Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

User talk:HelpJazz

2008-04-03T21:46:25Z

JBuscombe: /* Night-Editing */

{| style="width: 100%; border: black solid 1px; background-color: lightgrey;"
|-
|{{Useful links|float=right}}<center><big>'''Guidelines for my talk page'''</big></center>
*Please, no "ping-pong" conversations: if I leave a message on your talk page, please respond there; I'm watching it. If you start a conversation here, I'll reply here, so please watch this page
*Sign your posts with four tildes, like this: '''<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>'''
*At the beginning of each month I will archive all conversations which are at least 1 month and 1 day from the most recent reply.
*Please, only one picture of Putin at a time. He scares me in large doses.
*'''If you have been blocked by me''': please do not create a sock and complain on this page! Instead, [[Special:Emailuser/HelpJazz|email me]] and we can work it out. (You will need a valid, verified e-mail address for this to work).
|}

Archives: [[/Sept07|>> Sep '07]] [[/Oct07|>> Oct '07]] [[/Nov07|>> Nov '07]] [[/Dec07|>> Dec '07]] [[/Jan08|>>Jan '08]]

== Superb Blocks and Unblocks ==

Superb blocks and unblocks last night!!! Very well done!--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 10:08, 22 February 2008 (EST)
:Thanks. It's a pity people like that feel the need to do what they do. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 10:27, 22 February 2008 (EST)

== Bolding terms ==

HelpJazz, feel free to ask others, but I think the bolding of the key word in the entry is effective, as in [[deceit]].--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 11:16, 22 February 2008 (EST)
:I thought you were only supposed to bold it the first time, but if you like bolding it every time then I won't change any others. The manual of style doesn't really indicated either way. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 17:08, 22 February 2008 (EST)
:: The Manual of Style says to bold the first use. It doesn't explicitly say to ''not'' bold other uses, but that is the implication. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 21:19, 22 February 2008 (EST)

== Re ==

Oh come on, you know libertarian does not equal liberal. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 22:31, 6 March 2008 (EST)

:''I'' do, very much so. It's a rather large pet peeve of mine, when people confuse the two. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 22:32, 6 March 2008 (EST)

== Warning ==

Sarcasm in comments to edits will result in the blocking of an account, for obvious reasons. This is a high quality site and it will remain that way. Thanks.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 22:58, 6 March 2008 (EST)

:I'm sorry. I was a little offended when you called me a liberal (twice), intimated that I wasn't smart enough to understand what you were writing, and then suggested that my claims of misunderstanding weren't credible.

:I probably should have held back the sarcasm but I've been sick lately (I slept for almost 30 straight hours Tues/Weds and had a high fever most of the time) and apparently don't have the restraint I usually do. I'll be going to bed soon; hopefully I'll be able to sleep off some more of this sickness and the grumpiness which comes with it. Good night. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 23:34, 6 March 2008 (EST)
:PS: Hopefully I'll get better by spring break; I'll have loads of free time for editing, and a lot of backed up class notes to convert to articles!

==I don't mean to be nosy==
Do you mind if I ask what school you go to? I know someone taking [[chemical engineering]] at Drexel, and it just sparked my interest when I saw you had the same major.--[[User:StevenM|Steve]] 20:18, 11 March 2008 (EDT)
:I go to [[Bucknell University]]. The logo's also on my user page :) [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 09:36, 12 March 2008 (EDT)

==I can never get my head around it==

Why do people like you contribute here? I mean, people like you are honest, hardworking reliable persons who genuinely want to help out. But this place is little more than a hate site aimed at Liberals and Gays. Their Liberals and Homosexuality articles are the laughing stock of the Blogosphere. I'm a Moderately Conservative Blogger (I back mc Cain) and these ultra's make the rest of us look bad. Decent people like yourself are only an accessory to the broader betrayal of conservative principles, which these guys seem to parody every day with articles like [[Liberals and friendship]] or [[Gay Bowel Syndrome]] or [[Gay Bomb]]. Its absolutely amazing. [[User:McCain08|McCain08]] 13:29, 17 March 2008 (EDT)

:I'm not really sure how to take that. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 15:59, 17 March 2008 (EDT)

:Maybe he doesn't fixate on only a few articles and views the project as a whole. HelpJazz has been an invaluable contributor and doesn't feel he has to but heads on every small point he may not agree with. We can all find things we may not like, but there is always a great deal of improvement that can be made in other areas. To reduce our site to a few offending articles and ignore the rest is petty and is hardly something that a conservative blogger would do. [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 17:25, 17 March 2008 (EDT)

::I ''do'' know how to take that! Thanks Learn together :) [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 18:53, 17 March 2008 (EDT)

:Hi Learn Together,

:I'm just interested to know what you would consider to be an alternative article I could assess as being trustworthy and encyclopedic? I've hit random page 10 times and I've got, [[Dirge]], [[Decency]], [[Statute of Anne]], [[Lemon test]], [[African Americans]], [[Jonah]], [[Easter]], [[Canadian deuterium uranium reactor]], [[Ocarina]], [[Brisbane]]. Most of them articles are very short, with only the African Americans article standing out but even that is puny by Wikipedia standards. This place, as you like to believe is not interested in developing these run of the mill, largely unpolitical articles. It is obsessed by using Liberals as a catchphrase at every turn. Your right, the majority of articles here are apolitical. But the issue is not how many slander and deface homosexuals and Liberals, but the mere presence of a derogatory and (what seems to me) parody article demeans the entire site and its mind baffling how even minded people could even consider using the site. [[User:Wearethefuture|Wearethefuture]] 10:22, 18 March 2008 (EDT)

McCain08's thesis boils down to the crazy idea that by opposing evil, we are betraying goodness. That hearkens back to the heresy that when Jesus said, "Judge not," he meant that Christians should never evaluate any doctrine or deed to whether it is good or bad. Actually, what he meant is to avoid [[hypocrisy]], which is "judging" without applying the standard of judgment to one's own self. This is the error that led to the downfall of TV preacher [[Jimmy Swaggart]] and NY governor [[Eliot Spitzer]].

In fact, it is liberals rather than conservatives who are guilty of this error. They constantly use [[double standard]] judgments, notably giving communists and dictators a pass - literally letting them get away with murder - while magnifying some relatively minor American crimes.

McCain08's comments appear hypocritical or simply pro-liberal when he accuses us of "slandering and defacing" homosexuals. Actually our [[Homosexuality]] article is factual and well deserves its top ten status in the blogosphere. It is rather the liberal media who slander Christians and Jews for standing up to the [[gay rights movement]]. It is rather liberal politicians who have made preaching the righteousness of the Bible a crime in some countries, and liberal administrations who have banned such preaching at many American universities.

Goodness must be trustworthy. To merit the world's trust, good people must expose evil - not only in others, of course (see [[hypocrisy]]), but all around. Confession is good for the soul! --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 10:34, 18 March 2008 (EDT)

Standing up to the gay rights movement? What are you standing up for? Really, put down Ann Coulter for a second and think for yourself.

Christ asks us not to look at the speck in our brothers eye when we haven't taken care of the plank in our own. This entire place is preachy, hypocritical and incredibly mean. Jesus would be weeping if he saw what his so called flock have produced.

Standing up to evil? Liberals are therefore evil? Homosexuals are therefore evil? And Liberals giving dictatorships a free pass... I'm sorry, where are you getting this nonsense? What is it that Bush said while campaigning in 2000 - 'I don't like going into another country and telling them how to do things our way' This was of course a response to the interventionist Gore, who advocated going into countries swarmed by civil strife. Clinton intervened in many countries (Though not enough in Rwanda) Read a book, ignoramus. [[User:Wearethefuture|Wearethefuture]] 10:55, 18 March 2008 (EDT)

:"[[Think for yourself]]" is a [[liberal code word]] for "reject wisdom merely because it comes from another person". --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 10:59, 18 March 2008 (EDT)

And he ignores the rest... Typical tactic, ignore what someone else says, create new saying and somehow fit Liberal into every second sentance. Helpjazz, how can you continue to work with these people? [[User:Wearethefuture|Wearethefuture]] 11:25, 18 March 2008 (EDT)

:Well, I didn't come here to argue or change minds. When I do interact with people, I do so in a kind and calm manner, instead of attacking that in which someone else believes. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 12:49, 18 March 2008 (EDT)

==Carter's mouth==

HJ, thanks for the [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Negotiating_with_terrorists&diff=next&oldid=408189 permalink]. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 18:17, 18 March 2008 (EDT)

== Question ==

IS there a place I can ask the community as a whole something?--'''''[[User:FellowChristian16|Fellow]][[User talk:FellowChristian16|Christian16]]''''' 17:50, 19 March 2008 (EDT)

:Not exactly. For general things you might try [[talk:Main Page]], or for a specific issue you might want to try a related debate or article. There isn't really an announcement board, though. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 18:03, 19 March 2008 (EDT)

::I have done so and I would like you to direct as many people as possible to it cause I need opinions. I would like you to comment as well. [[Talk:No Mercy (2007)|Here you go]].--'''''[[User:FellowChristian16|Fellow]][[User talk:FellowChristian16|Christian16]]''''' 18:40, 19 March 2008 (EDT)

== Complaint, but then ... ==

HelpJazz, you complained about a lack of citations for [[abortion deceit]], but then did not help me fill in the citations. Why?--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 20:39, 22 March 2008 (EDT)
:It wasn't a complaint as much as a comment. I've been in and out all day, since I'm on a school trip, and haven't had a lot of time to search. I'm generally not good at finding cites for those sorts of claims anyway :-/ I'll see if I can dig anything up now that I'm back for the night..
:In general, I find it best if the person who put in the claim puts in his own cites. You obviously know more about it and better know where to find cites, whereas I would be starting from scratch. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 20:46, 22 March 2008 (EDT)

== Ron Paul ==

Thanks for pointing that out. I assumed he had because somebody had already removed him from the template itself. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 21:41, 23 March 2008 (EDT)
:Oh I didn't even notice that he was removed from the template. I think he's more or less given up so it's an easy mistake to make. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 21:53, 23 March 2008 (EDT)

== Hello! ==

Thanks for this:
PS: while "liberal" may mean "moderate" across the sea, "-4.00/-7.18" well... isn't ;-)
Quite true, and nicely phrased =)
I was thinking of changing some of that anyway, but it was night-time here. [[User:Europeanunion|Europeanunion]] 07:38, 30 March 2008 (EDT)

:Yes, well, the two-axis scale is something in which I'm pretty proficient :) I really like your userboxes, by the way. And I actually agree with a lot of them! (I don't know my exact score off the top of my head, but I'm somehere in the bottom right quadrant on political compass). [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 13:30, 30 March 2008 (EDT)

== SofaZebra ==
Thank you thank you thank you.
Your's sincerely, [[User:Jellyfish|Jellyfish]] 12:43, 30 March 2008 (EDT)

==[[Geology]]==

Help? [[User:Everwill|Everwill]] 16:11, 31 March 2008 (EDT)
:I'm afraid I'm not sure what I can do. I know very little about geography (Christian or otherwise) and Philip's been studying creation science longer than I've been alive. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 16:23, 31 March 2008 (EDT)

::Quite frankly there are statements in that article which make Conservapedia a laughing stock. [[User:Everwill|Everwill]] 06:50, 1 April 2008 (EDT)

:::I didn't really read it. I'll give it a once-over and let you know what I think. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 09:57, 1 April 2008 (EDT)

I unprotected the article, and a quick glance shows nothing strange. I'd like Will to be more specific. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 09:58, 1 April 2008 (EDT)

== "Libertarian" ==

Just face it, you are a conservative. [[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]] 23:19, 31 March 2008 (EDT)

:As much as this destroys my street cred to say so, I differ in one essential area: I don't think that my conservatism should be pushed onto others through the coercive force of the government. If nothing else, you've got to admit that I at least have the lingo. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 23:21, 31 March 2008 (EDT)
::Ouch. You so have *zero* cred now. [[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]] 23:24, 31 March 2008 (EDT)
:::Yeah. Can't get a street loan anymore :( [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 23:27, 31 March 2008 (EDT)
Admit it Jazz, you is YEC. [[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]]
:Nope, just open minded and respectful of other people's beliefs :) [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 17:26, 1 April 2008 (EDT)

== Thank you ==

Thank you for helping me find out how to put in a signature. I appreciate it! {{unsigned|Adg2011}}

==Multi-use refs==

Please help me fix the refs in [[Little Black Sambo]]. One more good example, and I think I can learn to start doing it myself. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 10:23, 2 April 2008 (EDT)

:I think I got it. I couldn't change the first two refs, because they inlcuded text as well as the website, but I changed the rest for you. Basically one of your references (usually the first one, but it doesn't actually have to be the first) should be in the form:
::<nowiki><ref</nowiki> name="'''name'''">'''Reference info'''</ref>
:And all the other references just need to say
::<nowiki><ref</nowiki> name="'''name'''" />
:I always forget the extra "/" in the secondary refs. Oh and if you don't spell it right, it won't work ;-) [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 10:35, 2 April 2008 (EDT)

== Night-Editing ==

The feedback has been very positive about your efforts, HelpJazz. I hope to be able to promote you to night-editing by the end of the weekend.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 18:32, 2 April 2008 (EDT)
:Thank you so much Mr. Schlafly. I look forward to your decision. 23:01, 2 April 2008 (EDT){{unsigned|HelpJazz}}

Congratulations HelpJazz on your achievement. --[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 17:46, 3 April 2008 (EDT)

User talk:HenryS

2008-03-28T21:04:47Z

JBuscombe: /* deletion of lawyer values */

Now I see that you are back. Great. --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 21:08, 1 November 2007 (EDT)

Welcome back!--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 22:14, 11 January 2008 (EST)

: Are you back? --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 10:21, 5 February 2008 (EST)

== My vandal counter ==

It's there, but I had to hide it, because it attracted too many <s>Bohdans</s> vandals. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 00:03, 5 February 2008 (EST)

Could you have a read of [[Holodomor denial]]. Thanks.--[[User:Bandurist|Bandurist]] 12:30, 23 February 2008 (EST)

== Sysop ==

Welcome back to your Sysop status, Bohdan! We've missed you, and your expertise about Eastern Europe.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 14:46, 29 February 2008 (EST)
:Thanks! But I might not be very active... Nevertheles, I will try to help. [[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]] 14:58, 29 February 2008 (EST)
::Congratulations Bohdan. [[User:Absentismens|Absentismens]] 01:26, 3 March 2008 (EST)

== Question ==

Is there a place I can ask the community as a whole something?--'''''[[User:FellowChristian16|Fellow]][[User talk:FellowChristian16|Christian16]]''''' 16:36, 19 March 2008 (EDT)

I also have a question. Currently there are three broken redirects. Should I delete the redirects and request deletion of the page? or just name the pages and allow a sysop to delete them? [[User:DrCB|DrCB]] 21:35, 20 March 2008 (EDT)

== Really random ==

I was taking a nap today and you were in my dream. I had a dream that my real life cat (who's name is Jazz... my secret's out) was actually a housefly, and not a cat. And then my cousin found out that she was actually a unicorn and she was flying around the house trying to catch and eat my pet fly. And then it wasn't my pet cat/fly named Jazz, it was my pet cat/fly named Bohdan. I was all like "oh no, cousin! Don't eat Bohdan, I will be sad!"

I have strange dreams. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 22:09, 20 March 2008 (EDT)
:I am so honored :) [[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]] 22:39, 20 March 2008 (EDT)

== deletion of lawyer values ==

Dear Bohdan,

Could you please explain why you deleted this article?

thanks--[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 16:41, 28 March 2008 (EDT)
also what is this WP:POINT?--[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 16:50, 28 March 2008 (EDT)
:It was unencyclopedic, and obviously just a response to [[professor values]]. If you have a problem with that article, go to the [[Talk:Professor values|talk page]]. Please do not create unencyclopedic articles to make a point. It is disruptive. Thanks, [[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]] 16:51, 28 March 2008 (EDT)
WP:POINT is a policy on wikipedia. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:POINT] [[User:Bohdan|Bohdan]] 16:52, 28 March 2008 (EDT)

::Dear Bohdan
How can you say [[Lawyer values]] is unencyclopedic and disruptive while [[Professor values]] are not? It was not just a response to the Professor values, but was inspired by it! I do not believe it was in any way disruptive. I am sure the public opinion about lawyers are more in line with what I wrote while the public still respect Professors. --[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 17:04, 28 March 2008 (EDT)

User talk:HenryS

2008-03-28T20:50:48Z

JBuscombe: /* deletion of lawyer values */

User talk:HenryS

2008-03-28T20:41:40Z

JBuscombe: deletion of article

User talk:DanH

2008-03-16T19:49:22Z

JBuscombe: /* IRC */

[[Image:Banhammer2.jpg|thumb|600px|left|'''DanH''' is hereby awarded the prestigious & coveted '''Banhammer''' barnstar for tireless vigilance against fascists, liberals, vandals & trolls.]]

'''Archives:'''

[[User talk:MountainDew]]

[[User talk:DanHarchive1]]

[[User talk:DanHarchive2]]

[[User talk:DanHarchive3]]

==Blocked User NW==

Sorry about that, I didn't know he was blocked yet. [[User:Lukecorlando|Lukecorlando]] 23:21, 21 October 2007 (EDT)

==Evidence of evolution==
What's with the moving my friend? It's intended to be an encyclopedic article about the subject, not an personal essay of some sort. [[User:Honestyandtruth|Honestyandtruth]] 00:00, 27 October 2007 (EDT)

== I have sent you an important email about communists and the gay conspiracy! ==

I sent one also to Rob. --[[User:TK|şyŝoρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|/Ṣρёаќǃ]] 01:11, 30 October 2007 (EDT)

== Funny ==

I enjoyed [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=User:ChavezFan&diff=324719&oldid=324649 this], and thought I'd let you know. [[User:GregLarson | Greg]] 16:09, 30 October 2007 (EDT)

==Endorse block==
I endorse to block on [[User:Maestro]] [http://www.conservapedia.com/Special:Contributions/Maestro contribs]; we may have to review all these edits and consider other actions. [[User:RobSmith|Rob Smith]] 17:32, 4 November 2007 (EST)

Hey, thanks for unblocking me. Never thought I'd say this to a Jayhawker, but you're okay. After that whupping your football team dished out last week, you might even get this Mizzou grad to cheer for KU. [[User:Maestro|Maestro]] 23:50, 6 November 2007 (EST)

Anything to keep my mind of the Rams. Jeez...BTW, any chance on getting my user page unblocked when my probation expires? [[User:Maestro|Maestro]] 08:55, 8 November 2007 (EST)

:If he is on probation he should have the opportunity to prove his quality having his talk page open to work. Is it truth? --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 15:37, 8 November 2007 (EST)

*Joaquin, whenever any editor is restored, their pages should be unlocked and/or re-created. If that does not happen, it is usually just a mistake. --[[User:TK|şyŝoρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|/Ṣρёаќǃ]] 10:08, 9 November 2007 (EST)

== Wes Clarke. ==

My bad on the spelling. Sorry. [[User:Dewey|Dewey]] 21:50, 4 November 2007 (EST)

==[[User:Oi]]==

What, no warning? I thought you took the pledge. ;-) --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 17:46, 7 November 2007 (EST)

:All the pledge says is I won't block for no reason. :) Also, I think "Oi" is a term associated with skinhead culture. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 17:47, 7 November 2007 (EST)

::Jolly good. And here's an early Christmas present for you: [[Image:Dewtree.jpg|right|thumb|For Christmas time]] --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 18:00, 7 November 2007 (EST)

Thank you! That should last me through the season. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 18:06, 7 November 2007 (EST)

*Ed is like Father Christmas! How magical...a tree made from Mountain Dew cans! :P --[[User:TK|şyŝoρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|/Ṣρёаќǃ]] 18:18, 7 November 2007 (EST)
==Contest==
Hey Dan! So one of the first questions for our team is what our team name should be. If you have any ideas just get word out to TK, thanks! (Oh, and remember: we're using a Machiavellian policy towards this contest, we must win - no matter what. lol, good luck!)--[[User:Iduan|I]][[User_talk:Iduan|Duan]]23:59, 9 November 2007 (EST)

==Vandal==

Block this vandal please, thanks. [[User:Lukecorlando|Luke]]

== Go, go, go ==

42 +++++++++++++++++ a lot more... gooooooooo --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 01:29, 13 November 2007 (EST)

== Unblock Article ==

Hi Dan, could you please unblock [[Fascism]]? Thanks [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 15:53, 13 November 2007 (EST)

== Kentucky ==

Hi, Dan, I just wanted to leave you a note about your edit to [[Kentucky]]. While Governor Fletcher lost the recent election, he still is governor. I have re-listed him as such, as his term does not end until next month. Thanks, [[User:GregLarson | Greg]] 21:50, 13 November 2007 (EST)

:That sounds accurate. We just have to remember to change it on December 11! [[User:DanH|DanH]] 21:50, 13 November 2007 (EST)

::Will do! [[User:GregLarson | Greg]] 21:50, 13 November 2007 (EST)

:::Just thought I'd remind you of the Governor's expiration of term tomorrow, as I do not expect to be on Conservapedia much in the coming weeks. [[User:GregLarson | Greg]] 20:25, 10 December 2007 (EST)

