# Great Debates **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=820 [Latest](https://boards.straightdope.com/latest.md) · [Categories](https://boards.straightdope.com/categories.md) · [Tags](https://boards.straightdope.com/tags.md) **Page:** 821 --- ## [Freedom of Religion - comes from God?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-of-religion-comes-from-god/340048)
**Author:** [@Race\_Bannon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Bannon)\ **Replies:** 33\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freedom-of-religion-comes-from-god/340048 "2006-01-17T17:57:53Z")
I’ve been reading Roy Moore’s book So Help Me God (you remember him, the former Alabama Supreme Court chief Justice, the “10 Commandments Judge”). I have come across a doctrine that seems very strange to me - and I can… --- ## [If you could change the Democratic Party...](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-the-democratic-party/339668)
**Author:** [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Replies:** 98\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2006, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-change-the-democratic-party/339668 "2006-01-17T15:35:22Z")
How would you make it fit better with your values, or make it more electable? Are there positions that should be emphasized, deemphasized, changed, or dropped altogether? And how would your changes help the party win? … --- ## [Professor Kingsfield goes to Washington; Bluto cross examines](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professor-kingsfield-goes-to-washington-bluto-cross-examines/340079)
**Author:** [@alaricthegoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alaricthegoth)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2006, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professor-kingsfield-goes-to-washington-bluto-cross-examines/340079 "2006-01-17T10:34:23Z")
Let’s play moot court. All the dems on the judiciary committee are lawyers (I guess…) Let’s imagine that in their questioning of Roberts and Alito they were attempting to win a moot court argument. It is not a pretty … --- ## [Did Bush steal the 2000 election and allow 9/11 to happen](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-steal-the-2000-election-and-allow-9-11-to-happen/339470)
**Author:** [@BrianJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianJ)\ **Replies:** 112\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2006, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-bush-steal-the-2000-election-and-allow-9-11-to-happen/339470 "2006-01-17T06:54:57Z")
I know, ancient topic… and lots said already I’m sure… Someone at my work (in Canada) is always spewing ‘facts’ about the Bushes and 9/11. I don’t know where she gets her information. Here are some gems. a former coo… --- ## [The ethics of infant cadavers](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-infant-cadavers/339987)
**Author:** [@nameless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nameless)\ **Replies:** 23\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2006, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-ethics-of-infant-cadavers/339987 "2006-01-17T04:25:44Z")
So, I’ve been reading Mary Roach’s Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, and I got to an interesting portion, which I’ll paraphrase– Apparently, infant cadavers cannot be had for research purposes. Good data for t… --- ## [Presidential "signing statements" and the "legislative history"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-signing-statements-and-the-legislative-history/339543)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [January 17, 2006, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presidential-signing-statements-and-the-legislative-history/339543 "2006-01-17T01:54:17Z")
This came up in the thread on Judge Alito’s confirmation hearing – http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=353296 – but, of course, that involves a board range of issues, and I think this one is important en… --- ## ["The New Apartheid" Wall](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-apartheid-wall/338806)
**Author:** [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Replies:** 145\ **Last updated:** [January 16, 2006, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-new-apartheid-wall/338806 "2006-01-16T22:57:18Z")
No, it’s not the one in Israel. It’s the one in Texas. At least according to our Southern neighbors. I’m not sure what I think about this wall, but this really irritates me: THEIR citizens are, in massive numbers, b… --- ## [What caused (and what ended) the Great Depression?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-and-what-ended-the-great-depression/339571)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 16\ **Last updated:** [January 16, 2006, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-caused-and-what-ended-the-great-depression/339571 "2006-01-16T20:25:36Z")
The Wikipedia article – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causes\_of\_the\_Great\_Depression – lists a whole slew of competing theories on what caused the Great Depression. Which do you think is most persuasive, and why? And – … --- ## [Does God play Musical Chairs with us?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-play-musical-chairs-with-us/338888)
**Author:** [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Replies:** 45\ **Last updated:** [January 16, 2006, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-god-play-musical-chairs-with-us/338888 "2006-01-16T13:56:56Z")
In my Church (RCC), we were taught that the time to reject sin, the time to pursue righteousness, is now. Why? Well, among other reasons, because “you know neither the day nor the hour.” God’s judgment could happen a… --- ## [British Parliament- a modest proposition](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-parliament-a-modest-proposition/339829)
**Author:** [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Replies:** 56\ **Last updated:** [January 16, 2006, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/british-parliament-a-modest-proposition/339829 "2006-01-16T13:00:45Z")
Currently the British political system gives virtually dictatorial power to the Prime Minister via Crown Prerogative and a system of preferment into Government jobs. The House of Commons is full of Party Hacks who will … --- ## [Can we agree on what "Homophobia" means?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-agree-on-what-homophobia-means/333541)
