Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Seraiah

2009-03-23T23:39:32Z

FJohn: New page: In 2 Kings 25:18, at the time of the Babylonian exile, Seraiah was the chief priest in Jerusalem. He was taken to Riblah by Nebuzarad, and Nebuchadnezzar, the king of [...

In 2 Kings 25:18, at the time of the [[Babylonian exile]], Seraiah was the chief priest in [[Jerusalem]]. He was taken to [[Riblah]] by [[Nebuzarad]], and [[Nebuchadnezzar]], the king of [[Babylon]], had him put to death (2 Kings 25:21).

[[Category:Biblical Persons]]

User talk:PranceyH

2009-03-23T23:37:15Z

FJohn: New page: Please stop vandalising articles, especially in that manner. This is an educational resource. ~~~~

Please stop vandalising articles, especially in that manner. This is an educational resource. [[User:FJohn|FJohn]] 19:37, 23 March 2009 (EDT)

Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon

2009-03-23T23:36:16Z

FJohn: Undo revision 643759 by PranceyH (Talk) rvt vandal

[[Image:SailorSenshi.png|thumb|right|250px|The characters of Sailor Moon]]
The '''Sailor Moon''' series of ''[[anime]]'' is aimed at love-starved Japanese schoolgirls, and (with some mild censorship) it has made its way to America as well. A 14-year-old girl is given special powers by a magic cat and told to become a "pretty soldier" (yes, it's a silly premise).

:"Usagi wants nothing more than to hang out at the video arcade with her friends and flirt with cute guys, like any young girl would. Yet now, she now has this familiar nagging her to be a better fighter, telling her the fate of the world rests on her shoulders. She is being forced to grow up when she should be revelling in her childhood. What Japanese child, or any teenager for that matter, ''wouldn't'' relate to that?"<ref> [http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=405 THEM anime reviews]</ref>

:"Also enjoyable was the interpersonal relationships between the girls themselves and how they feel about their parents."<ref> [http://www.japanhero.com/tokusatsu%20reviews/pretty-guardian-sailor-moon.htm Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Review] </ref>

The show's popularity amongst fans has resulted in a spin-off live action series, numerous Sailor Moon-themed musicals and 20 albums.

==Critical evaluation==

The series has been praised for its original, supposedly Christian emphasis in a culture where less than 1% are Christian. But it has been criticized for the revealing costumes and glimpses of nudity,<ref> [http://christiananswers.net/spotlight/tv/2002/sailormoon.html Sailor Moon (TV Spotlight) - ChristianAnswers.Net]</ref> as well as for the homosexual relationship between two of the girl characters.<ref> "Sailor Moon doesn’t pull any punches. [[Homosexuality]] in particular was embraced and expressed ..." [http://www.denkyu.com/?p=331] </ref>

==Notes==
<references />

[[category:Anime]]

User talk:VernonHowell

2009-03-17T23:39:36Z

FJohn: New page: Please stop vandalising articles! Why don't you try contributing to some of our articles sensibly? ~~~~

Please stop vandalising articles! Why don't you try contributing to some of our articles sensibly? [[User:FJohn|FJohn]] 19:39, 17 March 2009 (EDT)

Stephenie Meyer

2009-03-17T23:31:10Z

FJohn: Removed vandalism

'''Stephenie Meyer''' is an acclaimed [[American]] [[Mormon]] author from [[Phoenix]], [[Arizona]], most famous for of the [[Twilight]] series, [[vampire]] novels that follow [[Christian]] values.

Meyer majored in [[English]] at [[Brigham Young University]] in Provo, Utah.

== Faith ==
Her faith permeates her novels, which promote [[abstinence]], [[purity]], and upstanding moral character. Responding to questions, she stated, “Unconsciously, I put a lot of my basic beliefs into the story.”

== Books ==
* ''[[Twilight (book)|Twilight]]'' (2005)
* ''[[New Moon (book)|New Moon]]'' (2006)
* ''[[Eclipse (book)|Eclipse]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Breaking Dawn (book)|Breaking Dawn]]'' (2008)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meyer, Stephanie}}
[[category:authors]]

Darkness

2009-03-17T23:27:18Z

FJohn: Undo revision 641081 by VernonHowell (Talk) rvt racism

'''Darkness''' is the absence of [[light]]. Humans have great difficulty seeing in partial darkness, though several other creatures do much better. It is entirely impossible to see in pure darkness, although some creatures, such as [[bat]]s which have a "sonar" system, can still "see" in such a case.

Darkness is also used [[metaphor]]ically in the [[Bible]] as separation from [[God]] and a place without hope.

Symbolically, darkness often represents evil.

[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Bible]]

User talk:FJohn

2009-03-17T21:17:35Z

FJohn:

{{welcome}}
[[User:ETrundel|ETrundel]] 13:57, 21 February 2009 (EST)

== Reverts ==

*Just because someone is blocked, especially as a parodist or troll, it does not follow ''everything'' they have contributed is false. Nor does being blocked mean we turn them into "non-persons" as liberals do. Just FYI. --[[User:TK|'''₮K''']]/Admin[[User_Talk:TK|/Talk]] 17:26, 22 February 2009 (EST)

:Sorry, I'll check better next time. I just can't understand people trying to interfere with a site set up to educate, and it annoys me. Sorry again. [[User:FJohn|FJohn]] 17:29, 22 February 2009 (EST)

== I see you like working on requested articles. could you please..... ==

I see you like working on requested articles. Could you please expand this article: [[Cheetah]] ? I would greatly appreciate it, if you decided to expand this article. These animals are among the most incredible of God's creatures. [[User:Conservative|conservative]] 18:01, 1 March 2009 (EST)
:Echoing Conservative, thanks for creating the [[St. Francis of Assisi]] article. I was surprised to find he was one of the saints we still didn't have an article on. -[[User:Foxtrot|Foxtrot]] 18:43, 1 March 2009 (EST)

== Request ==

Please categorize your entries; to do so type <nowiki>[[Category: article category]]</nowiki>. [[User:DuncanB|Duncan]][[User talk:DuncanB|Channel 16]] 18:24, 11 March 2009 (EDT)
:Sorry! Now I know how, I will do so! [[User:FJohn|FJohn]] 19:07, 11 March 2009 (EDT)

== My Talk Page==

Thank you for removing that offensive comment left by the troll. -[[User:Foxtrot|Foxtrot]] 17:14, 17 March 2009 (EDT)
:I was happy to help! [[User:FJohn|FJohn]] 17:17, 17 March 2009 (EDT)

Bezaleel

2009-03-17T21:09:00Z

FJohn: cat

Bezaleel was the son of [[Uri]] and a member of the tribe of [[Judah]]. He was filled with the Spirit of [[God]], allowing him to build the [[Tabernacle]]. This is described in Exodus 31.

[[Category:Biblical Persons]]

Bezaleel

2009-03-17T21:08:06Z

FJohn: New page: Bezaleel was the son of Uri and a member of the tribe of Judah. He was filled with the Spirit of God, allowing him to build the Tabernacle. This is described in Exodus 31.

Bezaleel was the son of [[Uri]] and a member of the tribe of [[Judah]]. He was filled with the Spirit of [[God]], allowing him to build the [[Tabernacle]]. This is described in Exodus 31.

Jehozadak

2009-03-17T20:23:08Z

FJohn: cat

In 1 Chronicles 6:14, Jehozadak was the son of [[Seriah]] and was taken by [[Nebuchadnezzar]] to Babylon during the [[Babylonian exile]].

[[Category:Biblical Persons]]

Jehozadak

2009-03-17T20:20:59Z

FJohn: New page: In 1 Chronicles 6:14, Jehozadak was the son of Seriah and was taken by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon during the Babylonian exile.

In 1 Chronicles 6:14, Jehozadak was the son of [[Seriah]] and was taken by [[Nebuchadnezzar]] to Babylon during the [[Babylonian exile]].

User talk:FJohn

2009-03-11T23:07:15Z

FJohn:

Dan (tribe)

2009-03-11T22:11:44Z

FJohn: New page: The Tribe of Dan was one of the twelve tribes of Israel. At the time of the census in Numbers 1 the tribe was composed of 62700 able-bodied men, making the Dan the largest of tribes the Is...

The Tribe of Dan was one of the twelve tribes of Israel. At the time of the census in Numbers 1 the tribe was composed of 62700 able-bodied men, making the Dan the largest of tribes the Israel. In Judges 5:17 it is indicated that they dwelt in the towns of Acron and Joppe. In Judges 18:1 the tribe expanded to find more land. In the First Book of Chronicles, members of this tribe participated in the election of King David. Samson was of the Dan, as was Hirian(Second Book of Chronicles 2:13).<ref>http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04615c.htm</ref>

==References==
<references/>

Logical fallacy

2009-03-11T21:09:03Z

FJohn: Word change

A '''logical fallacy''' is an error in [[formal logic|logical]] reasoning. While the common usage of the word ''fallacy'' would include ''any'' error in [[reason]]ing, in logic a fallacy is defined as a particularly [[deceit|deceptive]] argument which seems correct, but upon further examination is found to be incorrect.<ref name="copi">Copi, Irving M. and Carl Cohen. "Introduction to Logic, 12e". Pearson Education: 2005</ref> The maker of such an argument, however, need not be aware of its fallacious nature.

Logical fallacies fall into two general categories: formal fallacies and informal fallacies. Formal fallacies apply to [[deductive argument]]s, and are those which relate to an improper application of a rule, whereas informal fallacies apply to [[inductive argument]]s, and are those which involve the improper use of the content of an argument.