== See also ==

I am sorry, but I '''do not''' agree in what you are doing in Salma and Elvis. --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 16:24, 19 November 2007 (EST)

:Thank you for your reply. Salmas' links were discussed with TK at it's time. Elvis' are quite related as they send you to rock music. But, if you think it is better to change them let me know and I will find some ones more appropriated. --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 08:59, 20 November 2007 (EST)

:*Joaquín, the issue was discussed with Mr.Schlafly, and the "See Also" should be as specific as possible. I think you would agree that "Rock Music" is breathtakingly broad, eh? Perhaps you could make sure they are more specific? Thank you for your patience, my friend! --[[User:TK|şyŝoρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|/Ṣρёаќǃ]] 11:22, 20 November 2007 (EST)

::OK. --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 18:33, 20 November 2007 (EST)

==Westboro Baptist Church==
Dan, Do you mind if we unlock [[Westboro Baptist Church]] to allow for adding some content? Thanks. [[User:RobSmith|Rob Smith]] 12:46, 24 November 2007 (EST)

:Fine with me! [[User:DanH|DanH]] 12:48, 24 November 2007 (EST)

==MU vs. KU==

That's gotta hurt. Were you there? [[User:Maestro|Maestro]] 02:01, 25 November 2007 (EST)

:Yep. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 02:14, 25 November 2007 (EST)

== MASS REMOVAL??? ==

Where exactly did I "mass remove" information as you allege on my page? All I have done has been to copyedit and work on clarity and presentation. [[User:PaulH|PaulH]] 00:27, 28 November 2007 (EST)

Check the edit history - that was someone else - the paragraph in question was not there when I edited. [[User:PaulH|PaulH]] 00:29, 28 November 2007 (EST)

== Page Move ==

Dan, could you please move [[Meningoenephalitis]] to [[Meningoencephalitis]]? The reference used to find the definition has a mispelling (it's missing a "c"). Thanks [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 14:41, 9 December 2007 (EST)
:Thanks. BTW your recent block comment was hilarious. Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door, you know. And divide by 0. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 14:51, 9 December 2007 (EST)

==Vandal Pages==
Howdy--You might want to boot these: http://www.conservapedia.com/Special:Contributions/Hamidp--[[User:RossC|RossC]] 21:12, 12 December 2007 (EST)
:Done. Thanks. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 21:14, 12 December 2007 (EST)

== Superb blocks ==

Superb blocks, Dan! The break will arrive soon. :-) --[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 00:03, 13 December 2007 (EST)

== Protect ==

Hi Dan, can you protect [[genocide]] until a concensus can be reached? Thanks [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 03:05, 13 December 2007 (EST)

==Genocide==

This seems a fairly straightforward issue to me. I have seen no definition of genocide outside of this site's article that requires that genocide be carried out by a government. The UN has not defined genocide this way, and the State Department states explicitly that genocide occurred in Bosnia. [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2868.htm] Based on these facts, I think the definition in the article should be corrected, and the Srebrenica massacre should be reinserted as an example of genocide. What are your thoughts? [[User:SSchultz|SSchultz]] 21:42, 13 December 2007 (EST)

== Thank you ==

Thank you for protecting the image of Frida Kahlo :) I appreciate your assistance -- [[User:Taj|Taj]] 01:33, 18 December 2007 (EST)

:Thanks for all your hard work! [[User:DanH|DanH]] 01:35, 18 December 2007 (EST)

== User "Awesome" ==

DOH! You beat me to it... well, I don't have admin access either, so the best I could do was send a threating letter to him. :( I'm glad to see that someone is watching out though. --[[User:Puellanivis|Puellanivis]] 22:01, 18 December 2007 (EST)

:Is there a way that I could raise these people to your attention faster? Like a template or something? It would likely save admins/sysops some time. --[[User:Puellanivis|Puellanivis]] 00:38, 19 December 2007 (EST)

I think what you did is sufficient enough :) Thanks for your help. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 00:41, 19 December 2007 (EST)

== Delete Article ==

Hi Dan,

Can you please delete [[hososcope]]. Someone made a spelling error in its creation. (I already created the appropriate article.)

Thanks,

[[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 01:48, 19 December 2007 (EST)

:Let's add [[December 2]] in there as well. Thanks [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 02:04, 19 December 2007 (EST)

Thanks for all your hard work! [[User:DanH|DanH]] 02:05, 19 December 2007 (EST)

:Thanks Dan. I've noticed you are still quite the workhorse yourself. ;-) How about if we add one more for deletion and prevent recreation [[Lulz]]. [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 03:07, 27 December 2007 (EST)

::Could you also please delete article [[Transvestitism]]. I'm not sure if we want to prevent recreation or not. [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 03:11, 27 December 2007 (EST)

== Thanks ==

Thank you Dan. I am checking at this moment all his contribuitions. --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 18:52, 20 December 2007 (EST)

: THANK YOU AGAIN. I did a little mistake, now [[Barney]] is ok.

::: Hi, I have 3 questions if you please: Could a deleted article be recovered?, could an "Image" be used to link to a CP article? and, at the tall page, what means the red color and the green bars? Thank you for your time. Have a HAPPY NEW YEAR! --[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 09:10, 28 December 2007 (EST)

== Dude, why did you block me? ==

Please unblock [[user:FightPerniciousSwarm]]. You took a pledge, and then you blocked me for not using my "real" name. Dude, do you want help here or not? [[User:MichaelHunt|MichaelHunt]] 18:39, 27 December 2007 (EST)
:I kind of agree, I mean, [[User:Karajou]], [[User:CollegeRepublican]], and heaps more. --[[user:mssb57|m s s b 5 7]] // [[user talk:mssb57|blah !]] // [[special:contributions/mssb57|this was my fault]] 18:55, 27 December 2007 (EST)
::When you sign up, it clearly says '''frivolous''' user names will be blocked. "FightPerniciousSwarm" is frivolous. So is Michael Hunt, probably. I'm not stupid... I know what happens when you abbreviate it. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 18:57, 27 December 2007 (EST)
:::I'd rather get the "FightPerniciousSwarm" account back. It is far from frivolous. Fighting the pernicious liberal swarm is what I do. [[User:MichaelHunt|MichaelHunt]] 19:06, 27 December 2007 (EST)

== Please delete all of my contributions to the template space. They did not work out. ==

Please delete all of my contributions to the template space. They did not work out. I think you might need to update the wiki software for the templates to work. [[User:MichaelHunt|MichaelHunt]] 19:05, 27 December 2007 (EST)
:Thanks, I see you're deleting them. I'd like to come back as my first user name if possible. [[User:MichaelHunt|MichaelHunt]] 19:08, 27 December 2007 (EST)
I don't know, after all... if you ever visit a University campus, you have probably noticed that freshmen guppy up during the first weeks on campus. Okay. I'll unblock it. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 19:09, 27 December 2007 (EST)
::Yes, they do. Thank you sir. [[User:FightPerniciousSwarm|FightPerniciousSwarm]] 19:12, 27 December 2007 (EST)

== Category ==

Hi Dan,

I'm trying to move the entries from Basketball players to Basketball Players (in line with the manual of style). I usually create the category at the end when I've done them all. Please don't fix them. ;-) [[User:Learn together|Learn together]] 03:15, 28 December 2007 (EST)

Okay, thanks! [[User:DanH|DanH]] 03:19, 28 December 2007 (EST)

==[[Liberal]]==

Okay to unprotect for PhineasBogg? --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 19:03, 29 December 2007 (EST)

==Big vocabulary==

Inauspicious? Eschew obfuscation! ;-) --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 14:37, 30 December 2007 (EST)

== Great block ==

Great block this afternoon, Dan!--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 14:14, 6 January 2008 (EST)

== Thanks!!! ==

Thanks so much for the second chance: I have already started trying to make valuable contribution to your web site.

Thanks again very much so!

== curses! ==

But that was only a test run. Maybe, say, 100 might be in order. From each of us at Ebaumsworld. --[[User:HPearce|HPearce]] 15:24, 8 January 2008 (EST)

== Thank you! ==

For catching the vandal! The username was a dead giveaway. I wish I could banhammer him... he even got my page...-[[User:MexMax|MexMax]] 18:04, 16 January 2008 (EST)

== Question ==

Dan, if you get a chance would you mind shooting me an IM? Thanks. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 14:33, 17 January 2008 (EST)
==Just FYI==
Hey Dan, I thought I'd figured out what happened to the Harry Truman page, and just to let you know: the problem was the user inserted <nowiki>{{user:Iekl}}</nowiki> in a ref tag (if your interested - see the section "Selection for Vice Presedency" http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Harry_Truman&oldid=356407&action=edit ). Nice job fixing it so quickly!--[[User:Iduan|I]][[User_talk:Iduan|Duan]] 22:00, 17 January 2008 (EST)
:Thanks! This will be helpful. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 22:12, 17 January 2008 (EST)

== Christianity ==

You locked [[Christianity]] back in May. There's been a bit of activity there lately, with sysops having to add suggestions made by others. Do you think it's worth unlocking the article and seeing how it would go? It could always be locked again if necessary, of course. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 02:58, 18 January 2008 (EST)
:Let's give it a shot. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 08:09, 18 January 2008 (EST)
==I feel bad==
Dan, the warning you just gave to Luther Bifteck is my fault - not his. He removed information correctly, and I wasn't thinking, so I re-added it, but then reverted myself - he removed (again, correctly) the statement that "in God we trust" is in the pledge - I (and probably you too) was thinking "under God" - so yeah, that's my bad.--[[User:Iduan|I]][[User_talk:Iduan|Duan]] 19:29, 20 January 2008 (EST)

:Thanks. I caught that soon after I did it, and was kind of embarrassed. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 19:30, 20 January 2008 (EST)

:: Don't be too hard on yourself, who among us does not make a mistake every now and then? To your credit you quickly noticed and remedied. :) [[User:Taj|Taj]] 19:48, 20 January 2008 (EST)

== Vote ==

Click on the link to vote in my poll. --[[User:CPAdmin1|Tim (CPAdmin1)]][[User talk:CPAdmin1|talk]] [[User:CPAdmin1/Election08|Vote for President]] 23:05, 23 January 2008 (EST)
==For Deletion==
Thanks for deleting all those articles!--[[User:Iduan|I]][[User_talk:Iduan|Duan]] 16:56, 26 January 2008 (EST)

Wow... they were all from a vandal? --[[User:Liam Spencer|''' L.S. ''']] 17:04, 26 January 2008 (EST)

== Blocking Barikada ==

I am not sure why you have blocked one of this sites most prolific editors. I have been unable to find the "crude sexual reference" in question. --[[User:GDewey|GDewey]] 16:25, 27 January 2008 (EST)
:Was due to [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Talk:Video_game_controversy&diff=prev&oldid=381634 this] talk page edit - and the use of the word "t*t"? [[User:Feebasfactor|Feebasfactor]] 16:28, 27 January 2008 (EST)
::Yes. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 16:31, 27 January 2008 (EST)

:::Interesting. He appears to be making a legitimate point however, so the usage was not just gratuitous. Perhaps he should have used the word "breast". I assume that there is an acceptable word that wouldn't get an editor banned.

:::I find the offence taken at the use of some words and the various ways that people use to avoid it a bit curious. I note, for example, that Feebas has used "t*t". We all know what the "*" in "t*t" stands for. Why is that in any way better than using the whole word? Surely it is the use of the word we are worried about, not just the actual appearance of the letters together. --[[User:GDewey|GDewey]] 16:37, 27 January 2008 (EST)

::::Then again why is "br**st" any better than "t*t"? Or "h**ter" perhaps? A word represents a thing. Are we offended by the thing or the word? Curiouser and curiouser. --[[User:GDewey|GDewey]] 16:44, 27 January 2008 (EST)

:Anybody who gets a one hour block on Conservapedia is usually rather lucky. I would agree that meaning is generally important, but the use of coarse language generally expedites the course of desensitization. Plus, let's be honest, this is a family website. There's no reason to use that word here. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 16:46, 27 January 2008 (EST)

::I understand the conventions. I guess I am just interested in the psychology behind them, although I suppose that this is probably not the appropriate page to air all of that. Perhaps it might be worth an essay page some time. --[[User:GDewey|GDewey]] 16:50, 27 January 2008 (EST)

... I was blocked? I didn't even notice. :/ I don't consider the word to be all that crude, though. I can think of several worse ways to say it. [[User:Barikada|Barikada]] 23:47, 31 January 2008 (EST)

: HE SAID IT AGAIN!!! --[[User:GDewey|GDewey]] 23:54, 31 January 2008 (EST)

::Kids, if I have to tell you to behave one more time I'm turning this car around and then ''nobody's'' going to Disney Land. Got it?
::Barikada: thinking of worse ways to say it in no way means that your way is ok. I managed to rephrase it in a way which got the point across while remaining clean. This encyclopedia is used by ''kids'', is it really going to pain you that much to search a little harder in your word bank? If you are just looking to get banned, please by all means ask; it will save everyone sime time. (Sorry for intruding Dan...) [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 10:11, 1 February 2008 (EST)

:::The first use was incidental. It wasn't meant to be vulgar, nor was it especially so. This one is slightly more vulgar, however, without resorting to awkward "the word that must not be said" dialogue, it is impossible to say why I was banned. [[User:Barikada|Barikada]] 18:18, 1 February 2008 (EST)

== Great work ==

Great work on the blocking ... and unblocking. Thanks.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 23:33, 28 January 2008 (EST)
==Hey==
Hey Dan, I don't know if your on now or not - but I'll be here for a while, so if you get a chance anytime within the next hour or so to get online I'd appreciate it - I need your input on a temp--[[User:Iduan|I]][[User_talk:Iduan|Duan]] 14:55, 2 February 2008 (EST)

:I'm actually heading over to watch the Kansas basketball game right now... I'll be on later tonight, though. Sorry about the timing! [[User:DanH|DanH]] 14:56, 2 February 2008 (EST)

== Bloomberg edits ==

What was wrong with my edits to the Michael Bloomberg article? [[User:Dadsnagem2|Dadsnagem2]] 10:08, 5 February 2008 (EST)

==KU==

Hah! Did you catch the MU/KU basketball game? [[User:Mizzourah|Mizzourah]] 14:22, 9 February 2008 (EST)

:I was there in one of the front rows. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 23:11, 9 February 2008 (EST)

== Curious about your stance on Israel ==
I was just surfing the internets when I came upon your page and was wondering that when you say you support Israel do you mean that you believe that a Jewish state has the right to exist or that you support its recent and current actions.--[[User:ElliottRosewater|ElliottRosewater]] 00:16, 17 February 2008 (EST)

== Great blocks and redirects ==

Great blocks and redirects. Well done!--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 21:20, 21 February 2008 (EST)

== Your recent redirect ==

Should I assume that mentioning that site, even without an insult to the site, is cause to block?-[[User:MexMax|MexMax]] 21:22, 21 February 2008 (EST)

:Generally speaking, yes. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 21:23, 21 February 2008 (EST)

== Edit ==

Great additions to [[liberal tricks]]!--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 23:59, 23 February 2008 (EST)

== Protection ==

Wow, that was a smart move protecting that FAQ page!--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 23:34, 28 February 2008 (EST)

== New username ==

Excuse me, but I was wondering what was wrong with my old username? Also, is this new name acceptable? [[User:Kingston|Kingston]] 19:39, 3 March 2008 (EST)

:Yes. The vast majority of users who use l33tspeak in their usernames end up vandalizing. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 19:40, 3 March 2008 (EST)

== Jazz values ==

...not meant as a parody - every word is true. [[User:AliceBG|AliceBG]] 23:43, 5 March 2008 (EST)

:Bob Jones University is not a standard conservative litmus test. They also ban contemporary Christian music and used to ban black students from enrolling. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 23:44, 5 March 2008 (EST)
::Then edit out the BJU bit - but don't kill the whole article! [[User:AliceBG|AliceBG]] 23:47, 5 March 2008 (EST)
::It was pretty obviously meant as a parody of [[Hollywood values]]. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 23:48, 5 March 2008 (EST)
:::Not at all - more of a complimentary piece: can't you tell parody from real commentary? [[User:AliceBG|AliceBG]] 23:49, 5 March 2008 (EST)
::::Not on a site where Poe's law is so heavily in effect. [[User:Absentismens|Absentismens]] 00:26, 6 March 2008 (EST)
:It's not my fault that some people think that Landover Baptist Church is real. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 00:30, 6 March 2008 (EST)

Pardon me, sir; I fear the organization is known as the World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. -VoteGOP21

:Thanks for the clarification. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 22:18, 6 March 2008 (EST)

== Your Reversion of Left Behind ==

First of all, I did not provide a link, so 'my link' cannot vindicate Jinxmchue. I asked you to look at the links, plural, in the article. If you only looked at one, singular, link, you cannot verify or deny what Jinxmchue said, as this requires looking at what several reviews said and comparing that with the patchnotes. Secondly, this is the list of complaints in the various reviews in the article:
#Lousy Controls
#Too much micromanagement
#Bad AI
#Poor graphics and art design
#Lack of single-player skirmish mode
#Slow multiplayer
#Watered-down storyline
#All the units look the same
#Repetitive gameplay
#Misogynistic 50s-style sexism
#Borderline racism (quite a number of the 'bad guys' have Arab, Indian, African, etc, names and appearances, but mysteriously lose this when they're 'recruited' and become Caucasian)
#Bad level design (sections of the city blocked off for no good reason, for example)
#Frequent crashes and lock-ups
#Seems to give a mixed message (the subject matter and tone of the game is very righteous, but then lets you play as the Antichrist in multiplayer)
#Poor quality of voice-acting
#Too much advertising in the game

This is the list of these complaints addressed in the patches:

#Too much micromanagement (eased but not fully addressed)
#Bad AI (unclear whether all isuues were addressed or not)
#Poor graphics and art design (partially addressed by improving the shadows on 'high end systems')
#Slow multiplayer
#Frequent crashes and lock-ups (not clear whether completely fixed)

This is the list of these complaints remaining unaddressed:

#Lousy controls
#Lack of single-player skirmish mode
#Watered-down storyline
#All the units look the same
#Repetitive gameplay
#Misogynistic 50s-style sexism
#Borderline racism
#Bad level design
#Seems to give a mixed message
#Poor quality of voice-acting
#Too much advertising in the game

This is the list of issues fixed in the patches NOT mentioned in the reviews:

#Multiplayer Chat tab enabled. You can now chat with players online before you join a game.
#Female Recruiters added.
#Mission 2 - Teddy can now visit the finish zone at any time without issues.
#Mission 4 - Teddy can now speak to Mary.
#Mission 6 - The first 7 friends can be trained and the mission will now end upon bringing the final 10 friends to the Chapel (provided they are still all on your side).
#Mission 8 - An extra building is available to be acquired.
#Demons can withstand heavy physical attacks. Attack them with good spiritual warfare.
#Various playbalancing and fixes including sound transitions and multiplayer server list.
#Multiplayer Buddy List enabled.
#Enhanced join server screen with game parameters listed.
#GameSpy profile integration. Create a profile or use an existing one to create your buddy list.
#3 New Multiplayer Maps including upgraded units at the start of the game for quick skirmish action.
#Vocal Warnings for events.
#Improved Sound System compatibility and sound playback.
#Improved LGBHelp system for better support to our users, including an auto-config based on system specs.
#Various mission playbalancing and fixes.
#When logged in with a GameSpy Profile ID, Gold and Silver users will have auto buddy list requests and their buddy’s multiplayer games will be listed first.
#Buddy List graphical enhancements.
#Winning point limit (if applicable) is shown during a multiplayer game.
#Improved navigation for multiplayer game creation.
#Demons are now displayed in a dark grey color.
#4X4 Skirmish map timer fixed.
#Improved support for multiplayer hosting – UPnP support added.
#Chat filter implemented.
#Added more stats to the end of a multiplayer game, including an overall summary of all players.
#Allied units display as such when clicked in multiplayer.
#Multiplayer skirmish maps are easier to find on the map selection screen.
#Voice of God and Angels implemented for evil actions.
#Mission 4 - The Chapel is pinged when Mary is active.
#Mission 19 - Defending time shortened.
#Mission 23 - Phantom enemy vehicles removed.
#Mission 32 – Buck can get his disguise upon mission start.
#Mission 36 - Defending time shortened.
#Mission 37 – GCP Camp now pinged.
#Many other text revisions and mission improvements
#AUTO recruit improved even further – Evil units that turn neutral are now auto recruited as well.
#Building Icons added to the game screen for easier ID of user’s buildings.
#Right mouse to follow a friendly unit implemented (Alt-Right Click still works too).
#Multiple Helicopter spawning issue fixed.
#Replay Load VO overlap fixed.
#The Scroll description has been revised.
#Spiritual influence now does two times damage to demons.
#Alt-Tab Camera issue fixed.
#No longer able to attempt to follow enemy or neutral vehicles.
#Event noise modified.
#Menu enhancements providing more intuitive feedback to the user.
#A military unit must be in a military vehicle in order for the vehicle to fire.
#Sat-Com special ability has been enhanced, now a triangle will display in the minimap and H will display the type of building in the main screen.
#Firearm range increased slightly.
#Maximum number of items in inventory for each type is now 2.
#Minor gameplay tweaks and unit balances.
#Tutorial 2 - Allows for different combination of units to make the camp available.
#Tutorial 3 - Fixed intermittant crash after Musician was trained.
#Fixed crash on start occurring with the mutltiplayer enhancement pack version for some older machines.
#Tutorial 2 – Auto recruit is taught instead of manual recruit taking advantage of the auto recruit improvements for ease of use.
#Additional auto-configuration based on system specs for Intel based graphic adapters (Note: these adapters are not officially supported, but may work).
#Forfeit button added for multiplayer games.
#Gamespy buddy authorization pop-up reminder added.
#Multiplayer hints describing functionality of each menu button including expanded buddy list explanations.
#Minimap building filters. Icons are now on the minimap that will ping the type of building when activated. Make finding types of building much easier.
#Owned buildings now display in the players color at all times for easy recognition.
#Evil Hero revision to Enigma Leader.
#Chat window multiple selection from menu fixed.
#Gamespy creation or login will display a not valid warning if it has a space in the name.
#Password protected multiplayer games are now displayed with a lock on the join screen.
#Version number of server’s game is now displayed on the join screen when a game is selected.
#Multiplayer skirmish maps have been rebalanced to be even at the start of the game. Evil used to have 1 extra unit.
#New clue music.
#Incorrect VO not playing anymore on level 4 load screen.
#Mouse handedness is taken from system mouse settings and is no longer clickable from options menu. If you want to change it, use the Windows Control Panel/Mouse.
#Gamespy profile file no longer displays password for added protection.
#Screen flickering fixed when leaving a multiplayer game someone quit out of early.
#Lengthy email address truncating fixed on Gamespy create window.
#Point limit and time limit now display on multiplayer replays.
#Correct message now appears to the server when the client quits the game early in a 2 player game.
#VO pauses when the pause key is pressed.
#Gamespy Voice Chat muting options. Players can be muted in the game lobby and with the Chat options screen from the in-game menu. Note: Enemy players will be muted upon starting the game. Note: Port 31322 UDP must be opened to enjoy voice chatting.
#Microphone Volume control and testing capability within the Audio tab of the Options window.
#Major UI overhaul - new graphical enhancements and improvements.
#Collision improvements between neutral units and vehicles.
#Multiplayer hint toggle is now in the Game tab of the Options window.
#Minimap unit filters. Icons are now on the minimap that will ping the type of unit when activated. It makes finding a type of unit much easier.
#Unit and Building selection icons. One click selection of a unit type and one click goto building type functionality added to the interface.
#Units inside building displayed. When you mouse over a building with units inside, the unit icons will display on screen.
#Recruiting fix for fast walking neutrals - the unit will now stop to be recruited.
#To/From voice chat options included. Now you have the ability to choose who hears your voice chat.
#Text chat muting. You can now mute text chat from specific players in game.
#Fixed loud noise upon start on some machines.
#Various mission scripting enhancements for additional audio sequences.
#Revised Tutorial 1 by adding a neutral unit and an evil unit as visual aids.
#Revised Left Handed VO and text in the tutorials to be more clear.
#Revised missions 22, 31, and 35 to decrease difficulty.
#National and International Banks now have sound when clicked.
#A Friend was added to the start of Mission 27.
#Revised missions 17, 20, 23, and 30 to decrease difficulty.

