a few inspirational quotes

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Kipling was not without wisdom but Mowgli even before the horrors of Disnification shows that in some areas he went beyond knowledge.

There are seasons.

But - seems to me we had a discussion very close to this before - children are NOT born atheists.

How would they come out of the womb convinced "there is no God"? Could be cute - a baby is born in Morocco or Iraq, and after the first cry, he shouts, "Ashhadu an la ilaha" - and stops.

But no.

They come out knowing nothing. But with a built in capacity to know English, Ainu, Math, Ag Econ, other people, God.

They do not belong at birth to any nation, tribe, language, religion.

But atheism has to be learned, and atheism cannot even exist unless there are some who know God.

"There is nothing so absurd that some philosopher hasn't said it." - Cicero.

Exactly.

Well said...

Many man swallow, fu man chu --- Saxxe Rohmer

ruveyn

My wife predicts [I am supposed to be the cynic and pessimist] the exchange of quotes would never run out, but cease at the End.

No, they got clawed by it all too. Can you imagine sitting down and write a newspaper letter like that one, about your own father? But I meant a child deprived of all education, even the most elementary; anything whatsoever that might constitute knowledge and thus "inculcate" the child with either faith or atheism. For the Ernestine Rose claim to be proven, you'd need to find one - but a child that deprived cannot exist.

Herodotus tells the story, how that one of the Persian kings, perhaps Cyrus, wanted to know which language was the original. Not having either solid scientific training nor sound advice, he devised an experiment.

He put a baby of each gender into a carefully arranged environment - in the palace or not do not ask me - and set it up that the children's caregivers would supply food and clothing and of course examples of body language and other behaviors, but never utter a word. In time the caregivers heard one child say something to the other. They noted it down and took it to the king.

He sent out emissaries who found the sound sequence matched and Egyptian word. The king then decided Egyptian was the oldest and original language and ever after, we are told, honored the Egyptians.

I do not intend and surely do not need to point out the flaws in this research program, if it be not apocryphal.

But surely one would have to conduct an equally absurd experiment to test the Rose proposition - which would fail since one cannot find out if a child believes there is no divine entity without explaining the concept and destroying the experiment,

Simpler to point out to Ernestne that she is misusing the term "atheist" and move on. These days the rules on human experimentation would probably block the test. How would you make it double blind, anyway?

^^^ I think the experiment was tried once, or maybe it was a different telling of Herodotus' tale. The babies died for want of affection.

If it was attempted - which would be criminal - I could readily believe that the outcome. Another reason Herodotus here is demonstrating the uncritical use of evidence for which he is often reproached. A mine of invaluable data, a good read - but he is no Didymist.

Inspirational quote Not From the Bible:

If thine enemy smite thee on thy cheek, decapitate him and defecate down his severed neck.

ruveyn

Remind me not to invite you for tea.

Though I suspect you have never had occasion to act in accordance with the precept. Neither easy nor fun. But perhaps those are not among your values.

Yep, that would definitely not be from the Bible. These would be though:

Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee. - Proverbs 20:22

Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house. - Proverbs 17:13

Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work. - Proverbs 24:29

Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. - Matthew 5:38-39

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. - Romans 12:17-21

Schadenfreude is my favorite hobby.

ruveyn

You should just for a month try Skeptical Pessimism. That too is if not really enjoyable at least not without some grim gratification.

And it is less messy than your suggestion.