# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=172 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 173 --- ## [When Is a Religious Conflict Truly a Religious Conflict?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-a-religious-conflict-truly-a-religious-conflict/742009)
**Author:** [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [January 3, 2016, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-a-religious-conflict-truly-a-religious-conflict/742009 "2016-01-03T19:33:56Z")
Inspired by one of Tomndeb’s posts in another thread. Aaaahh… now THAT is an interesting question, and not just with regard to Rotherham, nor just with regard to Muslims. Whenever we discuss what we perceive as religi… --- ## [Do fat people have feelings?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-fat-people-have-feelings/742058)
**Author:** [@TheAllSeeingEye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheAllSeeingEye)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [January 3, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-fat-people-have-feelings/742058 "2016-01-03T16:53:37Z")
The headline is a redherring, because the answer is “Wtf? of course they do!”. But… do men have feelings? I learned as a child to Control my feelings, particularly the ones where someone smaller deserves a black eye an… --- ## [2015: the best year for humanity yet](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-the-best-year-for-humanity-yet/741847)
**Author:** [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [January 3, 2016, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-the-best-year-for-humanity-yet/741847 "2016-01-03T06:53:14Z")
So sayeth Daniel Hannan. A sample: He also says the world is better fed, greener, healthier, and richer. Do you agree? --- ## [Suppose Stalingrad was Not a German Defeat?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-stalingrad-was-not-a-german-defeat/741637)
**Author:** [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Replies:** 47\ **Last updated:** [January 2, 2016, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-stalingrad-was-not-a-german-defeat/741637 "2016-01-02T20:08:10Z")
Stalingrad was surrounded by Russian forces in 1942 (November). As everyone knows, the German 6th Army was starved and forced to surrender-this marked the beginning of the end for Germany. the loss was severe, over 1 mil… --- ## [Aaron Swartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaron-swartz/741905)
**Author:** [@geological](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geological)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [January 1, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aaron-swartz/741905 "2016-01-01T16:20:11Z")
Jan. 11th. coming soon. Let’s celebrate his life and works. OK? --- ## [Is it futile to discuss 9/11 with truthers?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-futile-to-discuss-9-11-with-truthers/741016)
**Author:** [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)\ **Replies:** 134\ **Last updated:** [January 1, 2016, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-futile-to-discuss-9-11-with-truthers/741016 "2016-01-01T06:37:41Z")
I just found out that a couple of my band mates believe the US destroyed the World Trade Center. Has anyone ever “turned” a truther or is that just a hopeless cause? Is the best policy is to just not talk about it, or i… --- ## [Censorship raises ugly head again !](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censorship-raises-ugly-head-again/741856)
**Author:** [@geological](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geological)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 31, 2015, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/censorship-raises-ugly-head-again/741856 "2015-12-31T23:41:14Z")
Here is my post on Craigslist right before my posts were deleted . A great loss. Aaron Swartz \< 9laney9 \> 2015-12-31 08:12 on Jan.11th. two years ago. He committed suicide . or did the gummint kill him. as his parents… --- ## [Open gun carry is coming to Texas](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-gun-carry-is-coming-to-texas/741338)
**Author:** [@Oddball\_92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oddball_92)\ **Replies:** 131\ **Last updated:** [December 31, 2015, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/open-gun-carry-is-coming-to-texas/741338 "2015-12-31T13:53:21Z")
Beginning Jan 1, 2016 Texas will allow folks with concealed carry permits to openly carry weapons. This is not intended to be a debate as to whether it should or shouldn’t be allowed, rather a question as to why someone … --- ## [My idea on getting a concelaed carry permit](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-idea-on-getting-a-concelaed-carry-permit/741554)
**Author:** [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Replies:** 48\ **Last updated:** [December 31, 2015, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-idea-on-getting-a-concelaed-carry-permit/741554 "2015-12-31T01:46:18Z")
If a person is to be allowed to have a concealed carry permit I feel they should have to do the following. Appear in front of their local sheriff or head of police in their area and have a sit down meeting. They should … --- ## [Intelligent evolution?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-evolution/741310)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [December 30, 2015, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intelligent-evolution/741310 "2015-12-30T23:41:41Z")
If I understand him correctly, he’s claiming that natural selection is not a purely stochastic process, but can be viewed as an information system capable of learning. I’m unsure just how plausible this is. --- ## [Oathkeepers.org for US military/police/etc](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oathkeepers-org-for-us-military-police-etc/515707)