Given the above lists, can you please then explain how that makes this statement inaccurate:
{{quotebox|Left Behind Games subsequently issued several patches to address dozens of issues, including some of the complaints in the reviews.}}
And makes this one accurate:
{{quotebox|Left Behind Games subsequently issued several patches to address dozens of issues raised by the complaints.}}
[[User:Urushnor|Urushnor]] 10:39, 9 March 2008 (EDT)

:You personal opinion on the updates is moot. I have added a source which provides the fact that "Eternal Forces" is now "fully patched." [[User:Jinxmchue|Jinxmchue]] 15:42, 11 March 2008 (EDT)

==Email==

I sent you an email four days ago, but haven't received a reply, please check your email. If your Conservapedia enabled email is one of the ones you lost the password to (as you suggested the day before yesterday over AIM) then could you please set up a new email and send me one so that I can reply with my original message. Thanks [[User:TheGySom|TheGySom]] 01:02, 13 March 2008 (EDT)

:It didn't deserve a reply. You were just talking about how cool your vandalism was. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 01:54, 13 March 2008 (EDT)

==Ampersand==
Thanks for deleting all those pages. It looks like there's some other kind of problem with the pages with the & in the title. They've returned from the dead! I guess it's not a big deal that they're hanging out out there in the ether, but it could be confusing for someone else who, like myself, tries to clean up the Dead-end Pages list. Not sure what the problem is, or how to fix it though. -[[User:DrSandstone|DrSandstone]] 14:25, 13 March 2008 (EDT)
: Could you explain this in more detail please? I may be able to help. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 09:33, 15 March 2008 (EDT)

== Marx, Wilde et al. on Homeschooling page ==

the list is entitled "prominent people who were homeschooled." It seems these people are all prominent, and were as homeschooled as anyone else on the list....why remove their names? [[User:AliceBG|AliceBG]] 15:45, 14 March 2008 (EDT)

== IRC ==

Does Conservapedia have an official or unofficial IRC channel? - Hak

:I'm not sure. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 20:54, 15 March 2008 (EDT)

== Leptospirosis ==

Just saw that an article named Leptospirosis was deleted. wonder why? can I re-create it?

thanks--[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 15:49, 16 March 2008 (EDT)

Dolphin

2008-03-14T12:35:04Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:Bottlenose_Dolphin_KSC04pd0178.jpg|right|thumb|300px|A bottlenose dolphin.]]
'''Dolphins''' are a number of kinds of small odontoceti, or toothed [[whale]]s.

The term [[porpoise]], sometimes used [[synonym]]ously with dolphin, in fact should refer only to certain small blunt-snouted and spade-toothed types, generally of inshore habitat, such as the harbour porpoise of the North Atlantic.

In addition to the many types of sea-dwelling dolphin, [[river dolphin]]s are found in certain of the world's great rivers.

Dolphins mainly feed upon small fish and [[squid]].

Dolphins typically live in small family groups. They are highly sociable, and if left alone will freely associate with other species of whale, and with humans. Human interaction includes accompanying ships and mingling with swimmers. There have been a number of historic cases of dolphins assisting human fishermen. Dolphins generally avoid [[SCUBA]] divers, however, because they dislike the noise made by their regulators.

Dolphins are commonly found in company with [[tuna]], and are frequently netted with them.

Dolphins are highly intelligent, and captive dolphins have been trained to perform complex acts at aquariums, and to carry out military minelaying and guard duties.

Dolphins live in salt water but can survive in fresh water.<ref>http://www.wdcs.org/dan/publishing.nsf/allweb/E8ADCC3DEEE1556E802568F8004DF252</ref>

The largest species dolphin is the [[orca]] (or "killer whale").

Dolphins, like the other cetaceans evolved from land living mammals choosing an aquatic life style millions of years ago. <ref>http://darla.neoucom.edu/DEPTS/ANAT/whaleorigins.htm</ref>

==References==
<references/>

{{Nb zm dolphins}}

Giraffe

2008-03-14T12:24:08Z

JBuscombe: /* The giraffe's neck and Dawkins' deception */

{{Taxonomy|image = Giraffe.jpg|caption = ''Giraffa camelopardalis rothchildi''|kingdom = Animalia|phylum = Chordata|subphylum = Vertebrata|class = Mammalia|order = Artiodactyla|suborder = Ruminantia |infraorder = Pecora|family = Giraffidae|genus = Giraffa|species = G. camelopardalis}}
The '''giraffe''' is an [[ungulate]] (hoofed) mammal native to [[Africa]]. It is the tallest land animal and can grow up to 20 feet (6 m) in height. In spite of the extraordinary length of its neck, it has just seven [[vertebrae]] in its neck, just like other mammals. The coat is tan with brown patches, and the males use their bony horns and necks for fighting. Currently giraffes are considered to represent a single [[species]] classified into multiple subspecies, although in December 2007 a report in BioMed Central Biology claimed that there may be at least six species of giraffe in [[Africa]].<ref>Brown, David M. ''et al'' (2007) [http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1741-7007-5-57.pdf "Extensive population genetic structure in the giraffe"] BMC Biology</ref>

==Subspecies==
*West African (G.c. peralta)
*Kordofan (G.c. antiquorum)
*Nubian (G.c. camelopardalis)
*Reticulated (G.c. reticulata)
*Rothschild (G.c. rothchildi)
*Masai (G.c. tippelskirchi)
*Thornicroft (G.c. thornicrofti)
*Southern African (G.c. capensis/G.c. angolensis).

==Distribution/Habitat==
Giraffes inhabit sub-Saharan [[Africa]]n grassland with scattered trees. They are becoming increasingly rare in West Africa.

==Diet==
The giraffe feeds from tall trees, particularly [[Acacia]] and [[Commiphora]]. Their tongues grow up to 18 inches (45cm) long, which helps them pick through the acacia tree’s spiky branches. Females bend their heads down over their meal, while males stretch up to reach the youngest shoots. To drink, giraffes have to lower their heads and spread their front legs wide apart to reach the ground.<ref>''Amazing animals: Giraffe'' [http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/reallywild/amazing/giraffe.shtml Science and nature: Animals] BBC</ref>

==Behaviour==
Giraffes form loosely constructed, scattered herds of up to 20 individuals, with large home range sizes,
ranging from 3 square miles (5 km2) to 616 square miles (992 km2)<ref>Brown, David M. op cit</ref> and constantly move from one group to another. Mature males often roam in search of breeding females, travelling up to 190 miles (300 km),<ref> Brown, David M. op cit</ref> and fight for dominance using their necks and buttressed skulls. They have a life span of around 25 years. Giraffes only sleep for a few minutes at a time, and only sleep for a total of 30 minutes each day.

==Reproduction==
Sexual maturity is reached at age 4-5 years although bulls usually only mate at 8 or more years old. Gestation lasts 15 months, after which a single calf is born, although twins have been recorded very rarely. The female can mate again 5 months after giving birth, and there is no established breeding season. For the first few weeks the calf remains hidden in the shade with the mother returning to it, and later it joins a creche within the herd. Calves grow fast, and are weaned at 18 months, although they start eating solids well before then. Fifty per cent die in their first 6 months, the victims of predators.<ref>''Wildfacts: Giraffe'' [http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/631.shtml Science and Nature: Animals] BBC</ref>

==The giraffe's neck ==
[[Image:Dawkins giraffe 1.png|right|thumb|300px|Dawkin's book "Climbing Mount Improbable" (1996), uses this illustration showing an okapi and a giraffe to demonstrate the alleged evolutionary origins of the giraffe]][[Image:Dawkins giraffe 2.png|right|thumb|800px|In the book "Animals of Our World" (1988), Bertelsmann Lexikothek shows the true relative sizes of man, giraffe and okapi; on the left side is repeated Dawkin's illustration for comparison, but with the true okapi between them, again demonstrating its real relative size.]]
Until recently, there were ''no'' [[fossil]] links that could demonstrate the gradual [[evolution]] of the long-necked giraffe from the short-necked giraffe. But Nikos Solounias of the New York Institute of Technology has described a transitional fossil from the late Miocene and early Pliocene. Its neck was a perfect intermediate between the short-neck ancestors and their long-neck descendants.<ref> http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/mg19726451.700-evolution-what-missing-link.html Newscientist </ref> Some [[Paleontology|paleontologists]] postulate a "neck elongation macromutation" to explain the origin of the long-necked giraffe. [[Richard Dawkins]] also claims the origin of the long-necked giraffe is due to macromutation. Wolf-Ekkehard Lönnig points out: "This exception would naturally be fully unnecessary, if the gradual evolution of the long-necked giraffe could really be reconstructed through fossils, especially since he much prefers the gradualist view. Dawkins draws the okapi, in relation to the Giraffa, nearly twice as large as it really is. In this way, the problem of its evolution (the gap between the two forms) appears only half as large. One may well ask if this technique is useful in the search for truth."<ref>Lönnig, Wolf-Ekkehard [http://www.weloennig.de/Giraffe.pdf "The Evolution of the Long-Necked Giraffe – What Do We Really Know?"] (2006)</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Ruminants]]
[[Category:Mammals]]
[[Category:Evolution]]

Giraffe

2008-03-14T12:23:45Z

JBuscombe: /* The giraffe's neck and Dawkins' deception */

{{Taxonomy|image = Giraffe.jpg|caption = ''Giraffa camelopardalis rothchildi''|kingdom = Animalia|phylum = Chordata|subphylum = Vertebrata|class = Mammalia|order = Artiodactyla|suborder = Ruminantia |infraorder = Pecora|family = Giraffidae|genus = Giraffa|species = G. camelopardalis}}
The '''giraffe''' is an [[ungulate]] (hoofed) mammal native to [[Africa]]. It is the tallest land animal and can grow up to 20 feet (6 m) in height. In spite of the extraordinary length of its neck, it has just seven [[vertebrae]] in its neck, just like other mammals. The coat is tan with brown patches, and the males use their bony horns and necks for fighting. Currently giraffes are considered to represent a single [[species]] classified into multiple subspecies, although in December 2007 a report in BioMed Central Biology claimed that there may be at least six species of giraffe in [[Africa]].<ref>Brown, David M. ''et al'' (2007) [http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1741-7007-5-57.pdf "Extensive population genetic structure in the giraffe"] BMC Biology</ref>

==Subspecies==
*West African (G.c. peralta)
*Kordofan (G.c. antiquorum)
*Nubian (G.c. camelopardalis)
*Reticulated (G.c. reticulata)
*Rothschild (G.c. rothchildi)
*Masai (G.c. tippelskirchi)
*Thornicroft (G.c. thornicrofti)
*Southern African (G.c. capensis/G.c. angolensis).

==Distribution/Habitat==
Giraffes inhabit sub-Saharan [[Africa]]n grassland with scattered trees. They are becoming increasingly rare in West Africa.

==Diet==
The giraffe feeds from tall trees, particularly [[Acacia]] and [[Commiphora]]. Their tongues grow up to 18 inches (45cm) long, which helps them pick through the acacia tree’s spiky branches. Females bend their heads down over their meal, while males stretch up to reach the youngest shoots. To drink, giraffes have to lower their heads and spread their front legs wide apart to reach the ground.<ref>''Amazing animals: Giraffe'' [http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/reallywild/amazing/giraffe.shtml Science and nature: Animals] BBC</ref>

==Behaviour==
Giraffes form loosely constructed, scattered herds of up to 20 individuals, with large home range sizes,
ranging from 3 square miles (5 km2) to 616 square miles (992 km2)<ref>Brown, David M. op cit</ref> and constantly move from one group to another. Mature males often roam in search of breeding females, travelling up to 190 miles (300 km),<ref> Brown, David M. op cit</ref> and fight for dominance using their necks and buttressed skulls. They have a life span of around 25 years. Giraffes only sleep for a few minutes at a time, and only sleep for a total of 30 minutes each day.

==Reproduction==
Sexual maturity is reached at age 4-5 years although bulls usually only mate at 8 or more years old. Gestation lasts 15 months, after which a single calf is born, although twins have been recorded very rarely. The female can mate again 5 months after giving birth, and there is no established breeding season. For the first few weeks the calf remains hidden in the shade with the mother returning to it, and later it joins a creche within the herd. Calves grow fast, and are weaned at 18 months, although they start eating solids well before then. Fifty per cent die in their first 6 months, the victims of predators.<ref>''Wildfacts: Giraffe'' [http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/631.shtml Science and Nature: Animals] BBC</ref>

==The giraffe's neck and Dawkins' deception==
[[Image:Dawkins giraffe 1.png|right|thumb|300px|Dawkin's book "Climbing Mount Improbable" (1996), uses this illustration showing an okapi and a giraffe to demonstrate the alleged evolutionary origins of the giraffe]][[Image:Dawkins giraffe 2.png|right|thumb|800px|In the book "Animals of Our World" (1988), Bertelsmann Lexikothek shows the true relative sizes of man, giraffe and okapi; on the left side is repeated Dawkin's illustration for comparison, but with the true okapi between them, again demonstrating its real relative size.]]
Until recently, there were ''no'' [[fossil]] links that could demonstrate the gradual [[evolution]] of the long-necked giraffe from the short-necked giraffe. But Nikos Solounias of the New York Institute of Technology has described a transitional fossil from the late Miocene and early Pliocene. Its neck was a perfect intermediate between the short-neck ancestors and their long-neck descendants.<ref> http://www.newscientist.com/channel/life/mg19726451.700-evolution-what-missing-link.html Newscientist </ref> Some [[Paleontology|paleontologists]] postulate a "neck elongation macromutation" to explain the origin of the long-necked giraffe. [[Richard Dawkins]] also claims the origin of the long-necked giraffe is due to macromutation. Wolf-Ekkehard Lönnig points out: "This exception would naturally be fully unnecessary, if the gradual evolution of the long-necked giraffe could really be reconstructed through fossils, especially since he much prefers the gradualist view. Dawkins draws the okapi, in relation to the Giraffa, nearly twice as large as it really is. In this way, the problem of its evolution (the gap between the two forms) appears only half as large. One may well ask if this technique is useful in the search for truth."<ref>Lönnig, Wolf-Ekkehard [http://www.weloennig.de/Giraffe.pdf "The Evolution of the Long-Necked Giraffe – What Do We Really Know?"] (2006)</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Ruminants]]
[[Category:Mammals]]
[[Category:Evolution]]

Debate: Can you be a true Christian and believe in evolution?

2008-03-14T12:15:01Z

JBuscombe:

NO.

It is very simple - Jesus was born to rescue us from the [[original sin]]. If there is no [[Adam]] and [[Eve]], there is no original sin. Hence the whole premise for Christianity will break down. So every true Christian should believe in creation account - literally. {{unsigned|Heffalump}}

YES.

As humans are capable of believing two or more contradictory things, it entirely possible (and quite common) for someone who is truly a Christian to have a wrong view about parts of the Bible, including the parts that contradict evolution. So believing in evolution does not mean that you are not truly a Christian, even though you believe something quite anti-biblical. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 21:59, 11 March 2008 (EDT)

This is very difficult to answer. I agree with Mr. Rayment - probably yes. --[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 08:15, 14 March 2008 (EDT)

Liberal

2008-03-14T11:52:10Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:Liberal Brain.jpg|thumb|230px|top|<center>A satirical conception of the liberal brain.</center>]]

Liberalism encompasses a wide variety of philosophies and ideologies which value individual liberty, freedom of thought and equality of opportunities. A '''liberal''' can be a believer in many of the following political positions:

* Tax and spend government
* Taxpayer-funded [[abortion]]
* [[Income redistribution]], usually through progressive taxation
* Government-rationed and taxpayer-funded medical care
* Taxpayer-funded "free" [[public education]]
* The denial of inherent [[gender differences]] and wanting men and women to have the same jobs in the [[military]]
* [[Same-sex marriage]]
* [[Affirmative action]]
* [[Political correctness]]<ref>[http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/27429.html Politically Correct Terrorism] ''The Conservative Voice'', August 21, 2007</ref>
* [[Censorship]] of [[prayer]] in classrooms and school sponsored events
* [[Labor union]]s
* Elimination of [[abstinence]]-only program funding <ref> [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,286671,00.html Democrats Aim To Kill Abstinence-Only Program Funding], [[Fox News]], Monday, June 25, 2007</ref>
* A "[[living Constitution]]" that is reinterpreted, thwarting the amendment process specified in the Constitution as written.
* Support for [[gun control]]
* Government programs to [[rehabilitate criminals]]
* Abolition of death penalty
* [[Environmentalism]]<ref>[[Greenpeace]], for example.</ref>
* [[Disarmament treaties]]
* [[Globalism]]
* Opposition to a strong American foreign policy <ref>Stefaan Walgrave and Joris Verhulst, [http://nicomedia.math.upatras.gr/conf/CAWM2003/Papers/Verhulst.pdf The February 15 Worldwide Protests against a War in Iraq: An Empirical Test of Transnational Opportunities. Outline of a Research Programme](PDF).</ref>
* Support of obscenity and pornography as a [[First Amendment]] right<ref>The [[Warren Court]], led by [[liberal]] Justices [[William O. Douglas]], [[Hugo Black]], [[Abe Fortas]], [[William Brennan]] and Chief Justice [[Earl Warren]] issued 36 decisions granting [[First Amendment]] rights to obscenity and pornography. These decisions remain fully supported by liberals today.</ref>
* Opposition to full private property rights<ref>For example, the liberal wing of the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] issued the 5-4 [[Kelo v. City of New London]] decision authorizing the taking of private property by government in order to give the property to another private entity rather than convert it to a public use.</ref>
* Limiting [[conservative]] talk radio by reinstating the [[Fairness Doctrine]]
* Promoting [[liberal deceit]] if it advances their goals, or at least tolerating it
 

== Liberalism in North America today ==
[[Democrats]] and many media outlets in the [[U.S.]] often have a [[liberal bias]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrc.org/biasbasics/biasbasics1.asp|title=Media Bias basics|publisher=Media Research Center}}</ref>

===Liberal Rankings of Congress Members===

The National Journal compiles the votes of each congress member each year and uses the information to create rankings<ref>http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/index.htm</ref> of how liberal each member of the United States [[Congress]] is. In addition to showing the voting records of each member and given an overall all ranking of liberalness, the National Journal also ranks congress members by liberalness in the areas of social, economic, and foreign policy.