**Author:** [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Replies:** 342\ **Last updated:** [January 16, 2006, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-we-agree-on-what-homophobia-means/333541 "2006-01-16T06:32:07Z")
There are a few threads open right now, both here and in The Pit, where a good part of the debate revolves around whether something is or is not “homophobic”? But it appears that posters use the term to mean different th… --- ## [Would you feel obliged to oppose a competent yet illegitimate conqueror?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-feel-obliged-to-oppose-a-competent-yet-illegitimate-conqueror/340140)
**Author:** [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [January 16, 2006, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-feel-obliged-to-oppose-a-competent-yet-illegitimate-conqueror/340140 "2006-01-16T04:50:24Z")
Suppose that someone, through whatever Bond-villainesque means you care to postulate, set about conquering the United States. Let’s say there was a brief struggle which said villain won through overwhelming technological… --- ## [Survey: Is firing people a bad thing?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-is-firing-people-a-bad-thing/338740)
**Author:** [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Replies:** 134\ **Last updated:** [January 16, 2006, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-is-firing-people-a-bad-thing/338740 "2006-01-16T00:21:38Z")
I am interested to know if Dopers generally think firing is a bad thing or not, and why? Answers could be couched in terms of morality (frex, firing hurts people’s feelings, therefore it’s bad), social utility (firing al… --- ## ["Information Reformation"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-reformation/338747)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [January 15, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/information-reformation/338747 "2006-01-15T20:11:01Z")
Conservative commentator and blogger Hugh Hewitt (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh\_Hewitt) has coined the phrase “Information Reformation” to describe the effects of the Information Age on the public communications proc… --- ## [War -- Good or Bad for the Economy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-good-or-bad-for-the-economy/339800)
**Author:** [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [January 15, 2006, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/war-good-or-bad-for-the-economy/339800 "2006-01-15T17:48:16Z")
We often hear that WWII is what lifted the US out of the Great Depression; that the “War Economy” is a good thing. But how true is this as a general principle? Historically, does the economies of countries at war (not … --- ## [How do people of faith separate out charlatans?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-of-faith-separate-out-charlatans/339839)
**Author:** [@The\_Controvert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Controvert)\ **Replies:** 18\ **Last updated:** [January 15, 2006, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-of-faith-separate-out-charlatans/339839 "2006-01-15T16:07:59Z")
Is it just a matter of whomever is most convincing “wins”? There’s a couple of scenarios here… first is the scam: A charlatan attempts to assert claims of divinity. Is there a litmus test that can be put to the charl… --- ## [Even Saddam's Judge doesn't think his trial is fair](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-saddams-judge-doesnt-think-his-trial-is-fair/339970)
**Author:** [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Replies:** 19\ **Last updated:** [January 15, 2006, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/even-saddams-judge-doesnt-think-his-trial-is-fair/339970 "2006-01-15T04:47:35Z")
At the end of this process when the US and Iraq have finished conspiring to judicially kill this man, whi is going to believe that the process had anything to do with a fair trial. Even the current judge does not belie… --- ## [Ramsey Clark makes you proud to be a lawyer.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ramsey-clark-makes-you-proud-to-be-a-lawyer/334157)
**Author:** [@alaricthegoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alaricthegoth)\ **Replies:** 96\ **Last updated:** [January 14, 2006, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ramsey-clark-makes-you-proud-to-be-a-lawyer/334157 "2006-01-14T20:16:21Z")
I know the disdain with which the smug “the title says it all” message is greeted, but it sort of fits here. For christs sake, if you don’t demand scrupulous due process, it’s just victor’s justice. (which, of course, i… --- ## [Are commercials beneath the dignity of a serious artist?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-commercials-beneath-the-dignity-of-a-serious-artist/339865)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 22\ **Last updated:** [January 14, 2006, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-commercials-beneath-the-dignity-of-a-serious-artist/339865 "2006-01-14T14:43:03Z")
Inspired by this CS thread on John Lithgow’s latest soup commercial: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=353863 Does a great actor disgrace him/herself by “whoring” him/herself to hawk a corporations’ p… --- ## [Martin to end Notwithstanding claus?!? (Warning contains Canadian politics)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-to-end-notwithstanding-claus-warning-contains-canadian-politics/339302)
**Author:** [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Replies:** 64\ **Last updated:** [January 14, 2006, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/martin-to-end-notwithstanding-claus-warning-contains-canadian-politics/339302 "2006-01-14T14:27:42Z")
So I was trying to keep awake watching that snoozefest of a debate When Martin suddenly blurted out he would Remove the Notwithstanding clause from the charter.. \*\*WTF??? \*\* Look, I don’t believe in the dangers of jud… --- ## [Reintroducing the Roman republic during imperial times](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reintroducing-the-roman-republic-during-imperial-times/339819)
