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  1. Miles

    On "Christian" Rock (With Dio)??

    Music is a language. As such, it can be used for good, bad, and everything in between. There is plenty of room for grey area in music as it primarily communicates feelings and abstract concepts, along with inherent mathematical structures. A musician's abilities come from God, regardless of...
  2. Miles

    Should every leader of the church have a masters degree or higher?

    No, but I do think they should be held to a consistent standard of doctrine. An education, but not necessarily a FORMAL education, should be required. A lot can be learned simply by reading, interacting with others, and prayer. People can deviate from sound doctrine despite having advanced...
  3. Miles

    Should We Get Rid of Female Sports?

    If sex and gender are different things, then I agree that whether you play in a men's or women's league should be determined by your chromosomes. The sex that was listed on your birth certificate when you were born. Although there still might be a grey area with intersex individuals, how to sort...
  4. Miles

    Why every Christian should have a literal view of scripture.

    Language is inherently symbolic. Including every letter of this reply and every line of code that comprises this website. As language is symbolic, we should strive to interpret how it is intended to be understood. When reading the Bible, for instance, it can help to be aware of whether the...
  5. Miles

    Science and God

    By science, roughly speaking, I'm referring to what can be learned via rigorous observation and careful pattern recognition. Neither mere knowledge, as our knowledge is admittedly incomplete and subject to change over time, nor the formal academic field. Rather, I would say that learning about...
  6. Miles

    Scientists get closer to solving chemical puzzle of the origin of life - synthesis of pantetheine

    Much like you, I'd like to think that there was life on Mars. However, I haven't seen any evidence that there was. Until I have access to evidence that there was, or maybe still is, I will continue to conclude that there isn't. If you can provide compelling evidence that the Viking Lander...
  7. Miles

    Scientists get closer to solving chemical puzzle of the origin of life - synthesis of pantetheine

    I wonder about our relatively 'dead' neighbor planets that turned out so differently. Saying that we're in a 'Goldilocks zone' seems convenient after the fact, so I'm not suggesting that here, but different factors were clearly at play. Mars was apparently the most Earth-like at one point...
  8. Miles

    Scientists get closer to solving chemical puzzle of the origin of life - synthesis of pantetheine

    Thank you. Yes. I mostly see it that way, too. However, what would you say of meteor strikes and similar outside factors that introduce new variables over time? The conditions and apparently interstellar ingredients on Earth remain dynamic to this day. If perhaps less so today than when...
  9. Miles

    Continuing research into the possibility of the reality of the Exodus, and current data/conclusions.

    Although I'm admittedly not an Old Testament historian, I am intrigued by the idea that Akhenaten might have been Pharaoh at the time. Maybe Joseph and the Israelites inspired Akhenaten's radical change to espouse a form of monotheism as the official religion of Egypt. Likewise, the extent to...
  10. Miles

    Scientists get closer to solving chemical puzzle of the origin of life - synthesis of pantetheine

    This made me chuckle. Scientists getting bored in the lab reminds me of The Far Side, by Gary Larson, and makes me wonder what might happen if the experiment ran a while longer. Or are you wondering whether it's reasonable to say that with the right ingredients, given millions of Earth years...
  11. Miles

    Transgenderism Is A Real Threat To Christians

    Yes, and the less likely we are to pay attention to issues that personally affect us. Aging infrastructure that is falling into disrepair, for instance, is more relevant to the typical citizen than something like transgenderism will ever be.
  12. Miles

    Systemic racism in the USA: Are whites "guiltier" if they had slavery in their past?

    I'd say neither are guilty, or maybe both are equally guilty depending on how one looks at it, but those are murky waters. Southern Democrats were historically more likely to support racial segregation than Northern Republicans, for instance, but there are lots of Racist Republicans and...
  13. Miles

    Of course you know about the religious right...

    Perhaps, but that would reveal a lack of understanding. Leftists, as with those on the far Right, are politically authoritarian. The Religious Society of Friends, to the contrary, are not authoritarians. Focusing instead on the intrinsic value of every individual as equal and wonderfully made in...
  14. Miles

    Is there anyone else better than Biden or Trump for President?

    Yes, and I'd rather "throw away my vote" than choose between either of the two current front-runners. RFK Jr. looks like a reasonable alternative at this point. Although I don't agree with him on everything (I've yet to agree with a candidate on everything), he has a few good ideas and isn't a...
  15. Miles

    Voting for Godly People for President or Other Public Office ?

    My ideal presidential candidate: - Wants to implement the kind of changes that I'd like to see - Has reasonably good character (can't have a reputation for abuse, philandering, or breaking the law) - Isn't a war hawk - Is persuasive and willing to work with others who aren't in his or her party...
  16. Miles

    Different Public Schools for Different Faiths ?

    Reading books to young children is indeed educational and beneficial for their development. I wouldn't suggest that it isn't. Fortunately, there were always adults around who liked reading to us. The school librarian even had a Paddington Bear puppet that she brought out at story time. Parents...
  17. Miles

    Different Public Schools for Different Faiths ?

    :sorry: Perhaps embarrassingly, I'll admit that it didn't cross my mind that drag queen story time would be compulsory for students. Little kids tend to go along with whatever the teachers tell them or what their friends are doing, but I wasn't under the impression that it was part of the...
  18. Miles

    Different Public Schools for Different Faiths ?

    It irks a lot of Christians, too. If you're not aware of this, then you might be in an echo chamber replete with its own manufactured outrage. Maybe you are, or maybe you're not, but it's something to keep an eye on. I try to keep an eye on it myself, checking my own biases from time to time...
  19. Miles

    Different Public Schools for Different Faiths ?

    Makes sense. That sort of thing happens all too often, unfortunately, and is arguably somewhat inevitable. At least to a degree. We all have personal opinions, and are prone to butting heads from time to time. I support the right for individuals and institutions to hold differing opinions...