==Liberalism in Europe today==

In Europe, on the other hand, parties that call themselves ''liberal'' are moderate in outlook, ranging from centre-left to centre-right, promote typically economic and business freedom. The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe<ref>http://www.alde.eu</ref> is an party of the European Parliament that represents most ''liberal'' parties from European countries. Similar policies are promoted by many ''liberal'' parties throughout the world,<ref>http://www.liberal-international.org/</ref> such as the Liberal Party of Australia.<ref>[http://www.liberal.org.au/]</ref>

Trade unions and socialist parties often criticize politicians that promote lower taxes on business, or more flexible hiring and firing laws, by calling them "liberals" or [[neoliberal|neoliberals]]. Thus, just like in the US, "liberal" is often used as a term of abuse. But when someone is called "liberal" in Europe, it is an entirely different to the meaning in the US.
In fact, the US meaning of liberal is more similar to the politics of European [[socialist]] or [[social democracy|social democratic]] parties.<ref>[http://www.pes.org]</ref>

==Historical Liberalism ==
In history, the word "liberal" has meant different things at different times, and was associated with individual liberty in prior centuries. In the postwar period, liberals supported government intervention in the economy and welfare state policies, as well as peaceful coexistence with the communist block, which are not liberal policies in the sense of classical liberalism. After the end of the cold war, with the demise of socialism and communism, many liberals embraced some ideas from economic neo-liberalism, and coined it the "Third Way". In the area of national security and foreign policy liberals in the [[U.S.]] failed to define a consistent stance, even after the events of 9/11 and the beginning of the war in Iraq. Liberals generally support affirmative action, gay marriage, and abortion.<ref>"Political liberals tend, for whatever reason, to be ardent supporters of both gay rights and pro-choice programs." Greenberg and Bailey [http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/Bailey/Greenberg-Bailey/Homosexual%20Eugenics.pdf] </ref>

==Original meaning: Classical Liberalism==
Liberalism is a political philosophy with freedom as its core value. The term was originally applied to supporters of individual liberties and equal rights, but, in America, the term has come to represent a movement of social change that often conflicts with [[conservative]] values such as moral values and tradition.

See [[Classical Liberal|Classical Liberalism]]. Compare [[Libertarianism]].

==Alternative meanings of 'liberal'==

One definition of liberal is anything that is not conservative. For example, the American Heritage Dictionary includes this definition of "liberal":<ref>Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/liberal</ref>
* Not limited to or by established, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas ...

==Liberal Organizations ==
*[[AARP|AARP - American Association of Retired People]]
*[[ACLU|ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union]]
*[[AFL-CIO|AFL-CIO - American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations]]
*[[Amnesty International|AI - Amnesty International]]
*[[Democratic National Committee]]
*[[Greenpeace]]
*[[NARAL|NARAL - National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League]]
*[[NAACP|NAACP - National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]]
*[[National Committee for an Effective Congress]]
*[[National Education Association]]
*[[National Organization of Women]]
*[[Planned Parenthood|Planned Parenthood Federation of America]]
*[[Rainbow/PUSH Coalition]]
*[[MoveOn.org]]
*[[A.N.S.W.E.R.]]

Source: [http://www.politixgroup.com/lo.htm The Politix Group]

==See Also==

* [[Classical liberal]]
* [[Drinking Liberally]]
* [[Godless liberal]]
* [[Hollywood values]]
* [[Last wordism]]
* [[:Category:Liberal activists|Liberal activists]]
* [[Liberal arts]]
* [[Liberal Arts college]]
* [[Liberal Bias]]
* [[Essay:Liberal celebrity obsession|Liberal celebrity obsession]]
* [[Essay:Liberal Behavior on Conservapedia|Liberal Behavior on Conservapedia]]
* [[Liberal Christianity]]
* [[Liberal deceit]]
* [[Liberal Democrats]]
* [[Liberal denial]]
* [[Liberal Elite]]
* [[Essay: Liberal Falsehoods|Liberal Falsehoods]]
* [[Liberal Fascism]]
* [[Liberal friendship]]
* [[Liberal Gloss]]
* [[Liberal grading]]
* [[Liberal hate speech]]
* [[Liberal Hypocrisy]]
* [[Essay:Liberal hysteria|Liberal hysteria]]
* [[Liberal ideology]]
* [[Essay:Liberal Intellectualism|Liberal Intellectualism]]
* [[Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right|Liberal Lies About the American Right]]
* [[Liberal logic]]
* [[The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness|Libera Mind]]
* [[Liberal Myths]]
* [[Liberal obfuscation]]
* [[Liberal Party]]
* [[Liberal quotient]]
* [[Liberal supremacist]]
* [[Essay:Liberal Style|Liberal Style]]
* [[Liberal tools]]
* [[Liberal tricks]]
* [[Liberal values]]
* [[Massachusetts Liberal]]
* [[Professor values]]

==Further Information==

* [[Conservative Links]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Political ideologies]]

Apartheid

2008-03-12T10:48:28Z

JBuscombe: /* References */

'''Apartheid''' (Afrikaans for ''Separateness''), is a social and political policy of racial segregation and discrimination which was enforced by white minority governments in [[South Africa]] from 1948 to 1994.

The government enforced a homeland system and stripped the blacks of their citizenship. The black people living in "white South Africa" were not given any voting right there, but only in the black homelands which were economically non viable areas. Education, health care and other services available to blacks and other colored races were clearly inferior.

Unfortunately many governments of the western world continued to support the white regime including conservative ones like [[Ronald Reagan]] <ref>http://www.theherald.co.za/colarc/cull/cu140604.htm</ref><ref>http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/06/11/1086749892845.html</ref><ref>http://newsmine.org/archive/coldwar-imperialism/africa/reagan-supports-apartheid-South-Africa.txt</ref> <ref>http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2004/06/09/reagans_heart_of_darkness/</ref> and [[Margaret Thatcher]].<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2006/aug/27/uk.conservatives1</ref>
[[David Cameron]], the current leader of conservatives in the united kingdom recently admitted the party was wrong, drawing comments Thatcher's former spokesman, Sir Bernard Ingham, who said: 'I wonder whether David Cameron is a Conservative.'<ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cameron-apologises-for-thatcher-apartheid-policies-413569.html</ref>

[[Nelson Mandela]] was jailed for attempting to over throw the government.[http://www.ccds.charlotte.nc.us/History/Africa/04/Asmith/Asmith.htm]
When the black population of South Africa was given the right to vote in 1994, he was elected President.

Former President [[Jimmy Carter]] infamously referred to the [[Israel|Israeli]] occupation of [[Palestine]] as "apartheid."
[[Category:South Africa]]

== References ==
<references/>

Apartheid

2008-03-12T10:47:42Z

JBuscombe:

Giant panda

2008-03-08T21:03:56Z

JBuscombe: /* Trivia */

[[Image:panda2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A giant panda.]]

The '''Giant Panda''', or '''Panda Bear''', is a large black and white mammal native to central-western and southwestern [[China]], today classified as a member of the [[bear]] family (''Ursidae'')<ref>[http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/PandasForKids/classification/classification.htm Giant Panda classification]</ref>, though its unusual unbearlike features and habits for a long period consigned it to its own family (the ''Ailuridae'').

The giant panda has a diet which is 98% [[bamboo]], with other foods including [[fish]], [[honey]] and [[yams]]. The Giant Panda is an [[endangered]] animal, with an estimated 3,000 pandas alive in the wild, though intensive conservation efforts have been made by the Chinese.

[[Theory of evolution|Evolutionists]] such as [[Stephen Jay Gould]] have tried to claim that the "Panda's Thumb", which is a modified Seamoid bone, is evidence of evolution. Gould claimed that an actual [[God|Intelligent Designer]] would have made the Panda's thumb the same as the human thumb. But all this shows is [[microevolution]] not [[macroevolution]] possibly occurring in the Panda. This argument also assumes that the Designer would want to design the Panda the same way He designed the human. This assumption depends on revelation or hubristic assumptions about the nature of God.<ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v13/i1/panda.asp</ref>

=== Trivia ===

*Some [[United Kingdom|British]] [[police]] cars are referred to as panda cars for their black and white markings, others (with a red stripe down their side) are referred to as jam [[sandwich]]es.
*[[World Wide Fund for Nature]] has a giant panda as the logo and has been an enduring symbol for wildlife conservation

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Bears]]
[[Category:Giant Animals]]

Giant panda

2008-03-08T21:02:49Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:panda2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A giant panda.]]

The '''Giant Panda''', or '''Panda Bear''', is a large black and white mammal native to central-western and southwestern [[China]], today classified as a member of the [[bear]] family (''Ursidae'')<ref>[http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/GiantPandas/PandasForKids/classification/classification.htm Giant Panda classification]</ref>, though its unusual unbearlike features and habits for a long period consigned it to its own family (the ''Ailuridae'').

The giant panda has a diet which is 98% [[bamboo]], with other foods including [[fish]], [[honey]] and [[yams]]. The Giant Panda is an [[endangered]] animal, with an estimated 3,000 pandas alive in the wild, though intensive conservation efforts have been made by the Chinese.

[[Theory of evolution|Evolutionists]] such as [[Stephen Jay Gould]] have tried to claim that the "Panda's Thumb", which is a modified Seamoid bone, is evidence of evolution. Gould claimed that an actual [[God|Intelligent Designer]] would have made the Panda's thumb the same as the human thumb. But all this shows is [[microevolution]] not [[macroevolution]] possibly occurring in the Panda. This argument also assumes that the Designer would want to design the Panda the same way He designed the human. This assumption depends on revelation or hubristic assumptions about the nature of God.<ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v13/i1/panda.asp</ref>

=== Trivia ===

*Some [[United Kingdom|British]] [[police]] cars are referred to as panda cars for their black and white markings, others (with a red stripe down their side) are referred to as jam [[sandwich]]es.
*[[World Wide Fund for Nature]] has a giant panda as the logo.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Bears]]
[[Category:Giant Animals]]

Embraced deceit

2008-03-08T20:27:13Z

JBuscombe: reference needed - not a link to a prejudiced list

'''Embraced deceit''' is [[deceit]] that is knowingly allowed, defended or even promoted for ideological purposes. Not only did the perpetrator of the [[deceit]] promote it, but his allies were complicit also.

'''Embraced deceit''' is common among [[liberals]], but non-existent among [[conservatives]].{{fact}}

== References ==

<references/>

[[category:politics]]

Talk:School prayer

2008-03-04T23:19:27Z

JBuscombe: /* Query */

== Is it not secular? ==

Andy,

Is it not a secular culture keeping government and religion apart? Not an atheistic culture as you claim.--[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 13:13, 1 January 2008 (EST)

: "Secular" means public, and reflects public beliefs, as in saying the Pledge of Allegiance, reciting a prayer during the beginning of a congressional session, or swearing in a new president through use of a [[Bible]]. Public schools are more properly described as [[atheistic]], where religion is affirmatively censored.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 13:17, 1 January 2008 (EST)

::"Secular" means separate from religion. It does not imply public. Also there is no prohibition of prayer in school. That is also protected by the first amendment. Students can pray any time without disrupting the school. What the critics are against is being forced to attend the prayer or the prayer being led by an authoritative figure like teacher. So it is not atheistic , just secular.--[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 13:22, 1 January 2008 (EST)

:: Also how would you feel if you are forced to sit through a Muslim prayer led by the teacher every day? Now, do you get the point? --[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 13:26, 1 January 2008 (EST)

::: There is a prohibition on prayer in [[public school]], and it is deceitful to pretend otherwise. The prayers that start legislative sessions through the [[United States]] cannot be said to start the schoolday or a class in [[public school]].--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 13:38, 1 January 2008 (EST)
:::: Are you happy for your child to be forced to sit through an islamic prayer led by a Muslim teacher every day? --[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 14:35, 1 January 2008 (EST)
:::: 5 times a day, actually. [[User:SSchultz|SSchultz]] 14:39, 1 January 2008 (EST)
Not necessarily - the dawn, sunset, and dusk ones would probably not be during the school day, unless one was boarding/homeschooling. Also, in an avowedly liberal school over here in the UK, I can pray whenever I want, so long as it doesn't disrupt teaching. --[[User:JOwen|JOwen]]

Although I essentially side with Andy on this issue, I was going to say that I don't agree with him on the definition of "secular". However, in checking my facts, it appears that Andy is closer to the truth that anyone here has given him credit for, even if the particular way he expressed it is not exactly right.
* [http://www.onelook.com/?w=secular&ls=a OneLook] gives the meaning as "concerning those not members of the clergy", although I don't know which dictionary it got that from.
* [http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=secular Merriam-Webster] gives one of the definitions as "not ecclesiastical or clerical", and gives ''secular courts'' as an example.
* The [http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=secular Online Etymology Dictionary] says that the word started off (in 1290) as meaning '"living in the world, not belonging to a religious order," also "belonging to the state"'.

It appears that the word, which I'd say started in a society that was Christian, did not originally mean "without religion", but "not part of the religious establishment". The ''secular courts'' example above illustrates this. A ''secular court'' was distinct from a ''church court''. It had to do with which authority (church or state) controlled it; it was not to do with whether or not religion was involved. Religion (i.e. Christianity) was involved regardless. That is, the state, although distinct from the church still recognised the church as a co-equal authority.

In modern times, it has come to mean "without religion" as one of its most-commonly-used meanings (particularly by atheists and the like), but this appears to not be an original meaning, and so Andy is justified in making the comment that he does.

Furthermore, and this is where I agreed with him anyway, any state that ''excludes'' religion is not religiously neutral, but is taking sides, with the atheists. I don't believe that Andy's gripe is that schools don't ''have to'' have prayer, but that they are ''not allowed to'' have prayer (and we're not talking about students silently or privately praying). If the state ''allowed'', but didn't ''enforce'' school prayer, they would be religiously neutral. But if they ''ban'' it, they are no longer being religiously neutral.

[[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 07:59, 2 January 2008 (EST)

== Bible study paragraph ==

This paragraph wasn't about prayer, but it's still good for an article about the Bible and public schools:
<blockquote>
From 2004 to 2006, a [[public school]] banned [[Bible]] study by children ... ''during recess''. A teacher complained about the use of the [[Bible]] and the principal then censored the study activity, according to a sworn statement by a teacher told to stop it. Principal "Summa, having learned of a complaint by a teacher and of the students' Bible study, told fourth-grade teacher Virginia Larue to nix the group's recess meeting. Larue did, according to her deposition. In that sworn statement, Larue said she briefly informed Summa of a parental complaint about the Bible study, and Summa then instructed her to end the practice, citing fear over "separation of church and state." Larue later told one of Luke's Bible study colleagues the group could no longer meet at recess, according to the deposition."<ref>http://knoxnews.com/news/2008/jan/03/recess-bible-study-spurs-lawsuit/</ref>
</blockquote>
[[User:Jinxmchue|Jinxmchue]] 18:18, 27 January 2008 (EST)

: You are drawing a hairsplitting distinction that is not worth making. Bible study is often associated with prayer, and if Bible study is banned, then prayer is also. In borderline cases, we leave material in the entry because it is informative. We disfavor censorship of valuable information.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 20:15, 27 January 2008 (EST)

::Well, then maybe we need to have the article renamed to "Religion in public schools" and formatted with headings about prayer and the Bible, because there are lots of incidents where students simply reading the Bible have been chastised. [[User:Jinxmchue|Jinxmchue]] 21:23, 27 January 2008 (EST)
::: I think changing the title is a good idea (although I have a problem with the term "''public'' [[School#Public school|schools]]" (see that link). "Religion in schools" has broader application than "School prayer". [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 02:18, 28 January 2008 (EST)

== Query ==
Hi guys, I have a query. Firstly, as a Non-US citizen, I dont want to discuss whether or not prayer in school should be legal/illegal but I am wondering why it is such a big issue. In my school we had the lords prayer before a school assembly and those who were not religious (or of other religions) did not have to participate but we certainly did not have to have prayer before the start of each day. The reasons being is that people who want to pray would certainly pray before school with their family. Surely also a teacher can pray for/with his class either before the school day or lead those students in prayer who wish to privately. I think it is the parents who instill values and religion and should not be the realm of the government or school. Unless of course it is a catholic/sunday school/what-have-you that the parents have choosen to send their children to.
[[User:MetcalfeM|MetcalfeM]] 20:21, 3 March 2008 (EST)
: (Reply from a non-US citizen!) In America all prayer that is in any way "endorsed" by the school (including implicitly) is effectively illegal. This includes the Lord's Prayer at an assembly, prayer by a teacher (whether in class or not), prayer by anyone during class time, and even prayer by a student at any gathering sanctioned by the school, it seems. There's video online of a student acknowledging God (not actually praying) in her graduation speech (I think it was, or something like that) having the microphone turned off by the school because of that. It's not so much that prayer is not endorsed or encouraged, but that it is banned (or censored, if you like). That is, if the teacher ''wants'' to pray, and the student have no objection, the teacher is still not permitted to. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 20:42, 3 March 2008 (EST)

:: Well put, Philip. MetcalfeM, it's called censorship when something is permitted to be said only at home, or only in special place. Liberal concepts like evolution are not censored in the classroom. Why is prayer censored there?--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 20:46, 3 March 2008 (EST)

::: In America, I can legally go into a bar and flirt with the females without any problem. But if I were a teacher, and I did that to one of the students, I would be (correctly) disciplined and/or fired for that behavior. Is that censorship, Aschlafly? According to your definition it is. Do you support the right of teachers to flirt with their students? --[[User:Jdellaro|Jdellaro]] 08:06, 4 March 2008 (EST)
:::: Censorship is suppression of information, not an action. And censorship is often used—and I expect that this is the way Andy is using it—to mean ''unreasonable'' suppression of an idea. That is, I very much doubt that Andy is opposed to ''all'' censorship, but banning of school prayer is ''unreasonable'' censorship. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 08:15, 4 March 2008 (EST)
::::: First off, Andy specifically said, "it's called censorship when something is permitted to be said only at home, or only in special place." I used the word, "flirting", but if you'd prefer, if I went into a bar and made sexually suggestive comments to females, that would be accepted. But I couldn't do that in a classroom. Is that censorship? And if censorship is suppression of information, how is leading a class in prayer considered, "information" as opposed to "action"? And where's the line drawn between ''reasonable'' censorship and ''unreasonable'' censorship?--[[User:Jdellaro|Jdellaro]] 09:54, 4 March 2008 (EST)

That I understand. While I wouldnt agree with a teacher leading a prayer in class for the whole class regardless of belief or parents wishes I would certainly agree that it is not right for a blanket ban to be imposed. I mean, I am not religious however if I was part of a school sports team and some of my team members wished to have a prayer circle, while I may not join them, I wouldn't care. Each to there own I say.
[[User:MetcalfeM|MetcalfeM]] 21:17, 3 March 2008 (EST)

: You are censoring the teacher or coach with respect to prayer, but not with respect to their expressing liberal views. Why do you support such censorship?--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 21:28, 3 March 2008 (EST)

I support no censorship. Did you not read my post? I dont think it is a teachers responsibility to lead my children in prayer. That is my responsibilty. However if a teacher wishes to pray with the religious students of his/her class then fine, go right ahead. But on their own time (5 mins before class starts maybe?) not my childrens time. Also, if the coach wants to pray with his team, go right ahead, but I wouldn't join the prayer circle and shouldn't have to be exposed to it. But I have no problem whatsoever with a prayer being said as long as it is done respectifully to others beliefs (and vice versa).
[[User:MetcalfeM|MetcalfeM]] 21:36, 3 March 2008 (EST)

: I did read your post, and reread it. You said, "While I wouldnt agree with a teacher leading a prayer in class for the whole class ...." That's called censorship of the teacher. There is no other (logical) way to describe it. You're likely fine with the teacher leading the class on evolution or his views about a political candidate. But, oh no, NOT prayer. That's censorship, plain and simple. You're fighting logic, not me, to deny it.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 21:51, 3 March 2008 (EST)

Excuse me Ashlafly, I didnt mention evolution or politics once!
"However if a teacher wishes to pray with the religious students of his/her class then fine, go right ahead. But on their own time (5 mins before class starts maybe?) not my childrens time"
How is this censorship of the teacher?
[[User:MetcalfeM|MetcalfeM]] 21:55, 3 March 2008 (EST)

Okay, there's two issues here. One, should a teacher be prevented from praying where no student objects or students have the choice of opting out? On that, it appears to me that Andy and MetcalfeM both agree that the teacher should be allowed to.

The second issue is whether or not a teacher should be allowed to pray in a situation where the students object and can't opt out. MetcalfeM says that they should not be allowed to in that case. Andy thinks that they should. Andy is trying to say that MetcalfeM is being inconsistent in believing that a teacher should not be allowed to pray ''in that circumstance'', yet believe that a teacher should be allowed to put ''other'' views to the class, such as political or evolutionary. Now MetcalfeM ''is'' being in consistent ''if'' he thinks that, but he hasn't said that he does, so it's premature to accuse him of that. And I would not be at all surprised if MetcalfeM says that teachers should ''not'' be allowed to put political views. Similarly, I ''would'' be surprised (but it's still possible) that MetcalfeM thinks that teachers should not promote evolution.

But regardless what MetcalfeM thinks, the real point is that in America (and other places, although perhaps not so rigidly), teachers are banned from promoting ''or even implicitly endorsing'' a Christian view (praying in class is hardly forcing a view on people), yet are ''required'' to promote (''explicitly'' endorse) the anti-Christian view of evolution (for example). That is a glaring inconsistency, rationalised only on the false claim that one is "religious" and the other is "science".

