Religion and Atheism

[Siggie]

Re: Religion and Atheism

Not in the case of a breathalyzer malfunction for a DUI. You're guilty until proven innocent.

No ... The state would present their case and their evidence (the breathalyzer reading) and the defendant would highlight the error rate and whatever else. If the state's evidence isn't reliable, it will be given less weight, etc.
I knew when I was adding that bit about the criminal standard of proof that you'd run with that and ignore the larger point. ZOMG, I think I just proved I'm psychic!

[KanadaHye]

Re: Religion and Atheism

Now add the historical context and then you will come to the truth. The emperors that came after Constantine had more power than the ones that came before. Until Charlemagne there was only one emperor in the whole world and he spoke with the voice of god.

Christians didn't do no such thing most of the time the people breaking down the power were not the Christians but everybody but the Christians. Some of these Emperors ruled until WW1 in one form or another.

Didn't the Roman Empire divide into 2 somewhere in the 3rd century allowing 2 emperors to oversee the East an West half respectively?

[Lucin]

Re: Religion and Atheism

What is wrong with being an atheist?

Congratulations, you are officially an intellectual! Curious, why have you then put proudly Vartan Mamikonian as your avatar?

[Siggie]

Re: Religion and Atheism

Congratulations, you are officially an intellectual! Curious, why have you then put proudly Vartan Mamikonian as your avatar?

Because being a proud Armenian and being an atheist are not mutually exclusive.

[Lucin]

Re: Religion and Atheism

Because being a proud Armenian and being an atheist are not mutually exclusive.

Nah that's not it, maybe you should read up a bit more on Armenian History to see what I meant...

[KanadaHye]

Re: Religion and Atheism

No ... The state would present their case and their evidence (the breathalyzer reading) and the defendant would highlight the error rate and whatever else. If the state's evidence isn't reliable, it will be given less weight, etc.
I knew when I was adding that bit about the criminal standard of proof that you'd run with that and ignore the larger point. ZOMG, I think I just proved I'm psychic!

The larger point is that when a scientific instrument fails, or the police have the power to make it fail, you have very little control over the outcome unless you can prove without a doubt that you didn't have alcohol that night. In most cases people plead guilty even if they are innocent because they have no way to prove it unless they have verifiable evidence that the machine was faulty or they have witness accounts. Either way, the entire trial can cost tens of thousands just because of blind faith in science.

[Siggie]

Re: Religion and Atheism

Nah that's not it, maybe you should read up a bit more on Armenian History to see what I meant...

I know exactly what you meant, thank you. You shouldn't assume I'm ignorant about our history.

[Lucin]

Re: Religion and Atheism

I know exactly what you meant, thank you. You shouldn't assume I'm ignorant about our history.

I didn't say you are ignorant. But according to what you said, it was clear you hadn't grasped the point.

[KarotheGreat]

Re: Religion and Atheism

Didn't the Roman Empire divide into 2 somewhere in the 3rd century allowing 2 emperors to oversee the East an West half respectively?

What does that have to do with them converting to Christianity? The two emperors had much more power than the ones that came before Constantine even though they controlled a smaller area, because each of them viewed himself as the voice of god on earth and this was much stronger in the middle ages. When you again had two emperors, both of them thought that they would be the ones fighting the apocalypse and prepare for the return of Christ. They were closest thing to the real god that existed.

[Sip]

Re: Religion and Atheism

Nah that's not it, maybe you should read up a bit more on Armenian History to see what I meant...

I am no history expert but only Turks like to claim there were no Armenians loooooong before Christianity showed up We have had a very proud and distinguished culture and identity even from the sun-worshiping days.