Re: Debunk All Religiosity Equally (D.A.R.E.)

From: Robert Wasley (rpwasley@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Wed Jul 11 2001 - 17:51:54 MDT


Below was one of the best "avoiding serious challanges to our own forgone
conclusions" jobs I have seen in long time. Let's be serious!!

Robert Wasley

----- Original Message -----
From: "Miriam English" <miriam@werple.net.au>
To: <extropians@extropy.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 2:14 AM
Subject: Re: Debunk All Religiosity Equally (D.A.R.E.)

> At 09:10 PM 10/07/2001 -0700, Robert wrote:
> >Of the notes I have read on this issue, I think people here are really
> >missing the point. People who have strong beliefs in religion live longer
> >because they have established a sense of emotional fulfillment in terms
of
> >their place in existence, a value system, and a community. Religious
> >belief is only one expression of this phenomena.
>
> This is one possible explanation. But it must be remembered that it is
only
> a theory. Until somebody comes up with hard facts even my rather silly
> explanation of fiddling the numbers could be correct.
>
>
> >Three other examples approached from different angles support this
> >contention. First, women's life expectancy in developed western nations
is
> >longer than men's. That is because women are more capable of developing
> >deeper, more satisfying emotional relationships.
>
> Another explanation could be as simple as women's metabolism running
> slightly slower than men's. I am sure I could come up with more...
>
> Women cook and so are more likely to eat balanced diets.
>
> Women have a culture of listening to their bodies, unlike men who often
> don't seem to recognise problems before they become dangerous. (I've
> recently read a piece from a doctor pleading that men become more
conscious
> of their bodies.)
>
>
> >...the never been married single man has the lowest life expectancy. This
> >fact has also been demonstrated in many survival situations. One example
> >being the Donner party, being trapped by winter snows in the Sierra
> >Nevada, the unattached single men were the first to die.
>
> Young men have hardly any subcutaneous fat. In snow-bound conditions this
> can be a fatal trait. They also tend to be more reckless. They certainly
> have more car accidents than any other part of society.
>
>
> >Lastly, in the Nazi concentration camps those who were best able to
> >psychologically survive the experience were those who held a strong
belief
> >system giving them the tools to deal with the situation
> >. This included, Catholics, Jews, communists, etc.
>
> I can't think of another explanation, and feel you may have the correct
> interpretation here, but just because it sounds right doesn't mean it is.
> It still may be completely wide of the truth.
>
> All your explanations may be completely correct or may be totally wrong.
> All we can do is suggest possibilities until someone goes out and does the
> experiment to prove it one way or the other.
>
> OK. Any volunteers to sign up for a nazi-style death camp? Your death
would
> be in a good cause... :-)
>
> Cheers,
>
> - Miriam
>
>
> ---------=---------=---------=---------=---------=---------=------
> Q. What is the similarity between an elephant and a grape?
> A. They are both purple... except for the elephant.
> ---------=---------=---------=---------=---------=---------=------
> http://werple.net.au/~miriam
> http://members.optushome.com.au/miriame
> Virtual Reality Association http://www.vr.org.au
>



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