[[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 22:23, 3 March 2008 (EST)

Nice clarification Phillip! Yes I do believe that it is fine for a teacher to pray with students if they agree etc etc as you pointed out. I also dont think that teachers should push political beliefs unless asked directly what the think. Same with relgious beliefs. As for evolution, well, I think that evolution should be taught in science class however I am a bit divided on creation being taught alongside. To be honest I haven't given it a lot of thought but if pressed I could say that it would be an idea to teach the holes in evolution? Maybe let students make their own minds up? Its a thorny issue which, to be honest, I dont really want to debate. Thanks for your clarification though Phillip. You aussies aint all bad you know!
[[User:MetcalfeM|MetcalfeM]] 22:32, 3 March 2008 (EST)
:: I also think that evolution should be taught, simply because so many people believe it that it's something that everyone should know about. But it should not be taught as truth, as it usually is. The opposition to Christian views, however, extends even to the extreme of banning telling students that they should keep an open mind about evolution! [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 23:02, 3 March 2008 (EST)

:Thanks Philip, that seems like a fairly rational assessment. It does often seem like there is a double standard in these issues that is not often recognized. [[User:Feebasfactor|Feebasfactor]] 22:34, 3 March 2008 (EST)

I welcome Metcalfe saying that he's fine with a teacher praying with a class if everyone agrees, but very few people really base their view on that distinction and, frankly, Metcalfe himself didn't either. It was Philip who introduced that distinction. Nearly everyone who opposes classroom prayer also opposes it even if no one objects. Moreover, why would the objection of just one student be able to cause the censorship of everyone else? That doesn't make much sense, and it is a form of censorship.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 22:40, 3 March 2008 (EST)

Phillip did claify what I was trying to get across actually. He explained it better than I did is all. Anyways, I'm off for the day. Enjoy the debate without the token atheist! ;-)
[[User:MetcalfeM|MetcalfeM]] 22:46, 3 March 2008 (EST)

It's probably true that "Nearly everyone who opposes classroom prayer also opposes it even if no one objects", but there ''are'' exceptions, and we have to be careful not to presume that any particular individual fits the stereotype. I also agree that the objection of a single student should not be able to stop everyone else having prayer. In some circumstances, being able to opt out is a good practice, but when it comes to prayer, having a student leave the classroom for the 30 seconds (or whatever, it could well be longer, but might well be quite short also) that a prayer is being said is unnecessary mucking around. Also, atheists consider prayer to be meaningless, so what harm is there if a student has to listen to a prayer being said? It's not like the student is required to participate (pray also) or believe; all he has to do is sit there quietly while the prayer is being said. What's so wrong with that? [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 23:02, 3 March 2008 (EST)
:Andy and Phil, I have a hypothetical question. Let's say an observant Jewish child (like mine) is in a majority Christian class, and feels, well, very uncomfortable when the teacher wants to lead the class in the Lord's Prayer? Is it just "tough knuckles" for my boy? We do have a bit of unpleasant history around these issues.[[User:LeonardH|LeonardH]] 23:37, 3 March 2008 (EST)
:: What is so "tough" about it? What's so hard about him simply sitting through it? [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 23:48, 3 March 2008 (EST)
::: Being in the majority religion, I'm sure it's not obvious. It sends a systemic message of exclusion - "this is not your school" - and suggests that one religion has priority over the other in affairs of state. Constitutionally... that shouldn't be the case.-[[User:PhoenixWright|PhoenixWright]] 23:51, 3 March 2008 (EST)
:::: I'm not talking constitutionally. How does it "send a message of exclusion"? The very fact that a predominantly ''Christian'' environment welcomes Jews indicates that they are ''not'' excluded! [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 00:08, 4 March 2008 (EST)
:::::"Welcome! Glad you're here! Now sit there, okay good, and listen while you tell you about our religion. No no, we'd rather not hear about yours."-[[User:PhoenixWright|PhoenixWright]] 00:13, 4 March 2008 (EST)
:::::: So now we've switched from ''praying'' to ''talking about'' a religion? I must have missed that switch. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 00:20, 4 March 2008 (EST)
::::::: Isn't praying a religion-specific speech act?-[[User:PhoenixWright|PhoenixWright]] 00:22, 4 March 2008 (EST)
:::::::: Huh? Yes, you could invent that term for it, but that's like saying that a robin is a bird, and a crow is a bird, so a robin is a crow. We were talking specifically about prayer. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 00:33, 4 March 2008 (EST)

Let's say you lived in northern new jersey in a mostly jewish town. If the teacher wanted to say the Shema before every class, which is a prayer which basically repudiated Christianity, what would you suggest for your kid?[[User:LeonardH|LeonardH]] 23:50, 3 March 2008 (EST)
: To witness to his fellow students. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 00:08, 4 March 2008 (EST)
::So school should become a free-for-all, religion-off, where students are encouraged to disrupt each other's learning by pushing their beliefs at each other in an unmediated environment?-[[User:PhoenixWright|PhoenixWright]] 00:13, 4 March 2008 (EST)
::: Please show me where in my comment I said anything about witnessing ''during class time'', ''in a disruptive way'', or by ''pushing'' their beliefs on others. Or retract the comment. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 00:20, 4 March 2008 (EST)
::::I'm just trying to point out that encouraging students to speak up for themselves assumes (1) that children can and are willing to, and will always do so, (2) and that there will be no social consequences for them. What school child, surrounded by religions different than his own, will react first by trying to convert them, or defend themselves?-[[User:PhoenixWright|PhoenixWright]] 00:22, 4 March 2008 (EST)
::::: So you didn't show me where I said that, and you didn't retract it as requested.
::::: Encouraging a student to witness does assume that children can do so, but they can, so that's not an issue. It doesn't presume that they are willing; if anything it assumes the opposite, as you often ''encourage'' someone to do something that they are ''not'' willing to do. And for the same reason, neither does it assume that they ''will'' do so. Neither does it assume that there will be no social consequences, and neither have you explained the relevance of that. What school child will witness? One who has been taught sufficiently well to have confidence in himself and his beliefs, and one who has been encouraged to do so.
::::: [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 00:33, 4 March 2008 (EST)
:::::: So, you would be comfortable if a Muslim student witnessed to your child on a daily basis? Or would you consider this harrassment? If this would be harassment, then so would it be for your child to witness to other students. Again, are you suggesting you would feel comfortable if your child was told to sit quietly at his desk while a Hindu encouraged student to open their third eye and worship the god Vishnu? [[User:SSchultz|SSchultz]] 00:54, 4 March 2008 (EST)
::::::: It could be harassment if they were asked to stop and didn't, but it need not be harassment. Not only would I feel quite comfortable with a Muslim child witnessing to my child, I would ''welcome'' it. I witnessed to some Mormons once; I invited them into my home and allowed them to say what they wanted. Having done that, I then had a right to say to them what ''I'' wanted to say. Similarly, a Muslim child witnessing to my child would at the very least impose an obligation on the Muslim child to return the favour, as well as indicate that the child is open to discussing such issues. It's ''other'' religions, such as atheism, that have beliefs so fragile that they have to [[Suppression of alternatives to evolution|censor opposing views]]. I would not object to my child having to sit through a worship of Vishnu if (a) the school was a Hindu-run school, (b) the school was in a predominantly Hindu country, or (c) if the school was a government school in a Christian country but in a predominantly Hindu area and openly intended to provide education to Hindus. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 01:26, 4 March 2008 (EST)

The creative attempts to justify classroom prayer are illogical and self-contradictory:

* the [[censor]]s oppose classroom prayer even all want to participate in it
* the [[censor]]s oppose classroom prayer even if an objection by one can be addressed without banning the prayer
* the [[censor]]s oppose classroom prayer even though objections to [[atheistic]] speech are rejected

Only an extremely biased person would fail to recognize that the above three positions can only be reconciled in one way: the censors oppose classroom prayer for a reason independent of any purported offense.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 08:52, 4 March 2008 (EST)

::Might I add my two English pence? I recently spent a week in Belgium doing some work experience in a primary school. Over there, they have absolutely no religious themes or practices in classrooms, since, particularly where I worked, there is a big mix of ethnicities and religions. However, every week an hour was set aside for children to attend "religious classes", where all beliefs were catered for. For example, all the Jewish children would attend a class run by a local rabbi, the Muslims by a local cleric and so on. Children who had no religious affiliation would go to "morals and ethics". Surely this is an effective way of solving the "classroom prayer" quandry? Having certain times set aside for Religious Education where kids can be led in prayer by leaders of their own faith? Perhaps I am way out, but I thought it might be worth pointing out that it '''is''' possible to reach a compromise in regards to religion and prayer in classrooms. --[[User:TJ|Crookles]] 09:07, 4 March 2008 (EST)

::: Thanks for your two English pence, which is informative, but this debate is about classroom prayer, and while your scenario is an improvement it still does not end the censorship in classroom prayer. I start my class in writing with 40 teenagers with a simple, non-denominational prayer, sometimes said by me and sometimes said by a volunteer student. As you can see here, there are some who demand censorship of that, at least in [[public school]].--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 09:20, 4 March 2008 (EST)

The token atheist is back again! Anyways, while I dont believe (just my opnion mind you) there is a place in the actual classroom specifically for a prayer (English class is for english, maths class is for maths) I have no problem with religion being expressed in a public school by anyone from the teachers to the principal to the students. The censorship you experience in the US is taking it too far. If the class does not mind then why not? Shouldnt be an issue. It is a fine line but you can easily find a middle ground.
Particulary if, as Andy stated above, it is something innocuous and non-denominational.
I think I have had my 2 cents now. I might move on to other things.
[[User:MetcalfeM|MetcalfeM]] 15:22, 4 March 2008 (EST)

: Metcalfe, I appreciate your comments ... I think. Why the rush to leave before a logical conclusion is drawn here? You said, "If the class does not mind then why not"? There is no ''rational'' reason "why not," but there a reason based on hostility to prayer, and to God. [[Atheists]] say they disbelieve God exists, on the one hand, but then are often hostile to God on the other. This is one (of many) logical contradictions about [[atheism]]. I'm building a list at [[atheistic logic]]. Thanks for inspiring this addition.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 15:46, 4 March 2008 (EST)

::Andy, could you please clarify what you mean by "[[Atheists]] say they disbelieve God exists, on the one hand, but then are often hostile to God on the other". I think you may have made a typo or something, or it may just be me. Either way, I would appreciate it if you could reiterate your point. --[[User:TJ|Crookles]] 15:52, 4 March 2008 (EST)

::: Why are [[atheists]] hostile to someone whom they say does not exist? The contradiction is logic is in [[atheism]], not in my description of it.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 15:59, 4 March 2008 (EST)

I had put in my two cents and the reason my conclusion is drawn is that I cannot speak for anyone else, anyones belief. I, while an atheist, am not hostile to the idea of God at all. I dislike 'Bible thumping' but have no problem with religion itself. As I said before, each to their own!
[[User:MetcalfeM|MetcalfeM]] 16:16, 4 March 2008 (EST)

: Yes, Metcalfe, that is what [[atheists]] ''say'', but then they censor classroom prayer. Hence the logical contradiction. You have gone further than most atheists on this issue, but you have still not allowed real classroom prayer in public school: a prayer to start my writing class, for example, which we say every week.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 16:44, 4 March 2008 (EST)

As I stated above, I think the laws in the US take it too far. My opnion is different from yours, as yours are to mine. I dont think prayer should be raised in the classroom, thats what I think however I dont think it matters if the class agrees to pray or a coach joins his team in prayer before the big match. In my high school (jeez, how many years ago now!) there was prayer in assembly and a group of christians formed a club that used to meet at lunchtimes for bible study etc. There are many other avenues for prayer and religion, like I have stated above and, if there are these avenues, then it need not be brought into English lessons for example. But, I understand that in the US you dont have these avenues. That is my opinion and I believe it is fair to all in the multicultural society of NZ. But again, I know it is different for you in the US.
[[User:MetcalfeM|MetcalfeM]] 16:58, 4 March 2008 (EST)

: Metcalfe, in other words, like nearly all [[atheists]], you oppose classroom prayer. You can say that in only four words.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 17:06, 4 March 2008 (EST)

Lets look at what I said in quotes...
"I dont think it matters if the class agrees to pray or a coach joins his team in prayer before the big match"
"If the class does not mind then why not? Shouldnt be an issue. It is a fine line but you can easily find a middle ground.
Particulary if, as Andy stated above, it is something innocuous and non-denominational"
"I do believe that it is fine for a teacher to pray with students if they agree"
"But I have no problem whatsoever with a prayer being said as long as it is done respectifully to others beliefs (and vice versa)"

So where is my opposition? I think that as long as there is no opposition then prayer is fine in class. I wouldn't oppose if my teacher lead the class in prayer but I wouldnt listen either.
Also, if there is a lunchtime bible group (lead by a teacher as was the case at my school) then it is not nessacary (spelling is wrong I know) for a class to begin with a prayer as those who wish to express their religion can do so without having to make the Jews, Hindus or Muslims feel like their religion is not being recognized (or insulted as the case may be).
Where I am from it is not an issue as schools have areas, outside the classroom, where relgion is praticed and respected. We had a chapel at my school anyway so there was no need for prayer in class.
[[User:MetcalfeM|MetcalfeM]] 17:17, 4 March 2008 (EST)

:Should any kind of [[prayer]] be acceptable for the teacher to lead the class in? [[Christian]], [[Muslim]], [[Jewish]], [[Hindu]], etc.? I'm not quite sure... what do you think? [[User:Feebasfactor|Feebasfactor]] 17:36, 4 March 2008 (EST)

What I am trying to point out is that if there are other avenues (like I stated above with lunchtime bible study (or Koran study even?), school chapel etc) then there is not a need for any classroom prayer of any kind.
[[User:MetcalfeM|MetcalfeM]] 17:41, 4 March 2008 (EST)

: As a veteran teacher of teenagers for nearly six years, Metcalfe, I can assure you that classroom prayer is ''immensely'' helpful to learning and behavior. Moreover, nearly all the great minds drew upon [[prayer]] and the [[Bible]] for their ''intellectual'' insights. So your statement that "there is not a need for any classroom prayer of any kind" is a bit like saying "there is not a need for a textbook or a teacher, or for water in a desert." There most certainly is a need for it.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 17:50, 4 March 2008 (EST)

::Mr. Schlafly, I asked this question before, you chose not to answer. I am taking the liberty of asking again. "Are you happy for your child to be forced to sit through an islamic prayer led by a Muslim teacher every day? " Thanks in advance for your reply. --[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 18:19, 4 March 2008 (EST)

Prayer

2008-03-04T23:10:13Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:Prayer.jpg|right|300px|Praying Hands]]
In [[Christianity]] and many other religions, '''prayer''' is the process of directly connecting to [[God]], usually for the purpose of deliberate communication.

Through prayer our thoughts and hopes are heard and understood. Oftentimes, prayer will result in feeling God's presence or feeling like one is touched by God. This feeling of a connection is cited by many theists as proof of God's existence. It is through prayer that man can understand God's will in his life and ask God for the courage and strength to carry his message to the world. Prayer is common throughout the [[Bible]] in both the [[Old Testament]] and the [[New Testament|New]].

The capability of prayer are often misinterpreted as proof of the non-existence of God. In a common argument, a Christian may be asked to pray for something which cannot possibly occur through natural means, or which is so unlikely that the possibility of it occurring without supernatural intervention may be discounted - asking God to ensure that a fair coin lands on heads forty times in succession, for example, which has a statistical probability of approximately one in a trillion. When the prayer has no apparent effect - the coin lands on heads after a few flips - the argument is made that God as described in the bible cannot exist, as this God claims to be able and willing to grant prayer requests.

A similar argument is based upon scientific study of the effects or prayer, particularly in medical contexts - asking why patients who receive much prayer fair no better than those who receive no prayer at all, or questioning why Christians would pay for health insurance when God has demonstrated in the bible the capability for supernatural healing.

Both of these arguments are fallacious, resting on the false assumption that God will grant all prayers. This is not true: While God hears all prayers, it is His judgment that decides which are worthy of His intervention. There is no reason God needs to provide additional proof of his existence by flipping coins or holding 'publicity stunts' when His existence is already manifest in His creation. Similarly, there is no reason for God to aid or hinder in matters of medical survival - the patients' eventual destination is determined only by themselves, and their time of arrival there holds little importance. God grants the prayers of those who pray in faith and true need.

But, some argue that the Christian Bible promises answers to prayers. E.g.

Mathew 7:7-12
" Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."

== Pray in secret ==

''When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.''

''But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.''

''And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.'' [http://www.lifeofchrist.com/teachings/sermons/mount/lordsprayer.asp Instructions for praying] Sermon on the Mount.

== See also ==

*[[The Lord's Prayer]]
*[[Rosary]]
*[[Hail Mary]]

== External links ==

*[http://www.catholic.org/prayers/ Prayers] Catholic Online.

[[Category: Religion]]

Talk:Atheistic Logic

2008-03-04T23:03:41Z

JBuscombe: /* what is the contradiction here? */

'Atheists say they disbelieve God exists, but then are often hostile to God'. Sorry, no. Some are hostile to prayer and the worship of God, as they see it as a complete waste of time to pray to and worship someone who simply doesn't exist. In my experience, though, most simply shake their head and leave the religious folk to what they consider to be their delusional fantasies, so not only does this statement fail to be a 'logical contradiction', it's not even accurate. [[User:Urushnor|Urushnor]] 16:47, 4 March 2008 (EST)

: Not true. [[Atheists]] insist on censoring classroom prayer. See [[Talk:School prayer]]. That censorship cannot be explained by citing disbelief. Atheists do not, for example, insist on censoring other things in the classroom that they disbelieve in, such patriotism.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 17:08, 4 March 2008 (EST)

:: Aschlafly, I'm confused. You say evolution shouldn't be taught in school, citing your own disbelief, and then turn around and proclaim that prayer should be in schools, disregarding others' disbelief. [[User:Barikada|Barikada]] 17:54, 4 March 2008 (EST)

== what is the contradiction here? ==

Mr. Aschlafly, May be I am thick, but I don't understand what is the logical contradiction here.--[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 18:03, 4 March 2008 (EST)

Talk:Atheistic Logic

2008-03-04T23:03:18Z

JBuscombe:

'Atheists say they disbelieve God exists, but then are often hostile to God'. Sorry, no. Some are hostile to prayer and the worship of God, as they see it as a complete waste of time to pray to and worship someone who simply doesn't exist. In my experience, though, most simply shake their head and leave the religious folk to what they consider to be their delusional fantasies, so not only does this statement fail to be a 'logical contradiction', it's not even accurate. [[User:Urushnor|Urushnor]] 16:47, 4 March 2008 (EST)

: Not true. [[Atheists]] insist on censoring classroom prayer. See [[Talk:School prayer]]. That censorship cannot be explained by citing disbelief. Atheists do not, for example, insist on censoring other things in the classroom that they disbelieve in, such patriotism.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 17:08, 4 March 2008 (EST)

:: Aschlafly, I'm confused. You say evolution shouldn't be taught in school, citing your own disbelief, and then turn around and proclaim that prayer should be in schools, disregarding others' disbelief. [[User:Barikada|Barikada]] 17:54, 4 March 2008 (EST)

== what is the contradiction here? ==

May be I am thick, but I don't understand what is the logical contradiction here.--[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 18:03, 4 March 2008 (EST)

Atheistic Logic

2008-03-04T23:02:00Z

JBuscombe: spelling correction

Here is a growing list of logical contradictions in [[atheism]]:

* [[atheists]] say they do not believe that any [[God]] or equivalent deity exists, but then are often hostile to [[Christians]], as in censoring classroom prayer even when everyone wants to participate.

(add more)

Hinduism

2008-02-29T11:12:45Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:Hinduism.jpg|left|Hinduism]]
'''Hinduism''' is the fourth largest religion in the world and is the oldest among major religions, dating back to upto 5500 BC.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindunet.org/vedas/rigveda/|title=Rigveda|work=The Hindu Universe|publisher=HinduNet Inc|accessdate=2008-02-29}}</ref><ref>The largest being [[Christianity]], [[Islam]], Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist, and Hinduism, in that order[http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html]</ref>. Hinduism is the first [[Dharmic religion]]. It can be called "the religion of India;" about 800 million of the world's 1000 million Hindus live in India, and about 80 percent of Indians are Hindus.<ref>[http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/Brief_analysis.pdf Census of India, religion data, brief analysis (PDF)]; "At the national level, of 1028 million population, 828 million (80.5 percent) have returned their religion as Hindus followed by 138 million (13.4 percent) as Muslims and 24 millions (2.3 percent) Christians. 19 million (1.9 percent) persons follow Sikh religion; 8 million (0.8 percent) are Buddhists and 4.2 million (0.4 percent) are Jains as per the 2001 Census. In addition to these, 6.6 million belong to ‘Other Religions and Persuasions’ including tribal religions which are not part of the six main religions stated above. About seven lakh (or 0.7 million) persons have not stated their religion."</ref>
According to a recent American survey, Hindus are the best educated and among the richest religious groups in that country.<ref>Hanerjee, Neela, [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/us/25cnd-religion.html?ei=5124&en=1f44cce06fd2c02a&ex=1361682000&adxnnl=1&partner=digg&exprod=digg&adxnnlx=1204020358-3HkVoV4zxeYh9vTOw6Tydw Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate, Report Finds], New York Times, 25th February, 2008.</ref>
[[Image:Hinduism..jpg|240px|right|Shiva the Cosmic Dancer]]
Hindus believe in [[reincarnation]] and eventual unity with what is known as [[Brahman]] as well as respect for all life forms. Their holy writings are known as the [[Vedas]]. The goal of Hindus in life (purusharthas) is to follow four life-long aims: dharma (righteousness), artha (material success), kama (love/pleasure), and moksha (release from reincarnation/reunification with Brahman).

