# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=395 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 396 --- ## [Assuming evolution is discovered to be junk science, would you believe in God?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assuming-evolution-is-discovered-to-be-junk-science-would-you-believe-in-god/576194)
**Author:** [@abele\_derer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abele_derer)\ **Replies:** 239\ **Last updated:** [April 7, 2011, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assuming-evolution-is-discovered-to-be-junk-science-would-you-believe-in-god/576194 "2011-04-07T13:38:40Z")
I would like to discuss the philosophical critiques that have been leveled against the “Argument from Design.” Some atheists, Richard Dawkins included, have claimed that even if evolution is eventually shown to be false,… --- ## [Is God a bigot ?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-a-bigot/576873)
**Author:** [@arminvonstolz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arminvonstolz)\ **Replies:** 40\ **Last updated:** [April 7, 2011, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-god-a-bigot/576873 "2011-04-07T06:20:27Z")
One of the priciples of Christianity, it seems to me, is that one must be a Christian to not “burn in the eternal lake of fire”. Here on Earth, for the most part, if a store owner posted a sign reading, “No jews allowe… --- ## [Understanding Risk](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-risk/576302)
**Author:** [@emacknight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emacknight)\ **Replies:** 298\ **Last updated:** [April 6, 2011, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/understanding-risk/576302 "2011-04-06T18:01:04Z")
In a generic restaurant there are four players: owner, cook, waitress, dishwasher. The owner risked her capital to start a business–she is a capitalist and entrepreneur. She had to lease space, renovate, get licenses… --- ## [Does anyone understand the federal budget?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-understand-the-federal-budget/577286)
**Author:** [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [April 6, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-understand-the-federal-budget/577286 "2011-04-06T17:23:17Z")
I’m not sure if this is BBQ rant, or mundane & pointless. But I’ll start here. I have a strong suspicion that the foment and unrest that gave birth to the Tea Party is based on complete & utter ignorance as to how the … --- ## [Another 'if you met God' how would your live change](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-if-you-met-god-how-would-your-live-change/576256)
**Author:** [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Replies:** 96\ **Last updated:** [April 6, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-if-you-met-god-how-would-your-live-change/576256 "2011-04-06T16:53:28Z")
A standard question to particularly atheists and agnostics, is what would happen in your life if you met/heard /etc. God. The usual response is that they would seek mental health assistance. I would like your response … --- ## [Why do we spend money on NASA and space exploration?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-spend-money-on-nasa-and-space-exploration/575142)
**Author:** [@Borzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Borzo)\ **Replies:** 110\ **Last updated:** [April 6, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-spend-money-on-nasa-and-space-exploration/575142 "2011-04-06T16:10:03Z")
I just read about the 450 million dollar Mercury satellite. I also read a bit about the tens of billions of dollars that go/went into the shuttle program. Why are we doing this? I would be lying if I said that I didn’t f… --- ## [The Politics of Dependency in Africa](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-politics-of-dependency-in-africa/577379)
**Author:** [@Sri\_Theo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sri_Theo)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 6, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-politics-of-dependency-in-africa/577379 "2011-04-06T14:33:02Z")
Related to the other thread regarding the impact of colonialism upon I’d like to argue that there are several distinct economic, political and social effects that still resonate over much of the continent due to colonisa… --- ## [Should Corporate and Union Political Contributions Be Banned ?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-corporate-and-union-political-contributions-be-banned/576598)
**Author:** [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Replies:** 68\ **Last updated:** [April 6, 2011, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-corporate-and-union-political-contributions-be-banned/576598 "2011-04-06T11:37:17Z")
Here in British Columbia, a provincial Conservative Party leadership candidate has put forth a proposal to ban political contributions from corporations and unions. I think it is a great idea. We are going to have a p… --- ## [So, what should Americans be retraining for?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-americans-be-retraining-for/576026)
**Author:** [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\ **Replies:** 125\ **Last updated:** [April 6, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-should-americans-be-retraining-for/576026 "2011-04-06T04:52:21Z")
What errors are to be found Ross Eisenbrey’s statement, if any? And what is there for America’s 15 million unemployed and countless more underemployed to retrain for? The statement “When you have five people unemployed… --- ## [Sentenced to the Gulags: How scr\*wed?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sentenced-to-the-gulags-how-scr-wed/577211)
**Author:** [@No\_Wikipedia\_Cites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Wikipedia_Cites)\ **Replies:** 13\ **Last updated:** [April 6, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sentenced-to-the-gulags-how-scr-wed/577211 "2011-04-06T03:31:04Z")
From my ignorant ears have heard, the gulags were incredibly harsh places to live. THe weather, malnutrition, common criminals let loose. As horrible as it is, the death rate seems to not be as high as I would imagine. … --- ## [Therapy Animals: How Much Is Too Much?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/therapy-animals-how-much-is-too-much/577176)
