silenced just so only your beliefs can be voiced and heard.

like i said before, believe in what you will and respect others choices of beliefs.

First off, I don't even think "zealotous" is a word.

And religion instills a sense of morals? Is that true for everyone? I've been religious for much of my life, but morality comes from one's upbringing and their own inner desire to be good. If religion is a part of that, so be it. I know plenty of people who have never been in a church/mosque/synagogue/etc. in their life and are some of the nicest, most moral people you'd meet. And thanks for insulting everyone. Maybe you should work on your morals.

Yeah, because when you have questions that humans can't answer (and could possibly never answer), it must mean that religion is the only answer. The world wouldn't have made a whole lot of progress if that were the case. I have nothing against religion, having been raised religious myself (okay, enough saving face lol), but I also believe there are some things humans don't know yet and that we should try to seek understanding in it. The Big Bang Theory is exactly that: a theory. It could be right or wrong. It's very possible that the universe has always been and always will be. I dunno. I'm just studying to be a veterinarian. 

It isn't Science.

I don't care if a person thinks that the earth is a few thousand years old and that "God did it!", but the second you say its a Scientific theory you deserve ridicule because you're misinformed.

Evolution is basically fact. Scientists know that animals evolve.

The thing thats in question is the theory of evolution and whether the mechanism that we believe drive evolution are what actually do it.

Even if all the Scientests are currently wrong, and a new more complete theory supplants the current ways of thinking it doesn't merit a simple "God did it". Because that isn't science.

The reason it isn't Science is simple, as soon as you inject a theological event that can't be measured in the natural world into a theory, it becomes a theological thoery not a scientific theory. Because 1, certain aspects of the event aren't taking place in the natural world. Which is the only area of the universe that Science is involved in. 2 even if you saw God making a new animal right infront of you, its not repeatable and therefore you cannot prove to me that you aren't a loony.

So its not measurable because God supposedly exists beyond the natural world, its not repeatable and can't be proven. Hmm it sounds like something you'd need faith to believe in. Which is exactly what religion is, which is perfectly fine if thats how you want to think and live your life.

Please, feel free to teach it at Church or any Religious studies class. Thats fine, I wouldn't want Science taught in areas where it simply doesn't belong. But don't try and convice anyone that its Science, because it simply isn't. You cannot be Science and not be measurable and repeatable.

There is absolutely no way that you can call atheists influenced by fiction. In the worst case you can say that they are just realists. As such, religious people lose that argument right off.

I also call their believes fairy tales, because fairy tales are as real as the bible. In fact, I can supply far more evidence that dragons in specific are real than any religious person can provide for their chosen god/s being real.

I respect other's choice of beliefs, I just don't respect beliefs that try to impose their ways on others. Just be religious and leave everyone else out of it. I don't care if you believe in evolution, or the big bang theory, or how earth came to be or whatever, and I won't bother telling you to believe them or not that's your choice. As long as you keep quiet about it and don't try to ram your crap down my throat, I won't ram my "crap" down yours . THAT is the difference between an atheist and a religious person. They can't jsut shut up and be realistic, they have to quote fiction for one reason or another. They just need to learn to shut up, and atheists will leave them alone.

I'm fine with the religious people who just keep to themselves and don't go out and tell what homosexuals or women, or anyone else can and cannot do.