**Author:** [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Replies:** 177\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oathkeepers-org-for-us-military-police-etc/515707 "2015-12-29T17:37:35Z")
I think this organisation about following the constitution and bill of rights is very important… (but feel free to disagree) More details about orders they won’t obey. http://oathkeepers.org/oath/2009/03/03/declaratio… --- ## [Why Do So Many Muslims Want to Kill Apostates?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-muslims-want-to-kill-apostates/740911)
**Author:** [@Memnon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Memnon)\ **Replies:** 123\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-so-many-muslims-want-to-kill-apostates/740911 "2015-12-29T13:38:15Z")
According to a poll by the Pew Research organisation the following percentages of Muslims in the following countries favour making Sharia the “Law of the land”: According to the same poll, the percentages of those spec… --- ## [How hard would it for humans to initiate Global Cooling?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-would-it-for-humans-to-initiate-global-cooling/741240)
**Author:** [@Gozu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu)\ **Replies:** 44\ **Last updated:** [December 29, 2015, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-would-it-for-humans-to-initiate-global-cooling/741240 "2015-12-29T03:23:09Z")
I’m sure we all agree that having more land surface is good for humanity. We all agree that greenhouse gases cause global warming which causes ice to melt, water to rise and land surface to shrink. Do we have a shot at… --- ## [Anthony Cumia of "Opie and Anthony" arrested for violence](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-arrested-for-violence/741011)
**Author:** [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [December 28, 2015, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anthony-cumia-of-opie-and-anthony-arrested-for-violence/741011 "2015-12-28T23:22:15Z")
UPDATE (Might need its own thread) \*\*Anthony Cumia Arrested for Strangulation, Criminal Mischief, Unlawful Imprisonment and Assault \*\* Second source of story (contains Video shot from a phone during the assault). P… --- ## [Person with gun. What are police supposed to do?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/person-with-gun-what-are-police-supposed-to-do/705738)
**Author:** [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Replies:** 194\ **Last updated:** [December 28, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/person-with-gun-what-are-police-supposed-to-do/705738 "2015-12-28T21:34:58Z")
The video of the police officers shooting the 12 year-old who had a pellet gun and had been brandishing it at people made me curious. In the video the cops pull up very near the kid, jump out and begin shooting him. At … --- ## [Women's Products Costing More Than Men's](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-products-costing-more-than-mens/741209)
**Author:** [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Replies:** 37\ **Last updated:** [December 28, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/womens-products-costing-more-than-mens/741209 "2015-12-28T19:47:31Z")
There’s a study out from the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs that has attracted some media attention. The study purports to show that women pay, on average, 7% more than men for similar products. Question is whether a… --- ## [Racial discrimination in Malaysia](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racial-discrimination-in-malaysia/502358)
**Author:** [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Replies:** 123\ **Last updated:** [December 28, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racial-discrimination-in-malaysia/502358 "2015-12-28T14:14:16Z")
From this Wall Street Journal article (full text here): To give you a brief background, Malysia is 75% Malyasian and 25% ethnic Chinese, but the Chinese way outperform Malaysians at things such as making money and atte… --- ## [Two lights](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-lights/740572)
**Author:** [@Teachtru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teachtru)\ **Replies:** 77\ **Last updated:** [December 28, 2015, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-lights/740572 "2015-12-28T09:12:50Z")
Is anyone here aware of the two lights that God has presented to mankind? --- ## [In a Germany-Wins-World War I Scenario, How Successful Will Post-World War I German Colonization ...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-germany-wins-world-war-i-scenario-how-successful-will-post-world-war-i-german-colonization/739686)
**Author:** [@Futurist110](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futurist110)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2015, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-germany-wins-world-war-i-scenario-how-successful-will-post-world-war-i-german-colonization/739686 "2015-12-26T04:08:13Z")
… Post-World War I German Colonization in Eastern Europe Be? This question should be pretty self-explanatory: Let’s say that the French “play along with their own demise” in 1914 in a similar style to what Maurice Gamel… --- ## [We should put solar panels on hospital rooftops](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-should-put-solar-panels-on-hospital-rooftops/740065)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [December 26, 2015, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-should-put-solar-panels-on-hospital-rooftops/740065 "2015-12-26T02:36:18Z")
A lot of good would come from this. I am not saying hospitals should be solar only, just that they should have it as a supplement. We can lower the cost of healthcare and improve the environment and energy independence … --- ## [Missionary/proselytizing work is not per se a wrongful act of aggression](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missionary-proselytizing-work-is-not-per-se-a-wrongful-act-of-aggression/740866)