**Author:** [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [April 6, 2011, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/therapy-animals-how-much-is-too-much/577176 "2011-04-06T00:05:31Z")
There have been a lot of news stories about service/therapeutic animals in the news of late. There was one about a woman who was living in a building that had a no dog rule but who felt that her dog was therapy for her p… --- ## [A license to drink? (alcohol)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-license-to-drink-alcohol/576231)
**Author:** [@Deereman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deereman)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [April 5, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-license-to-drink-alcohol/576231 "2011-04-05T19:27:30Z")
The other night I had random thoughts comparing drinking and driving (not a combination of the two) The various states have laws enacted to attempt to make people safer drivers (and to collect fees of course, probably t… --- ## [Would the world be better now if we nuked Moscow at/after the end of WWII?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-world-be-better-now-if-we-nuked-moscow-at-after-the-end-of-wwii/576862)
**Author:** [@Darth\_Ayebaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Ayebaw)\ **Replies:** 41\ **Last updated:** [April 5, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-the-world-be-better-now-if-we-nuked-moscow-at-after-the-end-of-wwii/576862 "2011-04-05T17:15:32Z")
First off, I know why it didn’t happen. But “Once the war against Nazi Germany was over, Patton spoke of “pushing on to Moscow,” if need be with help from what remained of the Wehrmacht, while Montgomery called for the … --- ## [An armed populace (NOT about USA)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-armed-populace-not-about-usa/576790)
**Author:** [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Replies:** 21\ **Last updated:** [April 5, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-armed-populace-not-about-usa/576790 "2011-04-05T02:48:41Z")
If the upshot of the uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East is that despotic governments and the security forces that support them are overthrown by armed citizens, should an armed populace become the new status q… --- ## [Christian churchgoers: what is your church's position on the Apostle Thomas?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-churchgoers-what-is-your-churchs-position-on-the-apostle-thomas/576570)
**Author:** [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Replies:** 32\ **Last updated:** [April 4, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christian-churchgoers-what-is-your-churchs-position-on-the-apostle-thomas/576570 "2011-04-04T17:59:08Z")
Thomas, of course, was one of the two Disciples who did not see the risen Christ when he first appeared to the other ten, and who, when told of the resurrection by his comrades, stated that he would not believe until he … --- ## [The President vs. the Speaker of the House](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-vs-the-speaker-of-the-house/576960)
**Author:** [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_Dodgy_Dude)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [April 4, 2011, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-vs-the-speaker-of-the-house/576960 "2011-04-04T07:24:17Z")
The President chooses who will be the Fed Chairman and thereby chooses which economic school of thought will be running the Fed. The House of Representatives has the final say on all spending bills and the Speaker decid… --- ## [Chernobyl, Biorobots, 500,000 deaths: Is nuclear safe as proponents claim?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chernobyl-biorobots-500-000-deaths-is-nuclear-safe-as-proponents-claim/576693)
**Author:** [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Replies:** 75\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2011, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chernobyl-biorobots-500-000-deaths-is-nuclear-safe-as-proponents-claim/576693 "2011-04-03T22:18:26Z")
UN accused of ignoring 500,000 Chernobyl deaths Officially, theInternational Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, resolutely maintains that So, about 4000 people have or will die from Chernobyl, according to the IAEA. This nu… --- ## [My half-baked budget proposal](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-half-baked-budget-proposal/576658)
**Author:** [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Replies:** 39\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-half-baked-budget-proposal/576658 "2011-04-03T21:40:15Z")
I haven’t thought this through much at all, so I trust in the gentle souls of the straight dope to ream it a new butthole through your cogent criticisms. Here’s the background: -Most folks in US politics give lip servi… --- ## [Lead Codices discovered in Jordan could be earliest Christian texts](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-codices-discovered-in-jordan-could-be-earliest-christian-texts/576610)
**Author:** [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Replies:** 26\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lead-codices-discovered-in-jordan-could-be-earliest-christian-texts/576610 "2011-04-03T17:51:06Z")
From Jordan battles to regain 'priceless' Christian relics - BBC News Clearly we will have to wait for a great deal more uncovering and interpretation, as well as what will probably be a protracted ownership battle, bu… --- ## [Should the military have its own brothel arm?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-military-have-its-own-brothel-arm/575960)
**Author:** [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Replies:** 82\ **Last updated:** [April 3, 2011, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-military-have-its-own-brothel-arm/575960 "2011-04-03T10:01:07Z")
Modern white slavery, as with women sold into sex-slavery, was largely kick-started or got a large boost with the UN stationing of troops in Bosnia. And perhaps it is not so surprisingly that when a large number of young… --- ## [Have punishment and incarceration become too intermingled?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-punishment-and-incarceration-become-too-intermingled/576981)