There are four categories of informal fallacies: fallacies of relevance, fallacies of defective or weak induction, fallacies of presumption, and fallacies of ambiguity.

A logical fallacy ''is not'' the same as [[lie|lying]]. A ''lie'' in logic is a [[premise]] that one offers while knowing that it is false.

==Fallacies of Relevance==
Fallacies of relevance are fallacies which are due to a lack of a relevant logical connection between [[premise]] and [[conclusion]].

===Appeal to force===
An appeal to [[force]] (Lat: ''argumentum ad baculum'') is an argument which uses a threat of [[violence]] or force as a justification for the conclusion. An appeal to force argument follows the form:

*If person A does not accept P, then Q
*Q is a threat of force
*Therefore P is true

For example: "If you do not pay me $30 I will break your leg. Therefore you owe me $30." It is fallacious because no amount of force can change the truth or falsity of the initial proposition.

===Appeal to pity===
Also called [[emotion]]al appeal, (Lat: ''ad misericordiam'') this fallacy is characterized by a use of emotion as a justification for the conclusion. An appeal to [[pity]] follows the form:

*Person A argues P
*Person B agrees P, but adds X, where X is an emotional argument unconnected to P

For example: "Yes, [[police|officer]], I realize I was speeding, but you shouldn't give me a ticket because I was racing to see my wife who is in the [[hospital]]." While this argument uses an emotional appeal to convince the officer not to hand out a citation, there is no logical connection between the premise ("you shouldn't give me a ticket") and the conclusion ("I was racing to see my wife").

Appeals to pity are very commonly seen in business. A factory manager may make the following argument: "our factory's overheads are too high, and we cannot maintain our business if we continue here. Therefore we should relocate to an area where labour is cheaper." An appeal to pity would be of the following type: "but our workers have bills to pay, families to support, we cannot fire them." That statement may be true, but is fallacious because it is not relevant to the manager's argument.

===''Argumentum ad hominem''===
: ''Main Article: [[Ad hominem]]''

''Ad hominem'' arguments (Lat: "argument directed toward the man") fall into two forms: ''ad hominem'' abusive and ''ad hominem tu quoque'' (circumstantial).

====''Ad hominem'' abusive====
An ''ad hominem'' is an argument which tries to disprove another argument by attacking the person who made it, rather than by focusing on the actual logical reasoning. The goal of an ''ad hominem'' argument is usually to take focus off of the actual argument by calling attention to a flaw of the person making it. This form of argument follows the form:

*Person A argues that P
*Person A is Q
*Q is some derogatory description not related to the argument at hand
*Therefore P is false

For example: "We all know that George beats his wife, so obviously he's wrong when he says that we should vote against this proposition." This is fallacious reasoning because the premise ("George beats his wife") does not have a logical link with the conclusion ("George is wrong"). Whatever undesirable qualities a person may have, they do not affect the truth or falsity of what he says.

====''Ad hominem tu quoque''====
A ''tu quoque'' argument (Lat: "you're another") is one which argues that, because someone does that which they are arguing against, that person must be wrong. This form of argument follows the form:

*Person A argues that P should not happen
*Person A does P
*Therefore Person A's argument is incorrect

For example: "You can't tell me not to eat cheeseburgers, I just saw you eating one last week!" Another common example is often found in business: "why are you punishing me for dumping waste in the river? My opponent does the exact same thing and you don't punish him!" In this case, dumping waste into the river is wrong (and illegal) regardless of how it is enforced for any other company.

====''Poisoning the well''====
Poisoning the well is a particular type of ''ad hominem'' argument. It consists of attempts to discredit a speaker (and, by extension, their argument) by criticizing unrelated opinions that they hold. The argument follows this form:

*Person A makes argument X
*Person B counters that person A also believes Y, where Y is something unacceptable, foolish, or easily disprovable, but unrelated to X
*Person A is wrong about Y
*Therefore person A must also be wrong about X

When spelled out in the above form, the fallacy is easily seen, but it is used very frequently in political debate where skillful use of rhetoric can mask the underlying fallacy. The argument is fallacious because a person's opinions on one subject do not affect the truth or falsity of their statements on other subjects.

===Genetic fallacy===
In general, this is the attempt to assert or reject a theory by citing its origins as either reputable or disreputable. The usual expression of this fallacy is "consider the source!" Thus it becomes a form either of ''argumentum ab auctoritate'' or of ''argumentum ad hominem'', depending on whether one seeks to verify or disprove the theory by this method. This type of argument follows the form:

*If P then Q
*Q is true
*P is false
*Therefore Q is false

When the origin of ''evidence'' or of ''premises'' is relevant to the reliability of the same, then asking a hearer to "consider the source" is valid. Judges in courts of [[law]], for example, routinely reject as unreliable the testimony of any witness who has demonstrably lied about a point that matters in the case at hand. The facts that such a witness is asserting might still be true, but they cannot stand without corroboration from another, more reliable witness.

But when corroboration is established, the origins of a conclusion, however tainted, become irrelevant.

As an example, [[Gregor Mendel]] established the genetic theory that remains current today, even though Mendel's experimental technique was badly flawed, and he even stands accused of falsifying key data. But succeeding [[science|scientists]], using accepted methods of verification and statistical assessment, have achieved results consistent with this theory. Thus the theory remains valid even though Mendel's original presentation was fraudulent. Any attempt today to discredit Mendel's theory on account of Mendel's sloppy methods would be an example of a genetic fallacy.<ref name=Genetic>[http://www.fallacyfiles.org/genefall.html Genetic Fallacy] on [http://www.fallacyfiles.org/ The Fallacy Files]</ref>

===Proof by numbers===
Also known as "appeal to the people" (Lat: ''ad populum''), this is an argument that a person bases on the numbers of people holding to its conclusion, rather than on the premises that might support that conclusion. An appeal to the people follows the form:

:Most people believe P
:Therefore P is true

"Ninety nine point nine percent of all respondents can't be wrong" is the classic phraseology of this fallacy One does not effectively disprove such an argument by challenging the numbers. Instead, one reminds the other person that the numbers of people holding to any given conclusion are irrelevant to establishing the truth or falsehood of that conclusion. [[History]] is in fact replete with multiple examples of conclusions that memorable [[science|scientists]] and other great discoverers have shown to be false even though large numbers of people believed them. [[Antoine Lavoisier]], who disproved "phlogiston" as the principle of fire, was one such person. [[Christopher Columbus]] and [[Ferdinand Magellan]] are two others.

===Special pleading===
: ''Main Article: [[Special pleading]]''

[[Special pleading]] means applying to other people a set of standards that one is not willing to apply to oneself, without offering sufficient grounds, called the ''relevant difference'', to support such exemption. Special pleading follows the form:

*If Person X is in set P then Q happens to person X
*Person A is in set P
*Person A cites R circumstance, unrelated to P or Q
*Therefore Person A is not subject to Q

For example: a political or military leader who urges his subjects (or those under his command) to observe "iron rations" without similarly depriving himself leaves himself open to a charge of special pleading.

==Fallacies of Defective or Weak Induction==
Fallacies of defective or weak induction are fallacies which are due to a lack of understanding for how well premises lead to a conclusion.

===Argument from silence===
''Argument from silence'' (in [[Latin]], ''argumentum ab silencio'') or ''argument from ignorance'' (Lat: ''ad ignorantium'') is an assertion which states that, because there is no evidence to support a given argument, the opposite must be true. The fallacy follows the form:
*If P then Q
*P cannot be shown true
*Therefore Q is false

For example: "Nobody has ever seen God, so clearly he doesn't exist".

This fallacy is often associated with and best remembered by the phrase: "the absence of evidence does not constitute evidence of absence."

===False cause===
False cause (Lat: ''non causa pro causa'') is a fallacy which arises when a poor cause/effect link is used within an argument, especially if coincidence or chance are not taken into account. The fallacy follows the form:

*P causes Q (faulty reasoning)
*P is true
*Therefore Q is true

For example: "I used to be a well paid teacher until I started being a tougher grader. When my students' grades went down, so did my salary. Therefore, I must have been paid based on my students' grades." While this sounds like a logical explanation, not all factors are taken into account. For example, the teacher's school could have been subject to budget cuts, or maybe the teacher was overpaid at first and now his salary corrects his true worth.

====''Post hoc ergo propter hoc''====
''Post hoc ergo propter hoc'' (Lat: "after the thing, therefore because of the thing") is a subcategory of false cause fallacies. In this type of argument, a close temporal proximity is used as a justification of a cause/effect relationship. ''Post hoc ergo propter hoc'' arguments follow the form:

*P happened, and then Q happened
*Therefore P caused Q

For example: "Right around the time the sun goes up my alarm clock goes off, so the sun causes my alarm clock to go off." Clearly this is not the case.

===Non sequitur===
: ''Main Article: [[Non sequitur]]''

A ''non sequitur'' (Lat: "It does not follow") is an argument which moves from a premise to a conclusion without showing a valid connection, or sometimes any connection at all. This form of argument follows the form:

*P
*Therefore R is true

For example: "Crime rates are high, so we should increase the penalty for drug possession."

===Overgeneralization===
Overgeneralization (also called hasty generalization or converse accident) is an error in reasoning which comes about by making a logical leap far greater than what the data allows. Overgeneralization follows the form:

*P is Q
*P is in R
*Therefore R is Q

For example: "I just read that three kids were arrested yesterday for drug possession. Teens in this country are really going downhill!"

Overgeneralization the central problem in trying to conclude something about a population from a non-representative sample, or about a larger group from a non-representative subset of that group.

====Proving too much====
Proving too much is a form of overgeneralization in which one attempts to use a set of premises to sustain more conclusions than he can reasonably sustain using the argument presented.