== Description ==

In 1966, the Supreme Court of [[India]] defined what Hinduism is for legal purposes:

1. Belief in the authority of the Vedas (an ancient hymns to the gods, written in Sanskrit). The oldest collection of hymns in the Vedas is the Rig Veda, which was written between 1800 and 1300 B.C. The greatest Veda hymn is the “Bhagavat Gita,” a section in the Mahabharata concerning life’s never-ending spiritual journey towards perfection. Bhagavat Geeta is rendered as a dialogue between Shri Krishna (incarnation of Vishnu) and Arjuna (the great archer) in the middle of the battlefield.

2. Spirit of tolerance and willingness to understand and respect an opponent’s view.

3. Belief in world rhythms: long periods of creation, maintenance and dissolution follow each other in endless succession.

4. Belief in reincarnation (rebirth) and preexistence.

5. Belief that there are many ways to salvation.

6. Unlike most other religions, Hinduism is not defined by a specific set of philosophical concepts.

7. Belief in one god. Contrary to popular belief, Hinduism is not a [[polytheism|polytheistic]] religion. The Vedas, the primary Hindu holy scriptures states that there is only one [[God]] but can manifest in many forms. This is the reason why there are many deities. A common example used to explain this is that an individual can be called different names depending on the relationship has with another. A man can be a son to his parents, a nephew to his uncle, a father to his son, and a husband to his wife all at the same time. None of these different relationships suggest multiple people but rather different aspects of one person. The same is applied to God in Hinduism, which has no form and is infinite. Hindus may call God, Paratman (Supreme Soul), Brahmana (Eternal Spirit), or Ishvara (Supreme Lord). Deities have various names but represent aspects of God that manifest in the world. For example Agni (fire, Divine spark), Vayu (wind, or breath which could mean life force, Indra (in mythology king of gods but also refers to the senses such as vision, hearing, touch, taste), and Lakshmi (fortune).

8. Secular multiplicity and accommodating flexibility in spiritual practices.

Relations between Hinduism and Christianity have also been shaped by unequal balances of political power and cultural influence. Although communities of Christians have lived in South India since the middle of the 1st millennium, the great expansion of Indian Christianity followed the efforts of missionaries working under the protection of the British colonial government. <ref> [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-261549/Hinduism Hinduism and Christianity] Encyclopædia Britannica. </ref>

Some state governments such as Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh have passed anti-conversion laws, attempting to prevent Hindus converting to other religions such as [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]].<ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/24470.htm India: International Religious Freedom Report 2003] (U.S. Department of State)</ref>

For more on Hinduism, see [[World History Lecture Three]].

== External links ==

*[http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Hinduism-Hindu.htm Hindu Religion]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Hinduism|*]]

Hinduism

2008-02-29T11:04:44Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:Hinduism.jpg|left|Hinduism]]
'''Hinduism''' is the fourth largest religion in the world and is the oldest among major religions, dating back to upto 5500 BC.<ref>The largest being [[Christianity]], [[Islam]], Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist, and Hinduism, in that order[http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html]</ref>. Hinduism is the first [[Dharmic religion]]. It can be called "the religion of India;" about 800 million of the world's 1000 million Hindus live in India, and about 80 percent of Indians are Hindus.<ref>[http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/Brief_analysis.pdf Census of India, religion data, brief analysis (PDF)]; "At the national level, of 1028 million population, 828 million (80.5 percent) have returned their religion as Hindus followed by 138 million (13.4 percent) as Muslims and 24 millions (2.3 percent) Christians. 19 million (1.9 percent) persons follow Sikh religion; 8 million (0.8 percent) are Buddhists and 4.2 million (0.4 percent) are Jains as per the 2001 Census. In addition to these, 6.6 million belong to ‘Other Religions and Persuasions’ including tribal religions which are not part of the six main religions stated above. About seven lakh (or 0.7 million) persons have not stated their religion."</ref>
According to a recent American survey, Hindus are the best educated and among the richest religious groups in that country.<ref>Hanerjee, Neela, [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/us/25cnd-religion.html?ei=5124&en=1f44cce06fd2c02a&ex=1361682000&adxnnl=1&partner=digg&exprod=digg&adxnnlx=1204020358-3HkVoV4zxeYh9vTOw6Tydw Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate, Report Finds], New York Times, 25th February, 2008.</ref>
[[Image:Hinduism..jpg|240px|right|Shiva the Cosmic Dancer]]
Hindus believe in [[reincarnation]] and eventual unity with what is known as [[Brahman]] as well as respect for all life forms. Their holy writings are known as the [[Vedas]]. The goal of Hindus in life (purusharthas) is to follow four life-long aims: dharma (righteousness), artha (material success), kama (love/pleasure), and moksha (release from reincarnation/reunification with Brahman).

== Description ==

In 1966, the Supreme Court of [[India]] defined what Hinduism is for legal purposes:

1. Belief in the authority of the Vedas (an ancient hymns to the gods, written in Sanskrit). The oldest collection of hymns in the Vedas is the Rig Veda, which was written between 1800 and 1300 B.C. The greatest Veda hymn is the “Bhagavat Gita,” a section in the Mahabharata concerning life’s never-ending spiritual journey towards perfection. Bhagavat Geeta is rendered as a dialogue between Shri Krishna (incarnation of Vishnu) and Arjuna (the great archer) in the middle of the battlefield.

2. Spirit of tolerance and willingness to understand and respect an opponent’s view.

3. Belief in world rhythms: long periods of creation, maintenance and dissolution follow each other in endless succession.

4. Belief in reincarnation (rebirth) and preexistence.

5. Belief that there are many ways to salvation.

6. Unlike most other religions, Hinduism is not defined by a specific set of philosophical concepts.

7. Belief in one god. Contrary to popular belief, Hinduism is not a [[polytheism|polytheistic]] religion. The Vedas, the primary Hindu holy scriptures states that there is only one [[God]] but can manifest in many forms. This is the reason why there are many deities. A common example used to explain this is that an individual can be called different names depending on the relationship has with another. A man can be a son to his parents, a nephew to his uncle, a father to his son, and a husband to his wife all at the same time. None of these different relationships suggest multiple people but rather different aspects of one person. The same is applied to God in Hinduism, which has no form and is infinite. Hindus may call God, Paratman (Supreme Soul), Brahmana (Eternal Spirit), or Ishvara (Supreme Lord). Deities have various names but represent aspects of God that manifest in the world. For example Agni (fire, Divine spark), Vayu (wind, or breath which could mean life force, Indra (in mythology king of gods but also refers to the senses such as vision, hearing, touch, taste), and Lakshmi (fortune).

8. Secular multiplicity and accommodating flexibility in spiritual practices.

Relations between Hinduism and Christianity have also been shaped by unequal balances of political power and cultural influence. Although communities of Christians have lived in South India since the middle of the 1st millennium, the great expansion of Indian Christianity followed the efforts of missionaries working under the protection of the British colonial government. <ref> [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-261549/Hinduism Hinduism and Christianity] Encyclopædia Britannica. </ref>

Some state governments such as Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh have passed anti-conversion laws, attempting to prevent Hindus converting to other religions such as [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]].<ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/24470.htm India: International Religious Freedom Report 2003] (U.S. Department of State)</ref>

For more on Hinduism, see [[World History Lecture Three]].

== External links ==

*[http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Hinduism-Hindu.htm Hindu Religion]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Hinduism|*]]

Miracle

2008-02-26T18:22:03Z

JBuscombe: /* List of miracles approved by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints */

A miracle is defined by Merriam-Webster (1997) as "an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs." Alternative definitions might include:

: a remarkably good event that has no plausible scientific explanation
: an extremely unlikely occurrence consistent with [[faith]] or [[prayer]]
: a joyous happening contrary to all reasonable expectation

Though the term "miracle" can often be heard from Christians and non-Christians alike, the entire [[Bible]] only contains one genuine reference to "miracle" and that was a quote of a non-believer (the Pharaoh) in Exodus 7:9 (RSV): "When Pharaoh says to you, 'Prove yourselves by working a '''miracle''',' then you shall say to Aaron, 'Take your rod and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.'"

Under [[Christianity]] and [[Judaism]], God is truth and a miracle is nothing more than a "sign" of the truth. "Miracle" is the non-believer's term for what believers properly describe as a "sign", a term that does appear repeatedly in the [[Bible]].
[[category:Christian Theology]]

==List of miracles approved by the [[Congregation for the Causes of Saints]]==
*Stigmata (and other signs) of [[St. Francis of Assisi]]
*Prophecies and miraculous apparitions of [[Saint_Bernadette|St. Bernadette]]
*Apparition of the [[Blessed Virgin Mary|Mary]] at Fatima on the 13th day of six consecutive months in 1917, starting on 13 May.
*Stigmata, bilocation, levitation and prophecy of [[Padre_Pio|St. Pio of Pietrelcina]] (born Francesco Frocione)
*Blood miracle of St. Januarius (also know St. Gennaro)
*The Virgin of the tears: 1953, Syracuse (Sicily) - A statue of the Virgin Mary produces real human tears.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

2008-02-26T11:11:40Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:Birmingham temple.jpg|right|Birmingham temple]]
The '''Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,'''<ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ca07ae4af9c7e010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD Style Guide - The Name of the Church] LDS.org</ref> informally known as the '''Mormon Church''', was organized on 6 April 1830 in Fayette, New York, by [[Joseph Smith]]. As the Church grew, new converts gathered in Ohio and Missouri. While the Latter-day Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, experienced persecution, those gathered in Missouri were repeatedly driven from town to town by angry mobs. Having been forced from Missouri in 1839, Church members gathered in Illinois and built a thriving city called Nauvoo in a swampy bend of the Mississippi River. However, within seven years they were again forced from their homes. Led by [[Brigham Young]], these pioneers fled 1,300 miles (2,092 kilometers) westward to the Salt Lake Valley, to escape persecution, and founded [[Salt Lake City]], [[Utah]], where the Latter-Day Saint Church continues to be headquartered today. The church has now expanded to more than 12.5 million members.<ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=86e6635a56d8f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=3e0511154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD History of the Church]</ref><ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=d10511154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD Worldwide Church Statistics] LDS.org</ref>

Church members follow a law of health known as the [[Word of Wisdom]] that promotes healthy eating as well as avoiding tobacco, alcohol, coffee, tea, and illegal drugs.<ref>[http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/89 The Word of Wisdom] Scriptures.lds.org</ref>
The recent U.S religious landscape survey shows that Mormons have the largest families closely followed by Muslims. <ref> [http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/25/america/25usreligion.php U.S religious landscape survey]</ref>

==Beliefs==
Latter-day Saints (Mormons) believe in [[Christ]], and they strive to follow his example. They testify of Christ and their Church bears his name. From the organization of the LDS Church in 1830, the Church's doctrine focused on Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith, Jr. wrote in 1842 to Chicago Democrat editor John Wentworth a statement of Church beliefs. The first of these 13 doctrinal declarations, later called the Articles of [[Faith]], stated the following:<blockquote>“We believe in [[God]] the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the [[Holy Ghost]]."<ref>[http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=4ebe76e6ffe0c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1 The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith] from the October 2002 General Conference</ref></blockquote>

"The Articles of Faith are thirteen statements written by the Prophet Joseph Smith describing some of the basic teachings and ordinances of the Church". [http://scriptures.lds.org/en/a_of_f/1] <ref>[http://library.lds.org/nxt/gateway.dll/Curriculum/home%20and%20family.htm/gospel%20principles.htm?fn=document-frameset.htm$f=templates$3.0 ''Gospel Principles'', The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Utah. 1997]</ref> 

The LDS website states: <blockquote>"We believe in the Jesus of the New Testament, and we believe what the New Testament teaches about Him. We do believe things about Jesus that other Christians do not believe, but that is because we know, through revelation, things about Jesus that others do not know."<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/question/faq/category/answer/0,9777,1601-1-56-16,00.html Is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a Christian church?] As answered on the LDS Church's website</ref></blockquote>

Members of the church believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate and distinct glorified beings, that God, the Father of all spirits (even including Lucifer) and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in a vision in the spring of 1820 in response to Joseph's prayer requesting to know which of the many local [[Christian]] denominations he should join himself with, and that They told him that he should join with none of them. The reason behind this direction was as follows, according to LDS beliefs: the organization or "church" put in place by Jesus Christ during His ministry both before and after His resurrection was meant to remain as long as there were faithful followers, although there was clear understanding that a "falling away" (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3) or apostasy would take place, destroying for a time this organization (though not destroying faith in Jesus Christ, which did persist). This church organization provided a structure whereby two key components were maintained: the Priesthood, and continuing and direct revelation from the ascended Jesus Christ to His chosen Apostles.

According to LDS beliefs, the Priesthood is the authority given by Jesus Christ to His [[Apostles]] and others, both to direct the Church, as well as to perform the associated and necessary ordinances, such as baptism by water immersion, and giving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Without this authority, it would be impossible to perform them in an authorized manner (see Acts 8:18-23). This authority, in actuality a covenant of service, only placed on men and not at all a legitimate source of self-aggrandizement, could only be passed from one authorized holder to another worthy man through the laying on of hands. Thus, while although initially the full quorum of 12 Apostles was maintained (see Acts 1:15-26), the Apostles were killed one by one and the Lord, in His mercy, ceased to give these murderers further opportunity of condemning themselves as more Apostles were not chosen. Thus, without the Priesthood and without the continuing revelation that the Lord provided to His Apostles to lead and guide the church, it fell way, as had been prophesied.

Therefore, LDS doctrine teaches of the necessity of a complete restoration rather than simply a reformation, and for this reason, Joseph Smith was called by God to be the first prophet, in the same sense as [[Moses]], [[Isaiah]], or [[Peter]], since the times of the New Testament. Mormons believe that since Joseph Smith, the leaders of the Church, from Brigham Young to [[Gordon B. Hinckley]] today, were and are prophets, with the complete Priesthood authority (restored through the laying on of hands by first John the Baptist and then by Apostles Peter, James and John). Mormons revere these men just as the Biblical prophets are revered and in particular, honor Joseph Smith for being the man through whom God and Jesus Christ chose to restore Their church to the earth.
===Scriptures===

The four standard works of the Church are:
*The King James Version of the [[Bible]] - both the Old and New Testaments
*[[The Book of Mormon|The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ]] - Translation of the spiritual record of two ancient civilizations in the western hemisphere, one from the time of the [[Tower of Babel]] to about 600 B.C., and the other from 600 B.C. to 421 A.D.
*[[Doctrine and Covenants]] - Modern-day revelation as received by the Prophet Joseph Smith and other modern-day prophets
*[[Pearl of Great Price]] - Selection of translations, revelations and narrations from the Prophet Joseph Smith

====Book of Mormon====

President [[Gordon B. Hinckley]] said the following about the [[Book of Mormon]] in an October, 2002 [[General Conference]] address entitled "The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith": <blockquote>"This remarkable book stands as a testimonial to the living reality of the Son of God. The Bible declares that 'in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established' (Matt. 18:16). The Bible, the testament of the Old World, is one witness. The Book of Mormon, the testament of the New World, is another witness.</blockquote><blockquote>I cannot understand why the Christian world does not accept this book. I would think they would be looking for anything and everything that would establish without question the reality and the divinity of the Savior of the world."<ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e74c4d4297602110VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD Mormons Reflect Christianity in Lifestyle] as stated in the April, 2007 newsroom article at lds.org</ref></blockquote>

===Restoration of the Priesthood===
Members of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] believe that on May 15, 1829 A.D., the resurrected [[John the Baptist]] appeared to [[Joseph Smith|Joseph Smith, Jr.]] and [[Oliver Cowdery]] and conferred upon them the [[Aaronic priesthood]], which includes the authority to baptize.<ref>[http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/13 Doctrine and Covenants 13]</ref> Later, the resurrected Peter, James, and John appeared to them and conferred the [[Melchizedek priesthood]].

==Wards==
[[Image:DCTemple.jpg|right|Washington DC Temple]]
Wards are geographically-defined congregations of the church. The Bishop is the spiritual leader of the ward and he serves with two counselors, all three chosen from among the body of the Ward. Bishops are usually called to serve for a period of five years and do so on a volunteer and unpaid basis, without formal ecclesiastical training, and while maintaining their secular professions.

The entire ward meets every week on Sunday to worship the Lord Jesus Christ and to receive counsel. The meetings are divided into three different hours:
*First hour - '''Sacrament meeting'''. Our main purpose in attending sacrament meeting is to renew our covenants through partaking of the sacrament and to worship our Heavenly Father through hymn singing and prayer. Sacrament meeting provides an opportunity for members to strengthen their faith, find inner peace and spiritual healing, receive inspiration, and be instructed in the gospel. A member of the bishopric begins the meeting welcoming all members and visitors. There is an opening hymn followed by an opening prayer (invocation). This is followed by conducting ward business where members are released and sustained from callings. Then the sacrament of bread and water is prepared, blessed by the priesthood, and passed to the congregation. The sacrament is a renewal of the covenants each member made at baptism to remember the Lord Jesus Christ and to keep his commandments. On the first Sunday of the month, the meeting conductor starts off the bearing of testimonies by offering his own personal testimony. A testimony is a personal witness that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. As inspired by the Spirit, other members give their testimonies. On the other three Sundays, there are talks from members. The sacrament meeting concludes with a closing hymn and prayer.
*Second hour - '''Sunday School''', '''Primary''' and '''Nursery'''. Its purposes are to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ and strengthen individuals and families by encouraging them to study the scriptures, obey the commandments, receive the essential ordinances, and keep the associated covenants. All the adults and youth meet in Sunday School classes. Children younger than twelve and three or older attend Primary. Children who are at least 18 months old but who are not yet 3 years old on 1 January may attend nursery at the discretion of their parents.
:'''Adult Sunday School''' - The adults meet in several different classes. New members to the Church usually attend a Gospel Essentials class where they learn the basic teachings of the Church. Most of the other adults attend a Gospel Doctrine class where they are instructed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the scriptures. The main subjects rotate every four years: Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, and the last year is Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price and Church history. The bible used by Church members is the King James Version.
:'''Youth Sunday School''' - The youth meet in several different classes according to their ages. There are usually separate classes for twelve and thirteen year olds, fourteen and fifteen year olds and sixteen and seventeen year olds. When they turn eighteen, the member starts attending the adult classes.
:'''Primary''' - The purpose of Primary is to teach children the gospel of Jesus Christ and help them learn to live it.
:'''Nursery''' - The purpose of the nursery class is to provide a loving, safe, organized place where young children can increase their understanding of and love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, have positive experiences in a Church setting, and grow in feelings of self-worth.
*Third hour - '''Priesthood''', '''Relief Society''', '''Young Men''', '''Young Women''', '''Primary''' and '''Nursery'''. The men meet in Priesthood, the adult women meet in Relief Society,the male youth meet in Young Men, the female youth meet in Young Women and the children continue to meet in Primary or Nursery.
:'''Priesthood''' - The purpose of the priesthood meetings are to increase priesthood holders’ knowledge of the gospel; strengthen their dedication to becoming better husbands, fathers, sons, and neighbors; and help them become active participants in fulfilling the mission of the Church.
:'''Relief Society ''' - The purpose of Relief Society is to provide relief for the poor and needy and to bring people to Christ.
:'''Young Men''' - The purpose of the Young men group is to prepare the young men of the Aaronic Priesthood to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood, to receive the ordinances of the temple, and to serve a full-time mission.
:'''Young Women''' - The purpose of the Young Women organization is to help each young woman, ages 12 to 18, "come unto Christ".

==General Conference==
The church holds a semi-annual General Conference (in April and October, five two-hour sessions over two days) during which members listen to spoken messages from the Prophet and President of the church, his two counselors, members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other Church leaders. These messages are received by members of the church as modern-day revelation, just as the words of Peter were received by the followers of Jesus Christ in his day. Many members travel to Salt Lake City for the two-day conference, but the proceedings are broadcast via satellite throughout the world (as well as streamed on the internet) so that the entire church can participate.

The semi-annual conference was held in the Salt Lake Tabernacle for 132 years, but in 2000, the church completed construction of the Conference Center and has held the conference there since April 2000. The Conference Center's primary feature is an auditorium that seats 21,000.

==Controversy==

===Relationship to Christianity===

====Position of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints====
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consider themselves Christians. They worship Jesus Christ as their Creator (see John 1:3), their Savior and Redeemer, and ultimately their eternal Judge. They believe that the events described in the New Testament in reality occurred, including Jesus Christ's virgin birth, his sinless life and miraculous ministry, and his suffering, death, and literal resurrection, through which forgiveness of sin, salvation (understood in LDS doctrine to indicate resurrection and immortality, a free gift to all; see 1 Corinthians 15:22), and ultimately exaltation (returning to and eternally dwelling in the presence of God and Jesus Christ and becoming "joint-heirs with Christ"; see Romans 8:17), are made possible.