**Author:** [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [January 14, 2006, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reintroducing-the-roman-republic-during-imperial-times/339819 "2006-01-14T02:24:01Z")
Much of Robert Graves novels on imperial Rome under Claudius revolved around reintroducing the republic. Was that an invention by Graves, or were there really important and powerful individuals who worked to reintroduce … --- ## [How hard would it be for the US to oust Castro?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-would-it-be-for-the-us-to-oust-castro/339613)
**Author:** [@StewieGriffin420](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StewieGriffin420)\ **Replies:** 30\ **Last updated:** [January 14, 2006, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-hard-would-it-be-for-the-us-to-oust-castro/339613 "2006-01-14T01:02:16Z")
Suppose the US decided to invade Cuba to overthrow Casto like we did with Saddam in Iraq. Compared to the Iraq invasion, how difficult would this be? --- ## [Intersexuals - Should they be forced to conform?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intersexuals-should-they-be-forced-to-conform/339837)
**Author:** [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intersexuals-should-they-be-forced-to-conform/339837 "2006-01-13T21:20:13Z")
According to the Intersex Society of America, it is difficult to estimate how many intersexuals (people with a combination of male and female sexual characteristics) are born every year; however, by their statistics it i… --- ## [Abramoff may flip on his congressional cronies](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abramoff-may-flip-on-his-congressional-cronies/336594)
**Author:** [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Replies:** 77\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2006, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abramoff-may-flip-on-his-congressional-cronies/336594 "2006-01-13T20:41:19Z")
Abramoff Lawyers in Talks With DOJ It would be oh so sweet if he flipped on all his buddies. Jack Ambramoff might be a king sized scumbag but I’d be willing to let him go scot free if he named names. Provided of couse t… --- ## [Your opinion of divorce](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-divorce/339198)
**Author:** [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Replies:** 98\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-divorce/339198 "2006-01-13T20:12:18Z")
A friend of mine might be looking at divorce. I think I shocked her by saying that I consider divorce a reasonable outcome for many marriages. I recognize the huge emotional impact divorce often carries, but I consider… --- ## [Globalization, round two: Will it be a new beginning or an end?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/globalization-round-two-will-it-be-a-new-beginning-or-an-end/338893)
**Author:** [@gitfiddle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gitfiddle)\ **Replies:** 49\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2006, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/globalization-round-two-will-it-be-a-new-beginning-or-an-end/338893 "2006-01-13T20:05:22Z")
Okay, I tried a loaded question for round one , and basically got put in my place. So I’m going to try to be much more precise this time and much less convoluted. I want to see what people think about the possibilities… --- ## [Microsoft's new OS based on an idea that people want to hook up computer, TV](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-new-os-based-on-an-idea-that-people-want-to-hook-up-computer-tv/339610)
**Author:** [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Replies:** 27\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2006, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/microsofts-new-os-based-on-an-idea-that-people-want-to-hook-up-computer-tv/339610 "2006-01-13T19:40:30Z")
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,124325,00.asp I don’t understand what would be so cool or interesting about being able to get media content from your computer to your TV, or from your TV to your computer. But… --- ## [Have the Russians already lost interest in democracy?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-russians-already-lost-interest-in-democracy/337881)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 58\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2006, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-the-russians-already-lost-interest-in-democracy/337881 "2006-01-13T19:36:44Z")
President Vladimir Putin of Russia just got Parliament to approve a bill bringing non-governmental organizations (NGOs) under state control: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051230/ap\_on\_re\_eu/russia\_ngos\_1 The post-Soviet … --- ## [Was the New Deal a success or failure?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-new-deal-a-success-or-failure/339569)
**Author:** [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Replies:** 28\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-the-new-deal-a-success-or-failure/339569 "2006-01-13T18:01:23Z")
Economic-conservative Dopers in this forum often insist that FDR’s New Deal was not all it was cracked up to be, that it didn’t really end the Depression – WWII did that, etc. AFAIK, we’ve never had a thread specificall… --- ## [If You Were the U.S. Iraq Tsar, What Would You Do?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-the-u-s-iraq-tsar-what-would-you-do/339250)
**Author:** [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Replies:** 17\ **Last updated:** [January 13, 2006, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-were-the-u-s-iraq-tsar-what-would-you-do/339250 "2006-01-13T17:18:18Z")
Suppose you were given the charge of the U.S. military involvement in Iraq. What would you do? What would be your objectives? What that hasn’t been done do you think should be done, and what objectives that aren’t on … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=819) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/great-debates/13.md?page=821)