===Proof by authority===
Also known as ''argumentum ab auctoritate'' ("argument proceeding from clout") or ''argumentum ad verecundiam'' ("appeal to unqualified authority"), this is an argument that a person bases on authority, either his own or that of another person, rather than on the merits of the position. When the authority involved is a relevant source who has access to more information about the topic than the people discussing it, then the argument becomes a ''citation.'' However, a valid citation must be in an area of study, research, or mental discipline in which the authority being cited is a recognized [[expert]].

*P says Q
*P is an authority in his field
*Therefore Q is true

A classic example of argument from unqualified authority is a reference to a celebrity or religious leader for their opinion on a matter of science or public policy, when that celebrity or cleric has never adequately studied the subject. A standard argument from authority is often used by evolutionists. A notable scientist claims that evolution is true, and based on that the average person is expected to believe in it as well.

==Fallacies of Presumption==
Fallacies of presumption are fallacies in which an unstated or shaky presumption is made.

===Accident===
The fallacy of accident occurs when a generalization is inappropriately applied to an individual. A fallacy of accident follows the form:

*Some P are Q
*R is in P
*Therefore R is Q

For example: "You are from [[Ohio]], which is a [[red state]], so you must be a [[Republican]]".

===Contradiction===
:''Main article: [[Contradiction]]''

A contradiction is a statement that contradicts its own terms. [[Aristotle]] famously stated that contradictions cannot exist. In any case of a contradiction, some of the premises must be false. A contradiction is an argument which includes in its reasoning:

*P
*Not P

===Loaded question===
: ''Main Article: [[Loaded question]]''

A [[loaded question]] is a question that assumes facts, usually unflattering, that are not in evidence, with the intent of trapping the other person into admitting those facts. The classic loaded-question example is "When did you stop beating your wife?" Another example is, "Do you disbelieve in [[global warming]], which 99.9 percent of all reputable scientists now accept?"

===Proof by assertion===
Proof by assertion is an argument that states something as true without offering supporting evidence or attempting to construct a valid argument. This form of argument follows the form:

*P is true

Often the argument is simply repeated over and over, and no evidence for support is given.

Proof by assertion can also be broken down into several subcategories of fallacies: circular reasoning, infinite regression, manufacturing facts from a theory, and your theory does not work under my theory, so your theory must be wrong.

====Circular reasoning====
:''Main article: [[Circular reasoning]]''

[[Circular reasoning]], also called begging the question (Lat: petitio principii), is a form of proof by assertion in which one asserts a premise, then asserts a conclusion from that premise (directly or indirectly), and then tries to show that the last conclusion ''supports'' the original premise.

====Infinite regression====
: ''Main Article: [[Infinite regression]]''

An infinite regression results when one asserts that a given event caused another, and yet that first event requires another, identical event, to cause ''it.'' An infinite regression follows the form:

*P1 causes Q1
*Q2 causes P1
*P3 causes Q2
*Q4 causes P3
*And so on, forever

For example: [[Panspermia]], an alternative to [[abiogenesis]] as a proposition about the origin of life, suffers from the infinite-regression flaw so long as it fails to state positively what conditions could have brought about an origin of life on a planet other than the earth, ''other than'' the alleged mechanism of the "seeding" of life on the earth itself.

====Manufacturing facts from a theory====

Manufacturing facts from a theory is the assertion as fact of an undemonstrated, unobserved idea for no better reason than that a given theory requires that fact.

In the early stages of formulating a model, this sort of behavior is acceptable. But when repeated efforts to demonstrate such a new fact have failed, the proper logical response is to discard or revise the theory, and not merely to assume that the "fact" still exists and someone hasn't tried hard enough to find it. This is especially true when someone develops evidence that the inferred "fact" could not possibly exist.

====Your theory does not work under my theory, so your theory must be wrong====
: ''Main article: [[Your theory does not work under my theory, so your theory must be wrong]]'' 

This fallacy occurs when one theory is judged by the premises and assumptions of another theory, rather than against its own premises and assumptions. This form of fallacy follows the form:

*Theory A says that if P then Q
*Theory B says that if P then R
*Therefore theory A is wrong

For example: "Dinosaurs died 65,000,000 years ago, so the earth couldn't have been created 6,000 years ago."
It should be noted that although the above argument by itself is a fallacy, strong evidence supporting the death of dinosaurs 65 million years ago, as well as other evidence, would result in the argument being a proof by contradiction, not necessarily a fallacy.

===Straw man===
:''Main article: [[Straw man fallacy]]

A straw man fallacy occurs by first incorrectly attributing an argument to someone, disproving this argument, then claiming that the person was wrong. A straw man argument follows the form:

*If P then Q
*Person A says P
*Therefore Q

Straw man arguments can sometimes be hard to detect, because a valid statement may be used in a distorted fashion. For example:

*Person A believes that a military program should be cut
*Person B argues that since Person A wants to cut military funding, he wants to leave the country defenseless to attack

This is fallacious reasoning, because there is no way to know ''why'' person A believes what he does, and Person B has used one reason which suits his own purpose. For example, it's quite possible that Person A wants to cut the program because he wants to change the funding to something which he thinks does a ''better'' job at defending the country.

===Tautology===
:''Main article: [[tautology]]''

A [[tautology]] ([[Greek]] '''ταυτα''' ''tauta'', "these") is an argument that becomes a repetition of a definition. Literally it means "the study of this" or "the study of these." Such an argument, or statement, can prove nothing beyond itself and is useless as a premise.

==Fallacies of Ambiguity==
Fallacies of ambiguity are fallacies which arise from ambiguity in language used.

===Amphiboly===
Amphiboly is an ambiguity which arises though loose or awkward phrasing:

For example: "Save soap and waste paper".

===Composition===
The fallacy of composition occurs when the parts of a whole are incorrectly used to describe the whole.

For example: "Since one of the battleships is ready to deploy, the whole fleet is ready to deploy".

===Conflation===
Conflation is the treatment of two different concepts as one.

For example: "Comparing apples to oranges".

===Division===
The fallacy of division occurs when it is argued that what is true for the whole must be true for its parts.

For example: "That company is very important. Since Joe works at that company, he must be very important."

===Equivocation===
Equivocation is the use of word with multiple meanings, and then using a different meaning in the conclusion than in the premise.

For example: "The coach said we should eat light, so take your heavy coat off."

===Moving the Goalpost===
Moving the goalpost is used when one is unable to prove what they set out to prove, so they change their goals to make it seem like they were proving something else.

For example: Claiming that 'Theory' of Evolution does not seek to explain the origin of life is moving the goalpost. Darwinists can't explain how life was created, so they move the goalpost.

== Related References ==
<references/>
*[http://creationwiki.org/Logical_fallacy Logical fallacy] by [[CreationWiki]]
*[http://www.creationsafaris.com/crevbd.htm The Baloney Detector]
*[http://www.theskepticsguide.org/logicalfallacies.asp SGU-Top 20 Fallacies]
*"The Fine Art of Baloney Detection." Sagan, Carl. ''The Demon-Haunted World, Science As a Candle in the Dark.'' Ballantine: New York, 1996; pp 201-218.

== See Also ==
*[[Conservapedia:Is infinite regression ever valid as a form of reasoning, or acceptable as a way the universe works, or came to be?]]

[[Category:Logic]]
[[Category:Logical Fallacies]]

Medical marijuana

2009-03-11T20:53:44Z

FJohn: Undo revision 554095 by Jhan (Talk) citation for claims does not lead anywhere

'''Medical marijuana''' is [[marijuana]] used for its (supposed) analgesic or otherwise therapeutic effects (see [[Glaucoma]]).

Critics doubt that there are any medicinal effects of marijuana, other than an overall effect sought by drug addicts. However, some studies show that Cannabidiol, a chemical compound found in marijuana, inhibits cancer cell growth in lab animals<ref>Mechoulam R., Peters M., Murillo-Rodriguez E., Hanus L.O. '''Cannabidiol - recent advances'''. Chemistry & Biodiversity. August 2007. Vol. 4, Issue 8. Page 1678-92. pmid=17712814. doi=10.1002/cbdv.200790147</ref>. Recent studies have shown cannabidiol to be as effective as [[atypical antipsychotics]] in treating [[schizophrenia]].<ref>Zuardi A.W., Crippa J.A.S., Hallak J.E.C., Moreira F.A., Guimarães F.S. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research [http://www.scielo.br/pdf/bjmbr/v39n4/6164.pdf Cannabidiol as an antipsychotic drug] (PDF) 2006. Vol. 39. Page 421-9. ISSN 0100-879X</ref>, and [[marijuana]] is commonly viewed as a natural alternative to any otherwise synthetic pharmaceutical drugs. It has also been shown to increase brain cell growth <ref>[http://www.peak.sfu.ca/the-peak/2005-3/issue9/ne-mj.html science: Study shows marijuana increases brain cell growth ]</ref>

Opponents of [[drug abuse]] charge that efforts to legalize medical marijuana are intended to be a step towards complete decriminalization and generally decry marijuana as a "[[gateway drug]]". Many supporters of "medical marijuana" use marijuana recreationally.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[category:law]]
[[category:medicine]]
[[category:health]]

Typhus

2009-03-04T21:49:47Z

FJohn: I will add something on the history of typhus later!