**Author:** [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 2, 2011, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-punishment-and-incarceration-become-too-intermingled/576981 "2011-04-02T23:14:57Z")
Avoiding a hijack of this thread towards the end: I think society is served by punishment for crimes by alleviating people’s desire for revenge. I think incarceration is meant to protect society from continued criminal … --- ## [Resolved: Wisconsin Republicans are subverting democratic processes](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-wisconsin-republicans-are-subverting-democratic-processes/576039)
**Author:** [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Replies:** 111\ **Last updated:** [April 2, 2011, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/resolved-wisconsin-republicans-are-subverting-democratic-processes/576039 "2011-04-02T22:19:26Z")
First it was the closed door meeting to seperate the collective bargaining issue from the budget process (which put paid to the lie that it was a “fiscally necessary” item at all), now they have done an end-around on a r… --- ## [The legitamacy of conspiracy theories.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legitamacy-of-conspiracy-theories/576824)
**Author:** [@pdunderhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pdunderhill)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [April 2, 2011, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-legitamacy-of-conspiracy-theories/576824 "2011-04-02T20:08:24Z")
Good day good dopers, to quote a certain Donald Rumsfeld: ‘There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don’t know. But there… --- ## [Nonbelievers: How Would You React to the Following Events](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonbelievers-how-would-you-react-to-the-following-events/574363)
**Author:** [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Replies:** 153\ **Last updated:** [April 2, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nonbelievers-how-would-you-react-to-the-following-events/574363 "2011-04-02T19:05:18Z")
Nonbelievers, how would you react if the following events happened to you? You hear God speak quite explicitly while awake and engaged in daily life but no one but you has heard it. You hear God speak and everyone … --- ## [Fla plan would split FSC. Good idea?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fla-plan-would-split-fsc-good-idea/576962)
**Author:** [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [April 2, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fla-plan-would-split-fsc-good-idea/576962 "2011-04-02T19:03:16Z")
Florida is considering a bill that would split the Florida state supreme court, the highest court in Florida, into a civil division and a criminal division. LINK What do all you dopers think? I think it is a good idea… --- ## [Iraq suicide bombings before and after Saddam.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq-suicide-bombings-before-and-after-saddam/538958)
**Author:** [@bmw7777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmw7777)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [April 2, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iraq-suicide-bombings-before-and-after-saddam/538958 "2011-04-02T17:26:21Z")
I have been wondering for a while now. It seems that the situation in Iraq today is a total failure. Every day almost, I hear about hundreds of people injured or killed in Iraq by suicide bombers. Were there any of th… --- ## [Will Tunisian revolution inspire actions in other nations? (Now following Egypt.) \[ed. title\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703)
**Author:** [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Replies:** 551\ **Last updated:** [April 2, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703 "2011-04-02T00:03:44Z")
Is this likely happen in Egypt or Saudi? Would those governments let it happen? Where else are people most likely to be inspired to similar actions? \[QUOTE=globalpost.com\] CAIRO, Egypt — Less than an hour after the new… --- ## [What punishment exists for prosecutor misconduct?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-punishment-exists-for-prosecutor-misconduct/576464)
**Author:** [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Replies:** 20\ **Last updated:** [April 1, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-punishment-exists-for-prosecutor-misconduct/576464 "2011-04-01T23:45:24Z")
A libertarian blogger whose blog I sometimes poke in on had a story on a Supreme Court case that negated a lawsuit brought up by a man in Louisiana who sued the prosecutor’s office (run by Harry Connick Jr.'s dad!), clai… --- ## [Luxury dopers: What is with the LVMH cartel, its takeovers? How and why who hates them?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luxury-dopers-what-is-with-the-lvmh-cartel-its-takeovers-how-and-why-who-hates-them/576872)
**Author:** [@No\_Wikipedia\_Cites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Wikipedia_Cites)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [April 1, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/luxury-dopers-what-is-with-the-lvmh-cartel-its-takeovers-how-and-why-who-hates-them/576872 "2011-04-01T23:02:02Z")
Every other day I hear that LVMH takes over another luxury goods company. LVMH seems to be hated because they ‘corporate’-ify traditional companies. The latest heat is LVMH buying part of Hermes, with feared designs on … --- ## [Did Marx or Lenin Really Believe in Any of That Crap?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-marx-or-lenin-really-believe-in-any-of-that-crap/576463)
**Author:** [@Profound\_Gibberish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profound_Gibberish)\ **Replies:** 70\ **Last updated:** [April 1, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-marx-or-lenin-really-believe-in-any-of-that-crap/576463 "2011-04-01T20:32:55Z")
From my reading of history it is pretty obvious that by Stalin’s time the ruling elite in the USSR had no interest in communism other than as a cover for total control of the state, industry and it’s people. My Question… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=394) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=396)