The Summoner of Leviathan
is a Level 20 Knight
The King's Shield

Linux the cat eh? I wonder where you got the name from... how old is he? I've got a cat too, called Pebbles. She's my baby

Actually, these New Age Movements is covered in the syllabus in my Sociology unit on Beliefs in society. There's been a definite decline in religion, and a small, yet significant increase in the number of these NAMs throughout much of really, just the western world. Whether this is cause for concern is debatable. About stigma; while I am proud to be a liberal Christian, I don't really want to impose it on people. I keep it quiet normally, only when it's presence in a conversation is needed.

I love science too, and I also agree! People seem to have this opinion that "science = fact", and that science can be used for everything. There's a reason why many adverts selling yoghurt use terms like "Bifidus Digestivus" as a wonder bacteria that helps your intestinal tract! Sometimes, science isn't always used objectively, sometimes science can be used for negative purposes. Not just selling harmless yoghurt, but as a weapon, or something to be fearful of, like human cloning for example. In the reverse, science can also be underplayed. During the George Bush administration he banned federal spending on stem cell research, so definitely depending on the era, scientism is either there or reduced slightly.

Funny you mention Japan; my older brother teaches English as a foreign language in Japan. He's lived there for ages now. Nice country; I'd like to visit one day. What's the religion there? Shinto?

Oh I completely agree, Christianity is a vast umbrella with many branches forming from the core person - Jesus. You can definitely group most of them though between Traditionalist/Conservative, and Liberal/Moderate. One thing I don't like with mainstream religion is a sense of an "us and them" between them and either other religions or irreligious people, whomever appears to annoy them the most at the time. I'm a big supporter of the ecumenical movement. I'm sure you know what it is already, but by having different world religions working together as one cohesive force, alot of good can be done in the world.

I think religion can be a force for good, but not everyone perhaps "needs" religion in their lives. It's whatever works for them. Most of my friends at sixth form are irreligious, but do I think any less of them for that? Course not. I cannot honestly say that religion is right for everyone. Some people live perfectly happy and fulfilling lives without Christianity, and fair enough to them! Who am I to judge. Course, then there's the whole afterlife business and heaven and hell, but I like to think my friends will go to heaven regardless of belief, but then that's the optimist in me speaking on that one

I've always been sort of 60/40 between my love of science and humanities. As an aside, I can't help but notice a cat on your windowsill! What's it's name? As another aside, I'm surprised at how good it is to debate religion and life with you SoL! Your very good at this. Obviously.

It is true. I often hear poor Aulayna despair over how she's not really done "much" with her job and she feels like her career is in somewhat of a rut. I keep trying to tell her that she's still young and can change things around! While it is important to have a career in mind when your younger, it is very important not to lose heart if you cannot quite think of a career when your 17. I've always wanted to be a scientist since I was young, and I've always had a keen interest in the field in general. When I was 15 or so, I got into crime (not actual crime, obviously) and became interested in forensics, and since then, my love affair ensued with it. But then again, I know, and understand, that not everyone is so certain as I was. I'm sure Aulayna will get there!

Well, I'm a Christian, but I'm what you'd say... quite liberal. I'm Christian by choice; my family couldn't care less as far as that's concerned so I keep it to myself. While I don't go church (Again, because it would just be me by myself going basically)I keep the faith internally. Part of my liberality is probably in part because of my bisexuality, which does conflict with my faith, but I don't follow some of the doctrines in the bible anyway. I'm, what you'd call an "aspirational" Christian, I view being Christian as doing good and being good to others, regardless of who they are. I find some of the faith's opinions really just wrong. Like their views on women bishops in England for example, or on LGBT rights. It just gives other Christians and faith members like me a bad name. I don't normally reveal my faith in fear of being branded "Sexist" or just otherwise close-minded. At the end of the day, we all live on this Earth together, let's just enjoy it while were here.

Sorry for the wall o' text. Fairly certain visitor messages weren't meant to be used in this context! Guess it shows how much I enjoy your conversation

You and me think alike. I loved learning about religions in my schooling, and I took Sociology, not only because it would go great with Forensics, but because it has bits of philosophy AND religion in it. I love religious studies as well. While I could never go fully into it as a career, I do have a keen interest in it. Which is alot to be said by my other friends...

Well, dissecting dead bodies is just one "branch" of forensic science. That's pathology, and is merely one branch of many. There's entymology (Study of insects), serology (Blood) and many more that I could name drop. I'm not sure which "branch" I would go into yet, but definitely something with Human Biology. I am fascinated with the human body and it's functions. Who knows? The day is still young. I might yet become a morgue technician one day. :leeza:

Random personal yet relevant to a point question: Are you religious?

Never did French in my life.

Well, I'm obviously younger, so I'm on A-Levels, which in case your not familiar with the English education system, is what you do after you leave mandatory schooling (Leave at 16). It's post-16. As for the subjects I'm doing, well...:

- Forensic Science
- Sociology
- Biology
- English Literature

Quite alot. I'm in my second year, and I'll be taking an optional third year to continue Biology into A2. I hope to go to Uni and learn Forensic Science. Philosophy is nice, but the one thing that's always eluded me is what career it would lead into. I always think of philosophers as old like Socrates and people like him. I guess your not going to go into "pure" philosophy and use it in conjunction with your East Asian studies. You could be an ambassador or something!

What are you studying then at university? I guess not actually school, because your 25 and that wouldn't make sense. I'm back on Tuesday, for some strange reason. Exam season! How fun.

What's Toi? I just googled it and it came with the Times of India newspaper

Alright keep your hair on!

So the generic stick figure man isn't a generic stick figure man, but "one of them". Okay.. still doesn't explain that weird dog like thing I saw in the far right.

Really? Looks like a generic stick figure man to me

Holy... while I am lax to criticise anyone on their drawing skills, because God knows mine is terrible, what... is that? I see: A person, a "mask?" A sun and some weird animal thing.

I guessed a very generic answer: The Mask. Sorry if I'm wrong SoL! Also, you replied to one of my Swapnotes, yet I cannot for the life of me read it. Something about a thread. Eh.

"From" is a bit hard to answer; I was born in Fredericton, grew up in Alberta, and moved to Moncton when I was 22 and have lived here for the last 10 years.