Typhus refers to a series of different diseases caused by a group of bacteria known as Rickettsia. It is usually transmitted by lice and fleas, often from infected rats.<ref>http://www.mercksource.com/pp/us/cns/cns_hl_dorlands_split.jsp?pg=/ppdocs/us/common/dorlands/dorland/eight/000112663.htm</ref> Symptoms of mild typhus (endemic typhus and murine typhus) include headaches, fever, nausea, fatigue and a red rash. Severe typhus (epidemic typhus) produces the same symptoms to a greater degree, and may also cause delirium. Untreated, epidemic typhus causes death in 10% to 60% of victims, depending on age and general health.<ref>http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001363.htm</ref>

==References==
<references/>

Cheetah

2009-03-03T20:13:22Z

FJohn: More info as requested. Cheetahs are truly amazing.

[[Image:Cheetah.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Cheetahs]]
The '''cheetah''' is a member of the [[feline]] family. The distribution of the Cheetah is limited to [[Africa]], where vast expanses of land fit their hunting style.

Cheetahs are unique among the [[feline]] family for their speed and hunting style. Capable of reaching speeds up to 70 mph in short sprints,<ref>http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004737.html</ref> the Cheetah is the fastest of all land animals. When hunting, a Cheetahs swipes at the prey's hind legs to trip them; this is distinctively different from other big cats, which would pounce and grab onto the prey, using their body weight to put the prey off balance.

The cheetah has several differences from other animals, to allow it to run at the speeds it does. They have claws that are semi-retractable, unlike other cats, and also rough paw pads, allowing greater traction when running. The body and fur is naturally smooth, reducing drag, the bones are light, reducing weight and the lungs are large, allowing increased breathing. However, the cheetah is designed only to sprint for short distances, as at top speed, the internal body temperature quickly rises to dangerous levels.<ref>http://www.cheetahspot.com/speed.php</ref> Cheetahs therefore hunt at the coolest times of day – morning and evening. They stalk their prey before attacking.<ref>http://www.cheetahspot.com/food.php</ref>

==References==
<references/>

{{Nb_zl_felines}}
[[Category:Africa]]

Positivism

2009-03-01T22:22:38Z

FJohn: Does anyone know any more about this?

Positivism is the philosophical theory that the only things that are true are those that have been directly experienced.

Saint Francis of Assisi

2009-03-01T22:05:32Z

FJohn: New page: Saint Francis of Assisi was the founder of the Franciscan order of monks. He had several visions of Christ. In 1210 AD, he travelled to Rome and Pope Innocent III gave him permission of fo...

Saint Francis of Assisi was the founder of the Franciscan order of monks. He had several visions of Christ. In 1210 AD, he travelled to Rome and Pope Innocent III gave him permission of found the Franciscan order, or Order of Friars Minor. Saint Francis travelled much, and in 1219 he went to Eygpt to spread the Gospel. He was canonized in 1228 by Pope Gregory IX.<ref>http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/216793/Saint-Francis-of-Assisi</ref>

==References==
<references/>

Saint Erasmus

2009-03-01T21:51:21Z

FJohn: New page: Saint Erasmus (also known as Saint Elmo) was the bishop of Formiae in Italy in the 3rd century AD. He was tortured and martyred for Christ around 303 AD by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. He...

Saint Erasmus (also known as Saint Elmo) was the bishop of Formiae in Italy in the 3rd century AD. He was tortured and martyred for Christ around 303 AD by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. He is the patron saint of sailors. Saint Elmo's Fire was named after him.<ref>http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=182</ref>

==References==
<references/>

Albert Fish

2009-02-23T20:30:32Z

FJohn:

'''Albert Fish''' was an American [[serial killer]] and [[cannibal]] from the early part of the 20th century. He was rumored to be one of the worst USA serial killers prior to [[Charles Manson]]. He was tried and executed for murder.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fish, Albert}}

[[Category:Serial Killers]]

Talk:Francesco Landini

2009-02-23T20:05:37Z

FJohn:

This page was created by parodist 'MississippiMud' and lacks any supporting evidence. Does anyone know if it is even true? [[User:FJohn|FJohn]] 14:32, 23 February 2009 (EST)
:I've added some references I found to confirm the info (or most of it) for the article. [[User:WesleyS|WesleyS]][[User Talk:WesleyS|Hello!]] 14:51, 23 February 2009 (EST)
::Many thanks. [[User:FJohn|FJohn]] 15:05, 23 February 2009 (EST)

Talk:Francesco Landini

2009-02-23T19:32:47Z

FJohn: Help request

This page was created by parodist 'MississippiMud' and lacks any supporting evidence. Does anyone know if it is even true? [[User:FJohn|FJohn]] 14:32, 23 February 2009 (EST)

River Mersey

2009-02-22T22:51:58Z

FJohn: fixed spelling error

The '''River Mersey''' is a major waterway in north-west England; the city of [[Liverpool]] lies on the north bank of its [[estuary]] where the river flows into the [[Irish Sea]]. Traditionally the river has formed a political boundary, and this is reflected in its name, which derives from the Old English ''Maeres-ea'', 'boundary river'. In [[Anglo-Saxon]] England the Mersey was the boundary between the kingdoms of [[Northumbria]] and [[Mercia]]; later, it formed the boundary between the counties of [[Lancashire]] and [[Cheshire]]. Only in 1974 did it cease to be an important boundary marker, with the creation of new counties spanning the river, and the alteration of other boundaries.

The Mersey is formed by the [[confluence]] of the Rivers Goyt and Tame at [[Stockport]]. It then flows westwards past Cheadle and Sale and through [[Warrington]], and between [[Widnes]] and [[Runcorn]], the lowest bridging point on the river. At that point it becomes estuarine in character, several miles broad, flowing past (on the south bank) the canal port of Ellesmere Port, Bebington, [[Birkenhead]] and Wallasey, and (on the north bank) [[Liverpool]] and [[Bootle]]. Here there are major docks.

Two road tunnels and a rail tunnel link Liverpool and Birkenhead/Wallasey.

The River Mersey gave its name to the county of [[Merseyside]], created in 1974 to unite the Liverpool [[conurbation]] under one authority. The name also influenced the naming of the [[Mersey Poets]] and the [[Mersey Beat]], the 1960s musical style encompassing the early [[Beatles]], Gerry & the Pacemakers, etc.

[[Category:Rivers]]
[[Category:England]]

User talk:FJohn

2009-02-22T22:29:47Z

FJohn:

Beta

2009-02-22T22:26:13Z

FJohn: Removed edits by two blocked users

Beta is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In the Greek language, it is called "vita" and has the same sound value as "v" in English.

[[Category:Greek alphabet]]

Adiabatic cooling

2009-02-22T22:24:47Z

FJohn: Undo revision 404014 by NathanG (Talk) reverted blocked user

The cooling of a gas that happens when the gas expands.<ref>Wile, Dr. Jay L. ''Exploring Creation With Physical Science''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000</ref> It happens because the temperature of a body of mass is dictated by the amount of heat energy within over the total mass of the matter. When the mass expands quickly, the same amount of heat energy is present over a much area, creating a cooling effect.

== Applications ==
Adiabatic cooling is the basis of most modern cooling devices. It is mechanically exploited by taking a volume of gas and compressing it within a radiator, essentially [[Adiabatic heating|adiabatically heating]] the gas. The heated gas will then radiate away, and as the gas passes through to the other side of the radiator it is allowed to expand. Now an amount of the heat energy has been conducted away through the radiator, the expanded gas will be cooler. This mechanism is used in all modern [[Refrigerator|refrigerators]] and [[Air conditioner|air conditioners]].

== References ==
<references/>
[[category:physics]]

Arabic language

2009-02-22T22:22:57Z

FJohn: Undo revision 586552 by SamY (Talk) reverted blocked user

[[Image:Arabic speaking world.png|thumb|right|*Green=Official language *Blue=One of several official languages]]
'''Arabic''' ('''اللغة العربية''' "''al-luġatu l-ʿarabiyyah'', or simply '''عربي''' "''arabī''") is a [[Semitic language]] spoken by some 270 million people worldwide. Having it's origins in [[Saudi Arabia]], Arabic is closely related to [[Hebrew]] and [[Aramaic]].

Arabic is a macrolanguage, made up of 27 dialects. Arabic is also the liturgical language of [[Islam]].

The Arabic alphabet includes ''ʼalif'', ''bāʼ'', ''tāʼ'', '''''ṯ'''āʼ'', ''ǧīm'', ''ḥāʼ'', ''ḫāʼ'', ''dāl'', ''ḏāl'', ''rāʼ'', ''zāī'', ''sīn'', ''šīn'', ''ṣād'', ''ḍād'', ''ṭāʼ'', ''ẓāʼ'', ''ʿayn'', ''ġayn'', ''fāʼ'', ''qāf'', ''kāf'', ''lām'', ''mīm'', ''nūn'', ''hāʼ'', ''wāw'', and ''yāʼ''. The language also includes the short vowels fatHa, damma, and kasra, as well as symbols to aid pronunciation such as the sukoon and shadda. These characters are not typically written, appearing mostly in poetry and the Qur'an.

[[category:Semitic Languages]]
[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Middle East]]

Atlas Shrugged

2009-02-22T22:16:51Z

FJohn: Undo revision 586443 by SamY (Talk) reverted blocked user

[[Image:Ghfut674.jpg|right|thumb]]

'''''Atlas Shrugged''''' is an allegorical novel by [[Ayn Rand]], first published in 1957 in the USA.

==Film Adaptation==
A film adaptation of ''Atlas Shrugged'' is in the works.

{{stub}}
[[category:Novels]]

Michaëlle Jean

2009-02-22T22:14:42Z

FJohn: Undo revision 586376 by SamY (Talk) revert blocked user

'''Michaëlle Jean''' (b. 6 September 1957) is the [[Governor General]] of [[Canada]].