**Author:** [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Replies:** 90\ **Last updated:** [December 25, 2015, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missionary-proselytizing-work-is-not-per-se-a-wrongful-act-of-aggression/740866 "2015-12-25T13:28:46Z")
In This thread about the impending canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the following claim is offered: I disagree with the last thought. I don’t think that a significant part of our “mainstream culture” sees Ca… --- ## [Look, Islam is not the enemy](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-islam-is-not-the-enemy/738644)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 433\ **Last updated:** [December 24, 2015, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/look-islam-is-not-the-enemy/738644 "2015-12-24T23:18:48Z")
Spinoff from this thread. Yes, Islam has some problematic and intolerant elements baked into its DNA, elements which will always make for a difficult relationship with the infidel world. But the last thing the world ne… --- ## [Are victims responsible for crimes committed against them](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-victims-responsible-for-crimes-committed-against-them/741041)
**Author:** [@azurill33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/azurill33)\ **Replies:** 59\ **Last updated:** [December 24, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-victims-responsible-for-crimes-committed-against-them/741041 "2015-12-24T19:46:49Z")
Can a crime be the victims fault? Can a victim be at fault for a crime committed against them if they failed to take precations to prevent said crime from happening to them? I’d like to present ffour difference scenar… --- ## [Who is Ted Gunderson ?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-ted-gunderson/741260)
**Author:** [@geological](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geological)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [December 24, 2015, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-ted-gunderson/741260 "2015-12-24T15:15:08Z")
--- ## [Which side champions 'individualism' more - liberals or conservatives?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-side-champions-individualism-more-liberals-or-conservatives/740654)
**Author:** [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Replies:** 260\ **Last updated:** [December 24, 2015, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-side-champions-individualism-more-liberals-or-conservatives/740654 "2015-12-24T12:30:04Z")
Liberals typically champion individualism when it comes to LGBT issues, abortion, not requiring voter ID, illegal immigration, legalization of marijuana/other drugs, etc…but go against individualism when it comes to gun … --- ## [FBI to begin tracking police violence](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-to-begin-tracking-police-violence/741112)
**Author:** [@Human\_Action](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Human_Action)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [December 23, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fbi-to-begin-tracking-police-violence/741112 "2015-12-23T15:12:06Z")
FBI to sharply expand system for tracking fatal police shootings The FBI’s system for tracking fatal police shootings is a “travesty,” and the agency will replace it by 2017, dramatically expanding the information it ga… --- ## [How many people die to make a gallon of gasoline?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-die-to-make-a-gallon-of-gasoline/739702)
**Author:** [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Replies:** 51\ **Last updated:** [December 23, 2015, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-people-die-to-make-a-gallon-of-gasoline/739702 "2015-12-23T06:36:50Z")
Oil has been linked to terrorism and war for a long time. The production process is very dangerous, and accidents do happen. Also, burning the gas produces pollution, which causes a lot of deaths. Considering all of t… --- ## [Mother Teresa - Saint or Scourge?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mother-teresa-saint-or-scourge/740792)
**Author:** [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Replies:** 108\ **Last updated:** [December 22, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mother-teresa-saint-or-scourge/740792 "2015-12-22T17:31:47Z")
This article from the Washington Postreviews the less well publicized side of the Mother Teresa story. It is based largely on the book Hell’s Angel by Christopher Hitchens where the good sister is revealed to be serving … --- ## [Why is Mexico such a dump compared to the USA?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mexico-such-a-dump-compared-to-the-usa/739795)
**Author:** [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Replies:** 98\ **Last updated:** [December 22, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-mexico-such-a-dump-compared-to-the-usa/739795 "2015-12-22T14:40:53Z")
What is it with Mexico that makes it so poor when its next door neighbor is so rich? Come to think of it, most groups of countries in the world are pretty mcu on the same economic level. For example, is France that far … --- ## [The Return of Fascism](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-fascism/740298)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 65\ **Last updated:** [December 22, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-fascism/740298 "2015-12-22T00:35:26Z")
Saw this article and thought I’d share it here. The author gives the best explanation of the social mechanics of fascism I’ve ever read: My only quibble is his claim that 1980s Reaganomics created the “stagnation” fir… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=171) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=173)