The eleventh of the above-mentioned thirteen articles of faith contains the following statement:
<blockquote>“We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." (see Articles of Faith 1:11)</blockquote>

Mormonism teaches that all other Christian religions are apostate.<ref>http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/columnists/rdreher/stories/DN-dreher_16edi.ART.State.Edition1.36c8162.html</ref>

====African Americans and the Priesthood====
Mormons used to believe that black skin was the result of a divine curse.
Therefore, African Americans were banned from the priesthood until, in June 1978, President Spencer W. Kimball is said to have received a revelation extending priesthood ordination to all worthy males of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Official Declaration 2).
Before that time only worthy male members who were not of black African descent were ordained to the priesthood.<ref name="Black">Emmanuel Abu Kissi, [http://byustudies.byu.edu/Reviews/Pages/reviewdetail.aspx?reviewID=117 Book review of Black and Mormon] BYU Studies Review, October 2006.</ref><ref> [http://www.pbs.org/mormons/themes/prohibition.html The Prohibition Against Blacks in the Priesthood], Public Broadcasting Service.</ref> <ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=bbd508f54922d010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=36f2ce9566a43110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ LDS.org - Topic Definition - Priesthood Ordination before 1978]</ref>

The Book of Mormon attests that God invites “all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; . . . and all are alike unto God” (2 Nephi 26:33). In our present day the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have stated that all human beings are created in the image of God and that each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of Deity. <ref>“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” 23 Sept. 1995, published in Ensign, Nov. 1995</ref>

<blockquote>In the twentieth century, various Church leaders continued to offer possible reasons why a race of people was prohibited from holding the priesthood. One explanation, carried over from the previous century, stated that blacks were descendants of Cain, the first murderer, and therefore were denied the priesthood because of lineage. Another theory held that blacks were less valiant in the premortal existence and therefore had certain spiritual restrictions placed upon them during mortality. Priesthood denial was perceived to be one of these spiritual restrictions. But by mid-century, President David O. McKay stated, "There is not now, and there never has been, a doctrine in this Church that the negroes are under a divine curse. . . .It is a practice, not a doctrine, and the practice will some day be changed".<ref name="Black" /></blockquote>

====Positions of Various Christian Groups ====

There are significant differences between Mormonism and other Christian denominations, and nearly all other Christian denominations consider Mormonism to be non-Christian. These differences have led to the desire on the part of some to actively speak against the LDS Church and its members. Doctrines of the church have been distorted or even fabricated to highlight these differences, and many misconceptions exist. Several Christian churches have released statements in opposition to the church and its doctrines.

The [[United Methodist Church]] has stated that the Mormon faith has "some radically differing doctrine on such matters of belief as the nature and being of [[God]]; the nature, origin, and purpose of [[Jesus Christ]]; and the nature and way of [[salvation]]."<ref>http://www.apologeticsindex.org/news/an200513.html#21</ref> The [[Lutheran Missouri Synod|Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod]] goes further, stating that it, "together with the vast majority of Christian denominations in the United States, does not regard the Mormon church as a Christian church."<ref>http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=2239</ref> However, the Roman Catholic Church doesn't have high regard for the theology of the Lutheran Church or most other protestant denominations either.

While the [[Southern Baptist Convention]] states that the Mormon religion is "not consistent with biblical Christianity."<ref>http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/02/southern_baptist_convention_wa.php</ref> Beliefnet.com details a number of differences between the Mormon faith and traditional Christianity.<ref>http://www.beliefnet.com/features/mormonism.html</ref>

Mormons differ from other Christian denominations on a number of key issues:
* They believe that God and Jesus Christ are separate and distinct yet glorified beings.
* They do not believe in the concept of "original sin" but instead that all people will be held accountable only for their ''own'' sins and transgressions.
* They believe that works (e.g. faith in Christ, repentance, baptism by water, receipt of the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and living a Christlike life) are required to ''qualify'' oneself for salvation but that salvation is only ultimately attained through the grace of God and the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (as opposed to the belief in salvation through works, i.e. somehow acquiring ones own salvation independent of God or Jesus Christ, a belief ''not'' held by the LDS church).
* They believe that God was once a mortal man and that all individuals who have ever lived or who will yet live, including [[Jesus]] and [[Lucifer]], are the spirit children of God the Father.
* They believe that all people have the ultimate potential, through the grace of God, of not only returning to His presence (salvation) but becoming like Him (exaltation; see Romans 8:16-17).
* They believe that Joseph Smith was visited by God and Jesus Christ when he was 15 years old and was chosen to be the prophet through whom Christ's church was restored to the earth.
* They believe that after His resurrection, Jesus Christ visited and ministered to believers who lived in the western hemisphere, and that the spiritual records of these people were collected and abridged by a prophet-historian named Mormon into a single work subsequently completed by his son Moroni and ultimately buried in a hill in upstate New York circa 421 A.D.
* They believe that the angel Moroni, in his resurrected state, appeared to Joseph Smith when he was 17 years old and told him of this record which Joseph eventually retrieved, translated through the power of God, and published as ''The Book of Mormon'', later retitled, ''The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ''.
* They believe that God has continued to call prophets and apostles in the present day just as he did in Biblical times, starting with Joseph Smith, and that these men lead the restored church by revelation from Jesus Christ rather than through the sole reliance on human understanding.
* They believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is "the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth" (see Doctrine and Covenants 1:30).

===Views on Same-Gender Attraction===
In October 2007, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, wrote an article in the Ensign magazine entitled "Helping Those Who Struggle with Same-Gender Attraction". <ref>[http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=e5cbba12dc825110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ Helping Those Who Struggle with Same-Gender Attraction]</ref> In 2007, the Church published a pamphlet "God Loveth His Children", for those suffering from same-gender attraction. <ref>http://www.lds.org/topics/pdf/GodLovethHisChildren_04824_000.pdf God Loveth His Children</ref>

On June 7, 2006, ABC’s Nightline ran a story on members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who struggle with same-gender attraction. The Church published a response to the inaccuracies in the Nightline story. <ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=d4ec39628b88f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=f5f411154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD Church Responds to Nightline Story on Mormons and Homosexuality]</ref>

The Church has a section on same-gender attraction on the Newsroom website. <ref>[http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=27f71f1dd189f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=726511154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD&vgnextfmt=tab1 Same-Gender Attraction]</ref>

===Polygamy===
Early ill will towards Mormons was sparked in part by its early practice of [[polygamy]], which was sanctioned from 1840 until 1890. Even though it was officially discontinued in 1890, Mormonism and polygamy continue to be associated in the minds of the uninformed.

A 1998 statement by current LDS President Gordon B. Hinckley states:
:This Church has nothing whatever to do with those practicing polygamy. They are not members of this Church. . . . If any of our members are found to be practicing plural marriage, they are excommunicated, the most serious penalty the Church can impose. Not only are those so involved in direct violation of the civil law, they are in violation of the law of this Church.<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/question/faq/category/answer/0,9777,1601-1-114-1,00.html What is the Church’s position on polygamy?] LDS website</ref>

However, in addition to "the" Church (the 12.5-million-member Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), there continue to be small splinter groups, which also consider themselves to be Mormons and do practice polygamy. The most notable is the "Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (often called "Fundamentalist Mormons.") This group numbers about ten thousand. It broke from the Mormon church in 1890 over the issue of polygamy. It made headlines in 2006 and 2007, when leader Warren Jeffs was arrested by the FBI and indicted by a grand jury on charges of arranging illegal "marriages" between male followers and underage girls.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External Links==

*[http://www.lds.org Official Church Website]
*[http://www.mormon.org Official Church Website for Investigators]
*[http://scriptures.lds.org Official Online Version of the LDS Scriptures]
*[http://www.familysearch.org/ Official Church Genealogy Website, "the largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world."]
*[http://www.ldschurchtemples.com "News, schedules, photographs, and interesting facts of the temples of the LDS Church"]
*[http://www.fairlds.org Mormon Apologetics]
*[http://www.maxwellinstitute.com BYU Theologians]
*[http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/ About Mormons]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints Wikipedia article] on the LDS Church
*[http://www.intellectualconservative.com/article3282.html Are Mormons Conservative?]
*[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317272,00.html 21 Questions Answered About Mormon Faith]
*[http://www.moroni10.com/protestants.html Why Protestants Agree With Mormons (They Just Don’t Realize It)], Kelly Bingham, December 7, 2007

====Links to Groups Not in Favor of the Mormon Church====

*[http://jesusnotjoseph.com JesusNotJoseph]
*[http://www.mrm.org Mormonism Research Ministry]
*[http://www.evangelicalbible.com/jw.htm#LDS The Mormon Church & the Nature of God]

[[Category:Christian Denominations]]
[[Category:LDS Church]]

Hinduism

2008-02-26T11:05:32Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:Hinduism.jpg|left|Hinduism]]
'''Hinduism''' is the fourth largest religion in the world<ref>The largest being [[Christianity]], [[Islam]], Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist, and Hinduism, in that order[http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html]</ref>. Hinduism is the first [[Dharmic religion]]. It can be called "the religion of India;" about 800 million of the world's 1000 million Hindus live in India, and about 80 percent of Indians are Hindus.<ref>[http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/Brief_analysis.pdf Census of India, religion data, brief analysis (PDF)]; "At the national level, of 1028 million population, 828 million (80.5 percent) have returned their religion as Hindus followed by 138 million (13.4 percent) as Muslims and 24 millions (2.3 percent) Christians. 19 million (1.9 percent) persons follow Sikh religion; 8 million (0.8 percent) are Buddhists and 4.2 million (0.4 percent) are Jains as per the 2001 Census. In addition to these, 6.6 million belong to ‘Other Religions and Persuasions’ including tribal religions which are not part of the six main religions stated above. About seven lakh (or 0.7 million) persons have not stated their
religion."</ref> According to a recent national survey, Hindus are the best educated and among the richest religious groups.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/us/25cnd-religion.html?ei=5124&en=1f44cce06fd2c02a&ex=1361682000&adxnnl=1&partner=digg&exprod=digg&adxnnlx=1204020358-3HkVoV4zxeYh9vTOw6Tydw Newyork Times]</ref>
[[Image:Hinduism..jpg|240px|right|Shiva the Cosmic Dancer]]
It dates back to the ancient days. Hindus believe in [[reincarnation]] and eventual unity with what is known as [[Brahman]] as well as respect for all life forms. Their holy writings are known as the [[Vedas]]. The goal of Hindus in life (purusharthas) is to follow four life-long aims: dharma (righteousness), artha (material success), kama (love/pleasure), and moksha (release from reincarnation/reunification with Brahman).

== Description ==

In 1966, the Supreme Court of [[India]] defined what Hinduism is for legal purposes:

1. Belief in the authority of the Vedas (an ancient hymns to the gods, written in Sanskrit). The oldest collection of hymns in the Vedas is the Rig Veda, which was written between 1800 and 1300 B.C. The greatest Veda hymn is the “Bhagavat Gita,” a section in the Mahabharata concerning life’s never-ending spiritual journey towards perfection. Bhagavat Geeta is rendered as a dialogue between Shri Krishna (incarnation of Vishnu) and Arjuna (the great archer) in the middle of the battlefield.

2. Spirit of tolerance and willingness to understand and respect an opponent’s view.

3. Belief in world rhythms: long periods of creation, maintenance and dissolution follow each other in endless succession.

4. Belief in reincarnation (rebirth) and preexistence.

5. Belief that there are many ways to salvation.

6. Unlike most other religions, Hinduism is not defined by a specific set of philosophical concepts.

7. Belief in one god. Contrary to popular belief, Hinduism is not a [[polytheism|polytheistic]] religion. The Vedas, the primary Hindu holy scriptures states that there is only one [[God]] but can manifest in many forms. This is the reason why there are many deities. A common example used to explain this is that an individual can be called different names depending on the relationship has with another. A man can be a son to his parents, a nephew to his uncle, a father to his son, and a husband to his wife all at the same time. None of these different relationships suggest multiple people but rather different aspects of one person. The same is applied to God in Hinduism, which has no form and is infinite. Hindus may call God, Paratman (Supreme Soul), Brahmana (Eternal Spirit), or Ishvara (Supreme Lord). Deities have various names but represent aspects of God that manifest in the world. For example Agni (fire, Divine spark), Vayu (wind, or breath which could mean life force, Indra (in mythology king of gods but also refers to the senses such as vision, hearing, touch, taste), and Lakshmi (fortune).

8. Secular multiplicity and accommodating flexibility in spiritual practices.

Relations between Hinduism and Christianity have also been shaped by unequal balances of political power and cultural influence. Although communities of Christians have lived in South India since the middle of the 1st millennium, the great expansion of Indian Christianity followed the efforts of missionaries working under the protection of the British colonial government. <ref> [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-261549/Hinduism Hinduism and Christianity] Encyclopædia Britannica. </ref>

Some state governments such as Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh have passed anti-conversion laws, attempting to prevent Hindus converting to other religions such as [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]].<ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/24470.htm India: International Religious Freedom Report 2003] (U.S. Department of State)</ref>

For more on Hinduism, see [[World History Lecture Three]].

== External links ==

*[http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Hinduism-Hindu.htm Hindu Religion]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Hinduism|*]]

Hinduism

2008-02-26T11:01:33Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:Hinduism.jpg|left|Hinduism]]
'''Hinduism''' is the fourth largest religion in the world<ref>The largest being [[Christianity]], [[Islam]], Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist, and Hinduism, in that order[http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html]</ref>. Hinduism is the first [[Dharmic religion]]. It can be called "the religion of India;" about 800 million of the world's 1000 million Hindus live in India, and about 80 percent of Indians are Hindus.<ref>[http://www.censusindia.net/religiondata/Brief_analysis.pdf Census of India, religion data, brief analysis (PDF)]; "At the national level, of 1028 million population, 828 million (80.5 percent) have returned their religion as Hindus followed by 138 million (13.4 percent) as Muslims and 24 millions (2.3 percent) Christians. 19 million (1.9 percent) persons follow Sikh religion; 8 million (0.8 percent) are Buddhists and 4.2 million (0.4 percent) are Jains as per the 2001 Census. In addition to these, 6.6 million belong to ‘Other Religions and Persuasions’ including tribal religions which are not part of the six main religions stated above. About seven lakh (or 0.7 million) persons have not stated their
religion."</ref> According to a recent national survey, Hindus are the best educated and among the richest religious groups.
[[Image:Hinduism..jpg|240px|right|Shiva the Cosmic Dancer]]
It dates back to the ancient days. Hindus believe in [[reincarnation]] and eventual unity with what is known as [[Brahman]] as well as respect for all life forms. Their holy writings are known as the [[Vedas]]. The goal of Hindus in life (purusharthas) is to follow four life-long aims: dharma (righteousness), artha (material success), kama (love/pleasure), and moksha (release from reincarnation/reunification with Brahman).

== Description ==

In 1966, the Supreme Court of [[India]] defined what Hinduism is for legal purposes:

1. Belief in the authority of the Vedas (an ancient hymns to the gods, written in Sanskrit). The oldest collection of hymns in the Vedas is the Rig Veda, which was written between 1800 and 1300 B.C. The greatest Veda hymn is the “Bhagavat Gita,” a section in the Mahabharata concerning life’s never-ending spiritual journey towards perfection. Bhagavat Geeta is rendered as a dialogue between Shri Krishna (incarnation of Vishnu) and Arjuna (the great archer) in the middle of the battlefield.

2. Spirit of tolerance and willingness to understand and respect an opponent’s view.

3. Belief in world rhythms: long periods of creation, maintenance and dissolution follow each other in endless succession.

4. Belief in reincarnation (rebirth) and preexistence.

5. Belief that there are many ways to salvation.

6. Unlike most other religions, Hinduism is not defined by a specific set of philosophical concepts.

7. Belief in one god. Contrary to popular belief, Hinduism is not a [[polytheism|polytheistic]] religion. The Vedas, the primary Hindu holy scriptures states that there is only one [[God]] but can manifest in many forms. This is the reason why there are many deities. A common example used to explain this is that an individual can be called different names depending on the relationship has with another. A man can be a son to his parents, a nephew to his uncle, a father to his son, and a husband to his wife all at the same time. None of these different relationships suggest multiple people but rather different aspects of one person. The same is applied to God in Hinduism, which has no form and is infinite. Hindus may call God, Paratman (Supreme Soul), Brahmana (Eternal Spirit), or Ishvara (Supreme Lord). Deities have various names but represent aspects of God that manifest in the world. For example Agni (fire, Divine spark), Vayu (wind, or breath which could mean life force, Indra (in mythology king of gods but also refers to the senses such as vision, hearing, touch, taste), and Lakshmi (fortune).

8. Secular multiplicity and accommodating flexibility in spiritual practices.

Relations between Hinduism and Christianity have also been shaped by unequal balances of political power and cultural influence. Although communities of Christians have lived in South India since the middle of the 1st millennium, the great expansion of Indian Christianity followed the efforts of missionaries working under the protection of the British colonial government. <ref> [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-261549/Hinduism Hinduism and Christianity] Encyclopædia Britannica. </ref>

Some state governments such as Gujrat, Madhya Pradesh have passed anti-conversion laws, attempting to prevent Hindus converting to other religions such as [[Islam]] and [[Christianity]].<ref>[http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2003/24470.htm India: International Religious Freedom Report 2003] (U.S. Department of State)</ref>

For more on Hinduism, see [[World History Lecture Three]].

== External links ==

*[http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Hinduism-Hindu.htm Hindu Religion]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Hinduism|*]]

Lists of Creationists

2008-01-26T22:09:23Z

JBuscombe:

Below is a number of listings of "creation scientists" and other well known creationists compiled by by [[Creationism|creationist]] organizations:

*[[Answers in Genesis]]: [http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/bios/ Creation scientists and other biographies of interest]

*[[Institute for Creation Research]]: [http://www.icr.org/research/index/research_creationsci/ Creation scientists]

*[[Creation Ministries International]]: [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/2084 Creation scientists and other specialists of interest]

*[[CreationWiki]]: [http://creationwiki.org/Creationist Creationist and Creation Scientists]

[[Category: Creationism]]

Giraffe

2008-01-26T22:04:51Z

JBuscombe: new article

The '''giraffe''' is a hoofed ([[ungulate]]) mammal native to [[Africa]]. It is the tallest animal on land and evolved from short deer like species as evidenced by [[fossil]] records

User:JBuscombe

2008-01-21T21:52:58Z

JBuscombe: New page: Hello!

Hello!

Dinesh D'Souza

2008-01-21T21:44:04Z

JBuscombe:

'''Dinesh D'Souza''' (b. 1961) is a [[conservative]] scholar, author, blogger and [[commentator]]. In college, he was a prominent writer with the [[conservative]] ''The Dartmouth Review'', and he continues to speak and debate at college campuses. He is currently a fellow at the [[Hoover Institute]] at [[Stanford University]].

A [[Christian]] [[immigrant]] from [[India]] who wrote a book entitled "What's So Great About Christianity," D'Souza wrote a piece entitled "Thank God for America" on his blog on November 21, 2007.<ref>http://news.aol.com/newsbloggers/bloggers/dinesh-dsouza</ref> Today he is mostly involved with exposing the contradictions and hypocrisy of [[atheists]], and the censorship of Christian leadership in the modern world.

D'Souza won the 2007 Newhumanist magazine Bad Faith award<ref>http://blog.newhumanist.org.uk/2008/01/dinesh-dsouza-winner-of-bad-faith-award.html</ref>

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Authors]]

User talk:JBuscombe

2008-01-17T20:15:56Z

JBuscombe:

{{welcome}}
--[[User:Joaquín Martínez]], [[User talk:Joaquín Martínez|talk]] 08:37, 4 November 2007 (EST)

The secular v. atheistic terminology has been debated, I think on the [[school prayer]] talk page, and decided.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 15:13, 17 January 2008 (EST)

Not debated and decided, just a one sided decision actually. --[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 15:15, 17 January 2008 (EST)

School prayer

2008-01-17T20:12:02Z

JBuscombe:

Prayer was encouraged, allowed and practiced in public schools from colonial times until 1962, when the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] in ''[[Engel v. Vitale]] ''banned '''school prayer''' without citing a single decision as a precedent for its ruling.

[[Secular]] groups herald this as a great victory for their ideology, as since 1962 taxpayers have been compelled to fund and support an secular culture for the 90% of [[Americans]] who attend [[public school]]. Supporters of the decision claim that there is a "separation of church and state" in the [[U.S. Constitution]], though no such phrase or prohibition exists in the document.
[[Category:Politics]]
[[category:Establishment Clause]]

Homosexuality and Scotland

2008-01-17T19:51:09Z

JBuscombe: removing irrelevant info about alcohol, atheist teachers and paedophiles as pointed out by other editor.