==History==
Jean was born in [[Port-au-Prince]], [[Haiti]] and with her family fled as refugees to Canada in 1968. She became the 27th Governor General ([[Elizabeth II|Queen's]] representative in Canada) in 2005 and is also the first black person to hold the title.

Jean fled Haiti with her family from dictator [[François Duvalier]]'s regime in 1968. Her father, from whom she was estranged for many years, was a philosopher who was tortured under Duvalier's regime and separated from the family for 30 years. The Jean family settled at Thetford Mines, [[Quebec]].

As a student at the [[University of Montreal]], Jean received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Italian and Hispanic languages and literature and, from 1984 until 1986, taught Italian studies while completing a Master of Arts degree in comparative literature. Jean attended the University of Florence, the University of Perugia, and the Catholic University of Milan to continue her studies in language and literature. Besides French and English, Jean is fluent in Spanish, Italian, and Haitian Creole and can read Portuguese.

While attending university, Jean worked at a shelter for battered women from 1979 until 1987. She later helped establish a network of shelters for women and children across Canada. Jean also worked in organizations that helped immigrants to Canada and then later worked for Employment and Immigration Canada (now Human Resources and Skills Development Canada) and at the Conseil des Communautés culturelles du Québec, where Jean began writing about the experiences of immigrant women

==Personal Life==
She is married to filmmaker Jean-Daniel Lafond, who has made several films that were seen as sympathetic to the cause of [[Québec]] separatism. They have a daughter, Marie-Éden, adopted from Haiti.

==See Also==
* [http://www.gg.ca/menu_e.asp Governor General of Canada]
* [http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/governorgeneral/michaelle_jean.html CBC News Indepth: Canada's Governor General]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jean, Michaelle}}

[[Category:Canadian Political People]]

Conservapedia:How do Wikipedians see Conservapedia?

2009-02-22T22:05:15Z

FJohn: Undo revision 368899 by NathanG (Talk) reverted blocked user

Comments from 2 or 3 users who did not want to be quoted have been removed.

:<Ed_Poor> hi all
:<Larrylaptop> hi
:<Ed_Poor> What's the difference between Wikipedia and Conservapedia?
:<Ed_Poor> Does either have a "bias"?
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Ed_Poor: you know I respect you very highly
:
:<Larrylaptop> The difference is that conservapedia has quality material of the type I just linked
:<Larrylaptop> Well quality comedy material
:
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Ed_Poor: did you read what I said?
:<Ed_Poor> Sorry I just got here 3 minutes ago and didn't see anything before "hi all"
:
:<Ed_Poor> Okay, that's one difference: it is unabashedly US-centric in its "conservatism"
:<Ed_Poor> Oh, i think I wrote that line *blush*
:<Larrylaptop> User #4 - you should have read the british conservative article
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Ed_Poor: you know I respect you very highly
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> ... to recap...
:<Larrylaptop> It claimed that lost the election because of Dunblaine (sp)
:
:<Larrylaptop> Then you have the major structure problems - Sysops reverting to their own versions and then locking the pages
:<Ed_Poor> I'm aware of the problem of "page ownership"
:<Larrylaptop> The fact that requests for sources can be answered with "Well it's logical to me and I don't think the article needs sources" so I'll lock it at my version
:
:<Ed_Poor> That's not good of course
:<Larrylaptop> The poorly defined rules that many sysops don't understand or follow
:<Larrylaptop> For example one sysop committed copyvio and then locked it with the copyvio to prevent people removing it!
:<Larrylaptop> Not really - the difference is in intent, as far as I can work out the rules at CP are vague on purpose, so sysops can ban or lock under any pretext
:
:<Ed_Poor> Larrylaptop, that is a common perception - one I am currently trying to change
:* Ed_Poor likes getting constructive criticism
:
:<Larrylaptop> Any site where you have to made a detailed argument to get a link to Dawin's origin work on a TOE page is clearly broken
:<Ed_Poor> Okay, on Darwin we're just not going to agree.
:
:<Larrylaptop> But that's not an argument for me that the theory of evolution is true - that's an argument about what makes a good argument
:<Ed_Poor> That is one "area" in which it is obvious that there is pro-Creation bias.
:
:<Larrylaptop> If you are writing about the work of Darwin and his work is freely available and unabridged online - it's bizarre not to link directly to it
:<Ed_Poor> "What a good argument" could be an interesting topic
:
:<Larrylaptop> sorry I meant "what makes a good article"
:<Ed_Poor> Oh . . .
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Ed_Poor: you do know that butterflies do change their colour due to soot on tree trunks?
:<Ed_Poor> I think i started a page on [[How to write a good article]]
:
:<Ed_Poor> cimon, I have been trying to find evidence for this and would l-o-v-e to see a link
:
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Ed_Poor: also a very clear example of adaptation is feral rabbits here in the capital of Finland...
:
:<Ed_Poor> I freely admit to being biased towards Wells (my former housemate)
:<Larrylaptop> The other thing is - the sysops are spending so much time on articles like TOE that vandals are running rampant on any other article
:
:<Ed_Poor> User #5, over the past month, one of Wikipedia's most experienced editors joined Conservapedia and was voted SYSOP unanimously by the "student board"
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Ed_Poor: genuinely the feral rabbits were of all colours initially, but have shown signs of adapting to blonding during the winter, activating old genetic methods...
:<Larrylaptop> The other problem I think you have is that "breaking News" section on the front page - it's generally just used for attacks on various people - it's not really the tone an encyclopedia wants to set
:<Ed_Poor> Larrylaptop, if you want to fight vandalism I'll nominate you for sysop
:<Ed_Poor> Oh, I rarely read that section.
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> hweh
:<Larrylaptop> As a front page item, it creates a perception problem
:
:<Ed_Poor> I'm not really sure what Andy Schlafly's long term plans are. I suggested that CP can become a sort of wiki-thinktank eventually
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Ed_Poor: it is even better than that, the rabbits aren' turning white as snow, but gray as asphalt, which is very urban...
:<Ed_Poor> Well - re front page - he seems to want to go on the offensive against liberal bias
:<Larrylaptop> Well to be fair, I think it might have to be modified in that way and in some ways that would allow the biases to be more up front and incorporated more explicitly in policy
:<Ed_Poor> I'm more interested in (1) good articles and (2) community building
:
:
:<Ed_Poor> Does anyone mind if I copy this discussion and post it at Conservapedia? With stray comments deleted of course.
:<Larrylaptop> The community building is going to be difficult as you now have a number of sysops (and we don't need to discuss individuals) who are embedded and are just not suitable for the post
:<Larrylaptop> No problem
:
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Ed_Poor: I am not saying that adaptation == evolution, but adaptation is definitely documentable...
:
:<Ed_Poor> Anyone who doesn't want their name used I can specify as #1, #2 etc.
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> lol
:<Larrylaptop> Ed - is there a page anywhere suitable sources are defined?
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Ed_Poor: attribute mine as Jussi-Ville Heiskanen, as that iws my real naem,.
:<Ed_Poor> cimon, I'm aware of adaptation as used in human-directed breeding schemes. The principle is undeniable.
:<Ed_Poor> Okay, Jussi.
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Ed_Poor: nope, I am talking about adaptation in terms of natural selection...
:<Ed_Poor> Well, except for the authorized transcript of this specific conversation wherien cimon and Larrylaptop have agreed to be quoted - all other remarks will remain here.
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> hehe
:<Ed_Poor> I might be "bold" (reckless?) but no one has ever accused me of breaking my word.
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Ed_Poor: You do realize thet I have no credentials, so am just shooting the breeze...
:* Ed_Poor has also been called foolish, overbearing, incompetent, arrogant & condescending
:
:<Jussi-Ville Heiskanen> Which does not change the faxt that I am correct on the facts.
:<Ed_Poor> Reading up 5 minutes back, Larrylaptop, you began talking about some ways that would allow the biases to be more upfront and incorporated more explicitly in policy
:<Larrylaptop> Yes if the mission of the site was modified to be a thinktank rather than a enc
:
:<Larrylaptop> That's causing a lot of tension and problems
:
:<Ed_Poor> Larrylaptop, the problem of people who are not suited for their posts, but having too much power, is as old as the hills. "The Emperor's New Clothes" mentions it, and so does The Peter Principle.
:
:<Larrylaptop> *but* ed - the problem is that the current ratio of Sysops to users means that the control is so tight that it's restrict the growth of the site (and wiki could be accused of being too far the other way)
:
:<Larrylaptop> Oh I'm sure this is logged 24/7 by various people
:
:<Larrylaptop> Talking of the reality vs the ideal - if you check out the http://www.conservapedia.com/Differences_with_Wikipedia
:<Larrylaptop> most of those are not true in practice
:
:
:<Ed_Poor> Larrylaptop, the problem of tight control by sysops worries me too.
:<Ed_Poor> I'm not concerned by colour and centre or BCE or CE very much, but Andy chose to be US-centric and pro-Christian.
:<Larrylaptop> I think the other reason that it will have to be a think-tank is that it's seems to have stalled in terms of growth and I don't see how it's going to get any significant growth in terms of editors
:<Ed_Poor> With 45% of the US adult population being Young Earth creationists . . .
:<Larrylaptop> Virtually everyone on the site spends most of their time arguing on the talkpages about policy rather than editing
:<Ed_Poor> Anyway, I've never spent any significant time with YECs.
:<Larrylaptop> Ed - if it wants to a wiki for that 45%, that's fine but again - why not just make that explict?
:<Larrylaptop> or does overlap too much with creationwiki?
:
:<Ed_Poor> Larry, you finally said something that annoys the hell out of me: VIRTUALLY EVERYONE ON THE SITE SPENDS MOST OF THEIR TIME ARGUING ON THE TALKPAGES ABOUT POLICY RATHER THAN EDITING
:<Ed_Poor> I have no interest in joining CreationWiki
:<Larrylaptop> Me neither
:<Ed_Poor> Conservapedia is reaching out to the 55% who aren't YECs.
:
:<Ed_Poor> Andy has not banned anyone for BEING a liberal.
:
:<Ed_Poor> I have blocked a few people for STATING AS FACT a few liberal ideas, but (so far) I have always relented and unblocked them - or let the blocks expire.
:<Larrylaptop> HOld on Ed that might be the mission (to reach out to the 55%) but I don't think they are going to see much that is of interest to them - with articles claiming dinosaurs roamed the earth with men and the obbession with working creationism and the bible into every article
:
:<Ed_Poor> I have tried not even to *look* at the articles claiming dinosaurs roamed the earth with men
:<Ed_Poor> I didn't come to Conservapedia to pick a battle with YECs. As long as they allow the OEC story to be told, I am content.
:<Ed_Poor> I have even been able to make SOME inroads towards describing the Theory of Evolution Through Natural Selection, but I am handicapped by two factors.
:<Ed_Poor> (1) I myself do not understand the Theory of Evolution Through Natural Selection.
:<Ed_Poor> (2) I haven't met anyone who is willing to help me write about it.
:
:<Larrylaptop> Ed - but why are people going to bother given the history of that page?
:<Larrylaptop> The churn rate on that page is incredible
:
:<Ed_Poor> Who said anything about "that page"? I started a few other pages.
:<Ed_Poor> [[Origins debate]] might be short, but (A) it is not protected and (B) no sysop has reverted anything I've put on it.
:<Larrylaptop> Ed - that page is the first one that anyone interested in TOE is going to go to - they are not going to bother working on additional related articles after reading that
:<Ed_Poor> Yes, I've noticed how lazy some people are!
:<Larrylaptop> the other problem is the "panel" - simply put - I don't believe it exists, I think it's just a device for enforcement
:<Ed_Poor> "not going to bother"
:<Ed_Poor> feh
:<Ed_Poor> Well, Larry, you have certainly hit all the main points of objection.
:<Ed_Poor> I thank you for your tiime.
:
:<Larrylaptop> no problem
:
:* Ed_Poor breaks for station identification
:
:<Ed_Poor> We have been conductiong an online discussion of the differences between Wikipedia and Conservapedia and examining whether either has a bias.
:
:<Ed_Poor> We have also been discussing various problems with Conservapedia's goals and practices.
:

[[category:Conservapedia]]
[[category:Wikipedians on Conservapedia]]
[[category: Wikipedia]]

Social Darwinism

2009-02-22T21:51:19Z

FJohn: Undo revision 628056 by British cons (Talk) reverted edit by blocked user

'''Social Darwinism''' is a belief, popular in the late Victorian era in [[England]], [[United States|America]], and elsewhere, which states that the strongest or fittest should survive and flourish in society, while the weak and unfit should be allowed to die. The [[theory]] was chiefly expounded by [[Herbert Spencer]], whose ethical [[philosophies]] always held an elitist view and received a boost from the application of [[Darwin]]ian ideas such as adaptation and [[natural selection]]. <ref>[http://library.thinkquest.org/C004367/eh4.shtml Social Darwinism] at Thinkquest, retrieved on 08/04/2008</ref>

Beginning in 1887, social [[scientists]] were using the term "social Darwinism" to apply the [[Survival of the fittest]] theory to social situations. Under this theory, the wealthiest or most powerful in society must be [[biologically]] superior, and less "fit" persons should die.

{{quotebox|Proponents of this particular form of ‘social Darwinism’, such as [[Herbert Spencer]], taught that the powerful and wealthy were this way because they were biologically and evolutionally superior to the struggling masses. They believed that we should therefore do nothing to help improve the working and living conditions of the lesser evolved masses. Charities were clearly evil in helping sustain the lives of those who otherwise would and should die in the natural selection process. In other words, the weak were to do their duty and die while the fittest survived, which would one day lead to an evolutionarily super society and race. [http://www.creationinthecrossfire.com/Articles/OriginofSpecies.html] }}

Soon many began to view [[racial]] struggles, and [[war]] itself, as a perfectly natural example of survival-of-the-fittest in the human race. The horrific wars of the 20th century, employing shockingly brutal tactics, were encouraged by a belief in survival-of-the-fittest among humans. While social Darwinism itself was applied to social and economic situations rather than military ones, it is easy how extreme versions of social Darwinism could justify physical struggles among races.

==David Klinghoffer==

John Toland’s ''Adolf Hitler: The Definitive Biography'' says this of Hitler’s Second Book published in 1928:
* "An essential of Hitler’s conclusions in this book was the conviction drawn from Darwin that might makes right."<ref name="dhc">[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=Mjg1NDg2ZDM5YTMwMGFiZGNhNTU5M2MwOTQ2NGE1Mjc= ]</ref>

In his biography, ''Hitler: 1889-1936: Hubris'', Ian Kershaw explains that
* "crude social-Darwinism" gave Hitler "his entire political ‘world-view.’ "

Hitler, like many other Europeans and Americans of his day, saw [[Darwinism]] as offering a total picture of social reality. This view called "social Darwinism" is a logical extension of [[Evolutionism|Darwinian evolutionary theory]] and was articulated by [[Darwin]] himself.

==Social Darwinism Today==
Most of Social Darwinism’s appeal left it in the early part of the 20th century. There were a number of reasons for this including:

* Mixed economies became more widely accepted, and often-violent philosophies such as [[socialism]], [[communism]], and [[anarchism]] were rising in popularity. [[Theodore Roosevelt]]'s [[progressivism]] and [[FDR|his cousin]]'s [[Keynesian economics]] co-opted these movements, ending the previous [[laissez-faire]] economy. Social Darwinists often promoted laissez-faire economics as a means of "weeding out" the unwanted of society.
* It was seen as contributing to German militarism and [[Nazism]] during World War II.
* Humanity came to be seen as socially more aware than animals.
* Revulsion at Hitler’s attempt to build a "master race," as well as the [[civil rights]] movement during the 1960s and 1970s, removed popular support for [[eugenics]] over time.

Finally an improved understanding of [[ethology]] removed the basis of this “dog-eat-dog” philosophy.

Consequently, with the fall of the [[fascist]] states Social Darwinism entered a period of disrepute and few societies, if any, now embrace its ideas that the weak should be disregarded; that there are "superior" and "inferior" races; or that war is an appropriate way to show a country's "virility".

{{evolution}}

==References==

<references/>

[[Category:Evolution]]

Talk:Grook

2009-02-22T21:25:36Z

FJohn: New page: This page doesn't much sense to me. Is it true? ~~~~

This page doesn't much sense to me. Is it true? [[User:FJohn|FJohn]] 16:25, 22 February 2009 (EST)

Talk:Nickel

2009-02-22T19:06:08Z

FJohn:

Nickel is indeed a catalyst, as just a quick search on google shows. [[User:ETrundel|ETrundel]] 13:59, 22 February 2009 (EST)
:But the information was added by a vandal, doubtless along with much other rubbish and lies. [[User:FJohn|FJohn]] 14:06, 22 February 2009 (EST)

Islam

2009-02-22T16:26:36Z

FJohn: Undo revision 629203 by MBienvenu (Talk) revert removal of factual info

'''Islam''' is a [[monotheism|monotheistic]] [[Abrahamic religion]] based on the teachings of [[Muhammad]], a seventh century [[Arab]] religious and [[politics|political]] figure. The word "Islam" means "submission [to Allah]" in [[Arabic language|Arabic]].

A follower of Islam is called a Muslim or Moslem, a term which means "one who submits (to God)". The older term [[Mohammedan]] means "follower of Muhammad", and has been used for centuries. Muslims do not use it today to avoid confusing worship of [[Muhammad]] with worship of [[Allah]]<ref>Schimmel, Annemarie. ''Islam: An Introduction''. State University of New York Press, 1992.</ref>. Muslims follow the teaching of Muhammad, whom they believe to be [[God]]'s last and greatest [[prophet]]. The faith teaches that the [[Archangel]] [[Gabriel]] appeared to him.

Muslims believe that God ("Allah", '''الله''' in [[Arabic]]) revealed the [[Qur'an]] (or Koran) to Muhammad and caused him to transcribe it <ref>Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created- Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful,- He Who taught (the use of) the pen,- Taught man that which he knew not.(Surah 96:1-5)</ref>. The [[Qur'an]] is considered to be the pure and [[holy]] word of God. Like [[Christianity]] and [[Judaism]], Islam originated in the [[Middle East]]. Islam claims to trace its roots back to [[Abraham]]. Muslims do not believe that Muhammad was the founder of Islam, rather that he restored the original faith of Abraham and the prophets, which had been corrupted and/or misinterpreted over time. Based upon this belief, [[the Bible]], [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]], is believed to have become corrupted as well.

[[Image:Mecca.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Mecca]], one of the holy cities of Islam.]]
Islam is the second largest religion in the world, with over 1.4 billion followers, the number of Muslims is rapidly growing, mainly due to high birth rates, in both Muslim-majority and other countries . Conversions to Christianity (from ''any'' faith or lack thereof) outnumber those to Islam, but cannot keep up with the birthrate discrepancy.<ref>[http://www.bible.ca/global-religion-statistics-world-christian-encyclopedia.htm World Christian Encyclopedia]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles6/AlJazeerahAfrica.php Translation of AL-Jazeerah interview between Maher Abdallah and Shiekh Ahmed Katani]</ref>

Many believe that Islam is, with [[Atheism]], currently the greatest threat to [[Christianity]] and [[Christian values]], (those who fear Islamic influences are closed minded and should not be trusted)<ref>[http://christianblogs.christianet.com/1134840164.htm Is Islam a Threat to Christianity?]</ref><ref>[http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/5/8/183305.shtml Islam's Threat to the West]</ref><ref>[http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/stock/050413 Why Islam Hates Christianity]</ref> and the overwhelming majority of modern [[terrorist|terrorists]] are Muslims. Though that is not to say that all Muslims are terrorists.

==Historical Background==
According to Islamic belief, in 610 A.D., [[Muhammad]], a 40-year-old merchant of the Quraysh tribe in [[Mecca]], in the Arabian desert (now eastern [[Saudi Arabia]]), was commanded by the angel [[Gabriel]] to "recite" the message of [[Allah]] (Arabic for God). Gabriel said mankind had lost sight of Allah's previous messages to earlier prophets, [[Adam]], [[Noah]], [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], [[Solomon]], and [[Jesus]], among others, and that Muhammad was to spread Allah's message to all people so that mankind would know how to live, how to show respect for Allah, and how to prepare for the judgement day. The message to Muhammad was to be God's last; Muhammad was the "seal of the prophets." Muhammad won some converts to Islam in his local area, but his [[monotheist]] preaching threatened to undermine the profitable [[polytheist]] pilgrim traffic supporting many Meccan merchants. In 622 A.D., the merchants drove Muhammad and his followers out of Mecca to the city of Yathrib (later renamed [[Medina]], or city - as in the city of the prophet). This flight (hijra) from Mecca to Medina marks the beginning of the Muslim lunar calendar, and is celebrated each year in the hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. Muhammad's forces starting attacking the trade caravans going in and out of Mecca, cutting off its economic lifeline. After a series of battles between the Meccans and Muhammad's forces, Mecca finally accepted Muhammad's ultimatum to succumb and convert to Islam. The city welcomed the prophet back in 630. Muhammad died in 632. It is believed that Muhammed is the last Prophet. Tribal elders elected [[Abu Bakr]] to be Muhammad's successor, or [[Caliph]] (Khalifa). Abu Bakr united the tribes of the Arabian peninsula during his two years as head of the new faith. Upon his death, the elders elected [[Umar ibn al-Khattab]] the next Caliph. During Umar's ten year reign, Islam invaded and spread through the sword into [[Egypt]], [[Syria]], [[Palestine]], [[Iraq]], and parts of [[Iran]]. Umar was assassinated by a Persian (modern day Iran) in 644, and was succeeded by [[Uthman ibn Affan]], who continued the invasions to spread Islam into [[North Africa]], [[Cyprus]], the rest of Iran, [[Afghanistan]], and parts of [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. Over the next two centuries, Islamic armies continued to expanded Islam's empire into sub-Saharan Africa, [[Spain]], Southeast and Central Asia, and [[Turkey]].

==Divisions Within Islam==
Uthman was assassinated in 656 A.D. by soldiers who then installed Ali ibn Abu Talib, Muhammad's son-in-law, as [[Caliph]]. Ali's followers believed Muhammad had chosen Ali to be Muhammad's heir, and had disagreed with the selections of Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman as Caliphs. Ali's claim to the position was challenged by Muawiyah, a kinsman of the murdered Uthman. Five years later, Ali was assassinated by Kharjites, religious dissidents who broke away from the main body of Muslims because they rejected Ali's accepting arbitration to resolve his leadership dispute with Muawiyah. Ali's supporters, or the Shiah al-Ali (or Shiat Ali, partisans of Ali) believed that Ali was the true Caliph and was, in part, divinely inspired. Ali's sons, Hassan and Husayn followed as [[Shia]] Caliphs, Hassan dying in 669 or 670 A.D., possibly by poisoning, and Husayn slain by soldiers of his rival, the [[Sunni]] Caliph Yazid, in 680 A.D.

The Shia Muslim community has divided further as followers coalesced around several of Ali's descendants or successors, called [[Imam]]s. The "twelvers," predominant in Iran, believe the twelfth Imam is in hiding and will reveal himself just before judgement day. Ismailis rejected the seventh Imam and practice a spirituality that seeks hidden meaning in scripture. Ismailis ruled much of [[North Africa]] as the [[Fatimid Dynasty]] of [[Egypt]] in the tenth through the twelfth centuries, and today are found primarily in [[Pakistan]], [[Afghanistan]], and [[India]]. The Sunni majority reject the premise that men can be divine, including Muhammad, Ali, or Jesus, and did not accept any of the Imams who followed Ali. Sunnis remain more committed to traditions and less inclined to accept Shia mysticism. Today, about 15% of the world's Muslims are Shia and 85% are orthodox Sunni.

There are other factions within Islam. Sufis, a name apparently taken from the wool garments they wear, developed around mystical practices and trance-induced revelations. Sufis are found today in [[Turkey]], [[Syria]], and parts of [[Africa]]. Other movements have taken reform tracks, such as the Unitarians of [[Saudi Arabia]], also called [[Wahhabi]]s after their 18th century reformist founder Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. The conservative Wahhabis are found today in Saudi Arabia and [[Qatar]]. Today the Wahhabi line has a tendency to produce extremists, such as [[Osama Bin Laden]]. Some critics would argue that the [[Taliban]] of Afghanistan took conservative reform to an extreme. Other sects or break-away groups include, among others, the Alawis found in Syria and Turkey, the [[Druze]] in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Israel, the Ibadhis (Kharjites) in Oman and Africa, the Ahmadiya of Pakistan, and the Zaydis of Yemen.

==Religious Guidance==
During his lifetime, Muhammad's companions learned and later transcribed the verses (surrahs) of the Quran as Muhammad spoke them. In Islam, the teachings of Mohammed were believed to be direct divine revelation from God. Some utterances that Mohammed was unsure about, dubbed the Satanic verses, would later be incorporated in a novel in modern times by [[Salmon Rushdie]] who would then be subject to a death degree from the leader of Iran for his writing.

The third Caliph, Uthman, collected and codified the various versions of the surrahs into one written [[Quran]] that became the standard Arabic text used by the world's Muslims today. The Quran is longer than the Bible and written in general order of longest chapters to shortest rather than in any order of when they were spoken, sometimes making the work appear to be confusing. In all there are 114 chapters. Most of the later recorded sayings of Mohammed, which were also more warlike, actually appear earlier in the text. Present-day Muslims look first to the Quran as a guide to life, then to the [[Sunnah]], or the way of the Prophet (his life as an example for others) as recorded by his early companions, and then to the [[Hadith]], a collection of the Prophet's sayings, comments, advice, and descriptions.

Frequently, Muslims disagreed over how to interpret certain passages in the Quran, the Sunnah, or the Hadith in their search for the ideal life and perfect path to heaven. From these interpretations Sunni Muslims developed four schools of law, or interpretations of law, named after their founders or early leaders: the Hanbali, considered the most strict school and predominant today in Saudi Arabia; Shafi, the school of widest acceptance, found in Egypt, parts of Palestine-Syria, south Arabia, and the Far East; Maliki, prevalent in North Africa, Sudan, and Nigeria; and Hanafi, considered the most moderate school, predominant in Ottoman Turkey and today found primarily on the Levant and Indian subcontinent. Frequently, Muslim countries have two separate legal systems, one for civil, criminal, or commercial law, and a second, and separate, system for religious law. Religious courts and their judges (qadis) might handle issues dealing with marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance, religious education, charitable or religious property (Waqf), or family matters. Among Middle Eastern countries, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Amirates, and Yemen have Shariah courts serving alongside their secular courts or have adopted [[Sharia]]h (Islamic law) as the basis of their legal systems.

====Clergy====
Sunni Islam does not have a priesthood or clerical hierarchy to conduct religious services or interpret scripture, but it does have prayer leaders, called Imams, and religious scholars, called Ulama, who often are educated men familiar with the Quran and able to offer commentaries on Quranic verses. Sunni Muslims also respect the teachings and interpretations of scholars, judges, and academics who may interpret laws, write treatises on Sharia (religious law) or Hadith, and issue Fatwas, religious declarations intended to enlighten or guide Muslims.

Shia Islam has a hierarchy that resembles a priesthood. Mullahs are prayer leaders, but usually do not interpret religious law. Mujtahids are religious scholars who may interpret law or passages from the Quran or Hadith. The lower order of Mujtahids are called Hojjatolislam. Ayat Allah (literally sign of God, also Ayatollah) is a higher order of Mujtahid who may issue Fatwas, or religious edicts, in addition to leading Islamic schools, interpreting religious law and the Quran, and offering sermons or discourses on proper Islamic behavior.

===Five Pillars of Islam===
*'''Shahadah (Profession of Faith)''' -The Shahadah is the Muslim profession of faith. 'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh, a loose English translation reads "''There is none worthy of worship except God, and [[Muhammad]] is the messenger of God''" This testament can be seen as the foundation of all of the other tenets of Islam.

*'''[[Salat]] (Ritual Prayer)''' -All Muslims are required to Pray to God five times each day while facing [[Mecca]].

*'''Zakat (Charity)''' Able Muslims must donate to the poor based on the wealth one has accumulated. In current usage it is interpreted as 2.5% of the value of most valuables and savings held for a full [[lunar year]].