== Scotland and Cultural Controversies ==
Scotland is historically Christian, the national church is the [[Church of Scotland]] and it is sympathetic to the the [[homosexual agenda]]<ref>[http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/generalassembly/downloads/gareports07manddchallengetounity.rtf A challenge to unity: same-sex relationships as an issue in theology and human sexuality]</ref>. This has led the leading [[conservative]] [[Christian]] [[Pat Robertson]] to describe Scotland as "dark country full of [[homosexuals]]"<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/europe/9906/02/scotland.robertson/ 'Dark land' with 'strong homosexuals,' televangelist says]</ref>. This homosexual agenda is exemplified by:
* the repeal of laws banning the promotion of homosexuality in schools<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/800673.stm MSPs abolish Section 28]</ref>
* The introduction of [[secular marriage]]<ref>[www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/research/pdf_res_papers/rp01-21.pdf Secular Marriage (Scotland) Bill]</ref>
* the legalisation of [[same-sex marriage|same-sex unions]]<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4494882.stm Same-sex couples embrace equality ]</ref>
* the [[adoption]] of children by homosexuals<ref>[http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1356432006 MSPs approve gay adoption]</ref>
* teaching homosexuality in schools<ref>[http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=754672006 Schools told to give pupils gay sex advice]</ref>
* [[affirmative action]] for homosexual soldiers and policemen<ref>[http://www.gpascotland.com/050827.htm Army marches in Gay Pride parade]</ref>

* The banning of anti-gay chants at sports events<ref>[http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=387732007 Anti-gay chants to be banned from terraces]</ref>.

==See Also==
*[[Homosexuality]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:homosexuality]]
[[Category:Scottish Culture]]

Talk:Homosexuality and Scotland

2008-01-17T19:49:13Z

JBuscombe: /* Erm, what? */

How are athiest teachers part of the homosexual agenda? [[User:Maestro|Maestro]] 15:16, 26 September 2007 (EDT)
:And for that matter, how are pedophiles part of the "homosexeual agenda"? --[[Special:Contributions/AutoFire|trans]][[User:AutoFire|Resident Transfan]][[User Talk:Autofire|form!]]

== Erm, what? ==

To the various people who entered the information on this page:

:Firstly, the alleged 'homosexual agenda'. Please provide proof that this vast conspiracy has a wing in Scotland. Or even exists, anywhere, come to think of it.

:Secondly, provide proof that the Church of Scotland is sympathetic to this international group of conspirators. The 'evidence' in the citation is a discussion of the various arguments on all sides of the debate about homosexuality in the Church which completely fails to mention anything about that Church having contact with or being sympathetic towards some machiavellian group of homosexual conspirators.

:Thirdly, what does a bill that proposes to,' permit civil marriages to be solemnised at locations other than registration offices, authorise local councils to approve locations for that purpose and to charge fees to meet related costs and enable the Registrar General for Scotland to give guidance on the above to local councils', have to do with a 'homosexual agenda'? Or, indeed, homosexuality, in any way?

:Fourthly, the claim that this bill introduced 'secular marriage' is totally and utterly wrong. The actual bill that introduced secular marriage as a legal status was passed in 1939. However, secular marriage, in practice, has been around in Scotland more or less for as long as there has been such a country as 'Scotland'.

:Fifthly, by this site's own definition of 'affirmative action' there is NOT affirmative action for gay Army personnel or policemen. The quote from Warrant Officer Lutha Magloire, taken from the cited source, says that, "We don't really care what sexual orientation you are if you want to come and join us in the Army. I'm not prepared to say if I am gay or not. The Army does not care and does not ask that question to recruits. Whether straight or not, it does not really matter." Sounds like true equality, not 'affirmative action', to me.

:Sixthly, what has a decision allowing an atheist to become a teacher at a religious school got to do with this alleged 'homosexual agenda'? Or homosexuality?

:Seventhly, you fail to notice that even the CATHOLIC CHURCH OF SCOTLAND agrees with the court's decision.

:Eighthly, what has the 'protection for paedophiles' got to do with this alleged 'homosexual agenda', or, indeed, homosexuality?

:Ninthly, you have failed to notice that this is about a different method of monitoring and treatment for convicted paedophiles once they have served their sentence and have been released. Are you suggesting they be not monitored and not treated at all, so they go and molest more kids?

:Tenthly, you fail to notice the same article mentions that the automatic early release of all sexual offenders is now ended. Hardly 'protecting paedophiles'.

:Eleventhly, what has an increase in emergency calls due to increased consumption of alcohol at New Year got to do with this alleged 'homosexual agenda', or, indeed, homosexuality?

I will edit this page to remove the unproven allegation of a homosexual conspiracy, and the things that would be irrelevant to this conspiracy, even if it exists. If anyone can actually come up with a reasonable answer to any of the above questions, feel free to re-add the relevant parts. I've also removed what seems to be the same thing being said twice in the list of bullet points. [[User:Zmidponk|Zmidponk]] 17:59, 13 January 2008 (EST)

:::I have other things to do, so this is a blatent 'sockpuppet' created to make this point. I edit this page, as described above, then this edit is reverted in minutes, quoting a rule about 'not deleting cited claims without getting permission on the talk page', which, as far as I can see, has been created on the spot for the purposes of enabling the sysops to revert my edit, plus, of course, all bar one of the 'cited claims' are totally and utterly irrelevant in any way to the subject of homosexuality and Scotland, and this one relevant claim is disproved by the very source it cites. I revert the reversion, giving this as the reason in the summary box, so this gets reverted again, and I am blocked, being told to 'cool down'. I can only conclude from this that Conservapedia has zero interest in it's pages being factually accurate and relevant to the subject the page is supposed to be about. [[User:Zmidponk2|Zmidponk2]] 20:40, 13 January 2008 (EST)
:::Also, the very fact I can find eleven problems with a page that is three sentences and ten bullet points long really speaks for itself. [[User:Zmidponk2|Zmidponk2]] 20:47, 13 January 2008 (EST)

:: Your points seem to be valid. I will try removing the irrelevant info. Thank you for pointing out.--[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 14:49, 17 January 2008 (EST)

Liberal denial

2008-01-16T18:51:32Z

JBuscombe:

'''Liberal denial''' is the tendency of [[liberals]] to conceal or deny that they are [[liberals]], and even to object when identified as a [[liberal]] by someone else.

[[Hillary Clinton]], for example, refused to admit in a presidential debate in 2007 that she is a [[liberal]]. [[Michael Dukakis]] refused for a while to admit that he was a [[liberal]] during the 1988 presidential campaign, until finally he declared himself to be a [[liberal]] in the sense that President [[Harry Truman]], who served 40 years earlier, was a [[liberal]].

There are also specific examples of [[liberals]] denying, for ideological reasons, facts that are plainly true:

# that successful [[democracy]], both historically and logically, is the result of [[Protestant]] [[Christianity]]{{fact}}
# that [[Lawrence Summers]] was fired as President of [[Harvard]] for making a politically incorrect suggestion about women and [[math]] aptitude
# that [[Ronald Reagan]]'s public exhortation, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" caused the nearly 30-year-old wall to be torn down later
# that [[gun control]] may increase crime{{fact}}
# that group prayer is censored from [[public school]]

(add more examples)

[[category:politics]]

Liberal denial

2008-01-16T18:51:06Z

JBuscombe:

'''Liberal denial''' is the tendency of [[liberals]] to conceal or deny that they are [[liberals]], and even to object when identified as a [[liberal]] by someone else.

[[Hillary Clinton]], for example, refused to admit in a presidential debate in 2007 that she is a [[liberal]]. [[Michael Dukakis]] refused for a while to admit that he was a [[liberal]] during the 1988 presidential campaign, until finally he declared himself to be a [[liberal]] in the sense that President [[Harry Truman]], who served 40 years earlier, was a [[liberal]].

There are also specific examples of [[liberals]] denying, for ideological reasons, facts that are plainly true:

# that successful [[democracy]], both historically and logically, is the result of [[Protestant]] [[Christianity]]{{fact}}
# that [[Lawrence Summers]] was fired as President of [[Harvard]] for making a politically incorrect suggestion about women and [[math]] aptitude
# that [[Ronald Reagan]]'s public exhortation, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall" caused the nearly 30-year-old wall to be torn down later
# that [[gun control]] may increase crime
# that group prayer is censored from [[public school]]

(add more examples)

[[category:politics]]

The Dark Side of the Moon

2008-01-16T18:49:38Z

JBuscombe: /* Track Listing */

'''''The Dark Side of the Moon''''' is a 1973 album by the British rock band [[Pink Floyd]]. It is one of the five best selling albums of all time,<ref>http://www.floydianslip.com/discs/dsotm.htm</ref> and spawned the classic rock radio staples ''Time'', ''Money'', and ''Brain Damage''. The album can be synched with ''[[The Wizard of Oz]]'' in a manner that brings about many coincedences,<ref>http://www.ingsoc.com/waters/info/oz.html</ref> although various members of the band have stated that this itself is a coincidence.{{fact}}

==Track Listing==

*Breathe/Speak To Me
*On the Run
*Time
*The Great Gig in the Sky
*[[Money]]
*Us and Them
*Any Colour You Like
*Brain Damage
*Eclipse

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT: Dark Side of the Moon, The}}
[[Category:Albums]]

Shilling

2008-01-16T18:45:05Z

JBuscombe:

A '''Shilling''' was a coin and unit of currency equal to 1/20 of a [[pound]]. It consisted of 12 [[pence]], (in the UK, equivalent to 5 [[new pence]]). It is an historic part of the currency of the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Australia]].

The shilling ceased to exist in both countries when they decimalised, in 1971 and 1966 respectively.

In the UK, 240 old pence became 100 new pence in the pound, the pound remained the same, while the shilling disappeared altogether. However, many people continued to use the term shilling instead of five new pence for many years and even today it is sometimes heard referred to by older generations.

In Australia, the currency was replaced by the Australian dollar divided into 100 cents.

Other countries, having once been a part of the [[British Empire]], still use shillings as a currency. Among these are [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], and [[Tanzania]].

[[Category:Coins]]

James Cook

2008-01-16T18:42:33Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:James_Cook.gif|thumb|200px|Captain James Cook]]

'''James Cook''' was a British captain, navigator and explorer who lived from October 27, 1728, to February 14, 1779. He explored the seaways and coasts of [[Canada]] and made three expeditions to the [[Pacific Ocean]]. In August 1770 he laid claim to the east coast of New Holland (Australia) for Great Britain [http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95oct/jcook.html].

The James Cook University in North Queensland, Australia and the James cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, [[United Kingdom]] was named in his honor [http://www.jcu.edu.au/theuni/].

[[Category:Explorers|Cook, James]]

James Cook

2008-01-16T18:42:17Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:James_Cook.gif|thumb|200px|Captain James Cook]]

'''James Cook''' was a British captain, navigator and explorer who lived from October 27, 1728, to February 14, 1779. He explored the seaways and coasts of [[Canada]] and made three expeditions to the [[Pacific Ocean]]. In August 1770 he laid claim to the east coast of New Holland (Australia) for Great Britain [http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95oct/jcook.html].

The James Cook University in North Queensland, Australia, and the James cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, [[United Kingdom]] was named in his honor [http://www.jcu.edu.au/theuni/].

[[Category:Explorers|Cook, James]]

James Cook

2008-01-16T18:42:03Z

JBuscombe:

[[Image:James_Cook.gif|thumb|200px|Captain James Cook]]

'''James Cook''' was a British captain, navigator and explorer who lived from October 27, 1728, to February 14, 1779. He explored the seaways and coasts of [[Canada]] and made three expeditions to the [[Pacific Ocean]]. In August 1770 he laid claim to the east coast of New Holland (Australia) for Great Britain [http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95oct/jcook.html].

The James Cook University in North Queensland, Australia, and the James cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, [[United Kingdom]]was named in his honor [http://www.jcu.edu.au/theuni/].

[[Category:Explorers|Cook, James]]

Carl Sagan

2008-01-16T18:40:07Z

JBuscombe:

'''Carl Sagan''' (1934-1996) was a professor of [[astronomy]] at [[Cornell University]] in Ithaca, New York, who became a celebrity on television and a vocal advocate for increased searches for intelligent life in outer space. ''Time'' magazine reported that Carl Sagan "talked with [[Jimmy Carter]] about such esoteric matters as [[black hole]]s and [[exobiology]] (the study of possible extraterrestrial life)."<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,951539,00.html Frederic Golden, "The Cosmic Explainer," Time.com 20 Oct. 1980.]</ref> He was instrumental in the development of Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. ([[SETI]])

Professor Sagan, like many scientists throughout the 20th century, was convinced that there was intelligent life in outer space. "The significance of a finding that there are other beings who share this universe with us would be absolutely phenomenal, it would be an epochal event in human history," Sagan declared.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/US/9612/20/sagan/ Norma Quarles, "Carl Sagan Dies at 62," CNN.com 20 Dec. 1996.]</ref>

Professor Sagan would slip in a subtle pitch for [[disarmament]] as he proclaimed his devotion to finding extraterrestrial life:<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/US/9612/20/sagan/ Quarles]</ref>

:"We have looked close-up at dozens of new worlds. Worlds we never saw before. And unless we are so stupid to destroy ourselves, we are going to be moving out to space in the next century," he said. "And if I'm fortunate enough to have played a part in the first preliminary reconnaissance in the [[solar system]], that's a terrifically exciting thing."

From a religious point of view, Sagan was an [[atheist]] or an [[agnostic]] depending upon how it is interpreted. In practice he was an atheist, but as a scientist could never say with certainty that evidence couldn't arise that is currently unknown that would point toward a god force, he is more correctly described as being agnostic.<ref>http://www.nndb.com/people/324/000022258/</ref><ref>http://www.adherents.com/people/ps/Carl_Sagan.html</ref>

==Climate change==

<blockquote>
"Though Dr. Sagan is one of the most frequently cited experts on atmospheric issues by the media, his predictions are often wrong. For example, at the outset of the Persian Gulf War, Sagan warned that if Saddam Hussein delivered on his threat to set fire to Kuwait's oil wells, so much black soot would be sent into the stratosphere that sunlight would be blocked and a variation of the "[[nuclear winter]]" scenario would occur. Hussein followed through on his threat and by the close of the war over 600 wells were on fire. But the fires had little environmental or climatic effect beyond the Gulf region and virtually no ill effects globally."[http://www.nationalcenter.org/dos7124.htm]</blockquote>

[[Fred Singer]] famously rebutted Sagan's prediction on national TV and was vindicated a few days later, when Sagan's nuclear winter scenario failed to materialize.<ref>"Retired atmospheric physicist Fred Singer dismissed Sagan's prediction as nonsense, predicting ['''correctly'''] that the smoke would dissipate in a matter of days." [http://www.crystalinks.com/sagan.html] </ref>

== References ==

<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sagan, Carl}}
[[Category:Astronomers]]
[[Category:Authors]]

Batman

2008-01-06T19:49:50Z

JBuscombe:

'''Batman''' is a fictional [[superhero]] who has appeared in [[movie]]s, [[comics]], and [[television]]. Unlike many superheroes, Batman has no superpowers. His abilities come from his intelligence, [[martial arts]] skill, and equipment. Batman was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Unlike his ally [[Superman]], Batman is a dark figure whose motivation for fighting crime is his witnessing of his parents being [[gun]]ned down by a [[criminal]] when he was a boy. He chose the guise of a [[demon]]ic{{fact}} bat to strike fear into the hearts of "cowardly and [[superstition|superstitious]]" criminals. Batman's alter-ego is Bruce Wayne, a successful [[capitalism|capitalist]] who runs Wayne Industries; he secretly fights crime by night. His partner is Robin (Dick Grayson), whom Bruce Wayne took into his home when the boy's parents died under mysterious circumstances. The apparently [[pedophile]] [[homosexual]] relationship between Bruce and young Dick was described by Dr. Fredric Wertham in his book ''Seduction of the Innocent'', which led to much-needed censorship of the comics medium as it was getting out of control in the 1950s. Batman is one of the few prominent superheroes without any superpowers.

[[Category:Entertainment]]
[[Category:Superheroes]]
[[Category:Comic characters]]

Talk:Evangelical Christians

2008-01-06T19:48:16Z

JBuscombe: /* Undoing citation needs */

Are you suggesting that deceit can advance Christianity? I hope not! [[User:Bradlaugh|Bradlaugh]] 18:29, 1 January 2008 (EST)

:No. But thank you for pointing out how badly worded that was. Hope it is better now. Godspeed [[User:ArthurDent|ArthurDent]] 18:33, 1 January 2008 (EST)

== Reversion explained ==

Evangelical Christians do not censor others, in contrast to the censorship demanded by [[evangelical atheists]].--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 13:06, 6 January 2008 (EST)

::Whether atheists ask for any censorship is a different fact altogether. There was no mention of censorship in the definition any way. This is ideological suppression. --[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 13:09, 6 January 2008 (EST)

== Undoing citation needs ==
Those statements need citation. Many atheists have superior knowledge of bible compared to Christians. Also Christianity and democracy are not related. Christianity has been traditionally imperialistic. --[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 14:05, 6 January 2008 (EST)

: Perhaps some atheists do have good knowledge of the [[Bible]]. But on average, evangelicals spend more time reading and studying it, and thus knowing it, than other groups, including atheists. Poll the atheists here and see when the last time they read or heard passages in the Bible was. It won't be as recent as when evangelicals have.

: Your second point is absurd. Even atheists and liberals admit that democracy is intrinsically related, both historically and logically, to Protestant Christianity.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 14:18, 6 January 2008 (EST)
Further, democracy and Christianity have been intrinsically related for all of American history; "as He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, while God is marching on..."-[[User:MexMax|MexMax]] 14:20, 6 January 2008 (EST)
:: That is absolutely not true. The origin of democracy can be traced even before Christianity. Democracy started in ancient Greek philosophy. It was initially classified by [[Plato]]. Ancient forms of democracy was even prevalent in Ancient Indian civilisation,again before the advent of Christianity. Modern democracies like British democracy came due to the ruthless actions of the king, nothing to do with Christianity. Democracy is a secular institution. Can you provide citations regarding any of the above claims? --[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 14:33, 6 January 2008 (EST).
Maybe democracy in the abstract is secular, but democracy as applied by Americans is most certainly Christian!-[[User:MexMax|MexMax]] 14:41, 6 January 2008 (EST)

America? Why should you mention America? There are Evangelical Christians all over the world. Even that statement about is not true. Do you think that other belief groups like atheists are less democratic?--[[User:JBuscombe|JBuscombe]] 14:48, 6 January 2008 (EST)

Talk:Evangelical Christians

2008-01-06T19:33:14Z

JBuscombe: /* Undoing citation needs */

Evangelical Christians

2008-01-06T19:05:58Z

JBuscombe: see discussion please

'''Evangelical Christians''' are those who accept the authority of the [[Bible]] and who spread the joy and [[faith]] of [[Christianity]] to others.

Some general characteristics of evangelical Christians include:

* superior knowledge of the [[Bible]]{{fact}}
* emphasis on salvation by [[faith]] alone
* [[baptism]] as a recognition rather than a requirement for salvation
* active participation in a local church
* high levels of charity
* high mobility
* support of [[homeschooling]]
* belief in the traditional family
* support of some or all forms of [[free enterprise]]
* support for [[democracy]] and the mission of bringing democracy to others{{fact}}
* emphasize humility, as in [[Isaac Newton]]'s attitude towards science<ref>"I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." [http://www.bartleby.com/100/195.1.html]</ref>

Evangelical Christians tend to be patriotic and politically [[conservative]].

== References ==

<references/>

==External links==
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20020613081519/http://www.alliancenet.org/pub/articles/horton.WhatEvan.html What is an Evangelical?]

[[Category:religion]]
[[category:Christianity]]

Talk:Evangelical Christians

2008-01-06T19:05:14Z

JBuscombe:

Evangelical Christians

2008-01-06T18:25:22Z

JBuscombe:

'''Evangelical Christians''' are those who accept the authority of the [[Bible]] and who spread the joy and [[faith]] of [[Christianity]] to others.

Some general characteristics of evangelical Christians include:

* superior knowledge of the [[Bible]]{{fact}}
* emphasis on salvation by [[faith]] alone
* [[baptism]] as a recognition rather than a requirement for salvation
* active participation in a local church
* high levels of charity
* high mobility
* support of [[homeschooling]]
* belief in the traditional family
* support of some or all forms of [[free enterprise]]
* support for [[democracy]] and the mission of bringing democracy to others{{fact}}

Evangelical Christians tend to be patriotic and politically [[conservative]].

== References ==

<references/>

==External links==
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20020613081519/http://www.alliancenet.org/pub/articles/horton.WhatEvan.html What is an Evangelical?]

[[Category:religion]]
[[category:Christianity]]

Talk:Evangelical Christians

2008-01-06T18:09:42Z

JBuscombe: /* Reversion explained */

Evangelical Christians

2008-01-06T17:58:04Z

JBuscombe: definition in line of evangelical atheists

'''Evangelical Christians''' are those who are not content merely with their own faith in [[Christianity]] and the authority of bible and but is also obsessed with spreading their belief to others.

Some general characteristics of evangelical Christians include:

* superior knowledge of the [[Bible]]
* emphasis on salvation by [[faith]] alone
* [[baptism]] as a recognition rather than a requirement for salvation
* active participation in a local church
* high levels of charity
* high mobility
* support of [[homeschooling]]
* support of some or all forms of [[free enterprise]]

Evangelical Christians tend to be patriotic and politically [[conservative]].

== References ==

<references/>

==External links==
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20020613081519/http://www.alliancenet.org/pub/articles/horton.WhatEvan.html What is an Evangelical?]

[[Category:religion]]
[[category:Christianity]]