*'''Sawm (Fasting)''' All able-bodied Muslims (children, the elderly, and the ill are exempt) must fast during daylight hours during the daylight hours of the entire month of [[Ramadan]]. According to Muslims, this purifies the body and soul. Some Muslim sects allow military, police and emergency services personnel to receive an exemption from fasting from an imam, on the grounds that their work supports the community or national good.

*'''Hajj (Pilgrimage)''' All able-bodied Muslims must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives.

==Other Aspects of Islam==
[[Image:Quran.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Pages from the Qur'an, the holy book of the Islamic religion.]]
====Jihad====
Jihad is the "effort" or "struggle" each Muslim faces in the everyday trials of life, such as the effort to get better grades in school, or the striving to achieve better results from a job, or the struggle to avoid sinful temptations. Jihad also can be applied to warfare; participating in jihad in Allah's cause was the third most important good deed listed in the Hadith, after prayer and honoring one's parents. Jihad often was a rallying cry for the military spread of Islam in the seventh through tenth centuries against non-Muslims.

====Osama bin Laden and Fundamentalists====
[[Osama bin Laden]], a follower of a particular brand of Islam popular in Saudi Arabia, has stated that Islam is at war with the United States and its allies. Some observers maintain that the number of Muslims who believe as bin Laden does is growing, and others go further to suggest that all "fundamentalist" Muslims are enemies of the West. But other observers differentiate between conservative "fundamentalists" and the "extremists" who follow bin Laden or other terrorists. These observers suggest that the fundamentalists disagree with bin Laden as much as do Westerners. It is hard to know the truth. Many westerners are still haunted by the images of cheering crowds dancing in the streets when the 9/11 attacks were announced and were disappointed at the lack of prominent condemnation of the attack from Islamic circles worldwide.

====People of the Book====
Christians and Jews are called "people of the Book" in the Koran and are considered earlier forerunners to Islam and viewed as brothers as long as they pay an extra tax when under Islamic rule. Islam, tracing its roots back to Abraham through his son Ishmael instead of Isaac as the Jews did, believes that they are the descendants of God's promise. Islam believes that both the Old and New Testament were corrupted and corrected by the Koran, but there is still an earlier link between the three religions. The view of Jews and Christians varied within different parts of the Koran and Islamic history. Much of current Islamic culture, even in places that were once very tolerant such as Egypt, has seen an upsurge in persecution and violence against Christians and Jews.

====Women in Islam====
For the most part, the Quran treats men and [[woman|women]] equally, applies the same injunctions and prohibitions to men and women, and grants many of the same privileges and benefits. But women are treated separately in certain instances. For example, women are required to "... draw their outer garments around them ... that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed (by men)." (Quran 33:59) Covering the head and body in public (hijab) is viewed by many Muslim women as a protection of their modesty, a way to discourage men's covetous eyes. The principle of hijab is applied in different ways: a small scarf around the head and regular "street clothes" may be voluntary and acceptable in Cairo or Damascus but a full length opaque [[Burqa]] was enforced in Taliban Afghanistan. The treatment of women may depend upon rural or urban settings, educational level, society norms, tradition, or other factors. As of 2008, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are the only two Middle Eastern countries where the government requires women to wear some form of modest garb.

Islamic dress is a regular grounds for conflict in multicultural education.

Treatment of women varies widely by country. In the Islamic state of Saudi Arabia women are forbidden from driving a car, traveling in public without their husband or a male family member as an escort, leaving their home without wearing Islamic dress, working or voting. Though not formally forbidden from owning property, they have no way of obtaining this as work is forbidden and only males are permitted to inherit - should a man die, his brothers, sons and father will all inherit before his wife. These restrictions are part of the criminal law of the country, and enforced by the police and a special Islamic office. Pakistan has similar restrictions, but to a lesser extent. In contrast, Turkey has a majority Muslim population yet still grants women rights near-equal to those of men including property ownership, employment, and education to university level.

Muslim apologists suggest the extremely repressive policies of countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are cultural rather than religious, and point to the more moderate Islam practiced in Turkey as a demonstration that Islam and womens' rights are compatible, and point to past Christian-dominated cultures such as medieval Europe as examples that other religions can be distorted to justify oppression.

Muslim women's status is controversial. Some critics claim that Muslim men oppress Muslim women by compelling them to remain hidden behind the veil, sequestered in the home, and ignorant of the world by denying them access to education and worldly opportunities. Defenders of some practices suggest that many of them, such as the veil, are cultural traditions that pre-date Islam and are intended to protect, not constrict, women, or that many Muslim women adopt the life style of the veil voluntarily. There are Muslim women who agree and disagree with the critics.

====Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem====
Muhammad's home city of Mecca was the site of his earliest preaching and conversions, and is the location of the Kaaba, traditionally held to be the foundation stone of the first mosque built by Adam and later restored by Abraham, and now the focus of the annual pilgrimage (hajj). Some historians suggest that the Kaaba, a black stone probably meteoric in origin, was venerated by pre-Islamic polytheistic religions.

At first, Jerusalem was Islam's holy city and the focus of prayers, but Mecca became the center of Islam after Muhammad's return in 630. Medina, because of its early association with Muhammad and as the site of Muhammad's tomb, is second in importance to Mecca. Jerusalem is revered by Muslims as the site of Solomon's temple, Abraham's near sacrifice of his son Ishmael, and the scene of Muhammad's miraculous midnight journey, the latter two now enshrined in the Dome of the Rock mosque. According to the Quran (Surrah 17:1, Isra) and Hadith, Muhammad and Gabriel were taken on winged mules from Mecca to Jerusalem, where they ascended through the seven heavens to the presence of Allah. During the visit, Muhammad learned, among other points, that Muslims were to pray five times each day and to honor Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the other prophets.

====Restrictions====
Observant Muslims are not supposed to eat pork and in general do not have dogs as pets; both swine and canines are considered unclean. Muslims are proscribed from drinking alcoholic beverages. Observant Muslims do not collect interest.

====Non-Muslim Practices====
Some practices have been associated with Islam because they occur in Islamic countries, but actually are not a part of Islam. For example, female circumcision is not mentioned in the Quran, but is mentioned in Hadith as an "honorable" but not obligatory condition. It is a pre-Islamic tradition in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab world, notably in Eritrea, Yemen, and Egypt. Another example of a practice that has been associated incorrectly with Islam is honor killing, in which a brother, father, or uncle "restores" or "defends" a family's honor by killing the sister, daughter, or niece that dishonored the family through unmarried pregnancy or promiscuous behavior. The "honor killing" is more ancient and possibly tribalistic pagan in origin.

==Islam and Christianity==
While Muslims do not believe Jesus to be the Son of God or in the resurrection, they consider him and his mother to be of God's most important prophets (Marian and Isa) otherwise known as Mary and Jesus. However, the Qur'an warns against worshiping Jesus, Muhammad, and other humans for fear of [[idolatry]].<ref>[http://www.ccg.org/_domain/ccg.org/Islam/Islam.htm Christian Churches of God Articles on Islam], March 10, 2007</ref>

The Qur'an states that Christians will be punished, though the nature of the punishment is not specified:

"Surely, disbelievers are those who said:
'Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).' But there is no god but One, Allah.
And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them.

Will they not repent to Allah and ask His Forgiveness? For Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The Messiah , son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a Siddiqah (i.e. she believed in the words of God and His Books ).
They both used to eat food (as any other human eat).
Look how We make the signs clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth)."

Qur'an 5:73-75

However, Islam does recognize Christians and Jews as "people of the book" since both refer to one God only, and recognize Abraham (Ibrahim in [[Arabic]]) as a founding prophet.

Islam and Christianity both accept the theory of [[intelligent design]] as correct, and do not recognize [[evolution]]ist views.

==Islam and Paganism==

Although Muslims profess belief in a single [[God]], some believe Islam has its roots in an earlier polytheistic system.<ref>[http://www.chick.com/information/religions/islam/]</ref> By this thinking God is linked to an earlier moon deity, although it should be brought up that there is no mention of this in the Qur'an, where Allah is cited as the God of [[Abraham]].<ref>The Qur'an, Sura 37 [http://www.amazon.com/Holy-Quran-Allamah-Nooruddin/dp/0963206702]</ref><ref>Abramahov, "Islamic Theology". Edinburgh University Press: Edinburgh, 1988. [http://www.amazon.com/Islamic-Theology-Binyamin-Abrahamov/dp/0748611029/sr=8-4/qid=1172042917/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4/105-1837174-2630046?ie=UTF8&s=books]</ref>

==Sharia==
[[Image:StarCresent.png|thumb|right|220px|The Star and Crescent is a symbol of Islam. It is featured in the national flag of [[Algeria]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Malaysia]], [[Tunisia]], [[Mauritania]], [[Pakistan]], and [[Turkey]].]]
[[Sharia]] is the body of Islamic law. The term means "way" or "path"; it is the legal framework within which public and some private aspects of life are regulated for those living in a legal system based on Muslim principles of jurisprudence. It is not actually part of the canonical Qur'an; that is to say, it is not believed to be the direct word of God by Muslims, but rather the interpretation of it.

Sharia deals with many aspects of day-to-day life, including politics, economics, banking, business law, contract law, sexuality, marriage, divorce, and social issues. Some Islamic scholars accept Sharia as the body of precedent and legal theory established before the 19th century, while other scholars view Sharia as a changing body, and include Islamic legal theory from the contemporary period.{{fact}}

Sharia law is used in many modern Islamic theocracies and prescribes very harsh treatments for acts, that, in the western world, are relatively minor. For example, under sharia law, converting from Islam is punishable by death.<ref>[http://www.ntpi.org/html/whyoppose.html]</ref>

==Ex-Muslims==
[[Michelle Malkin]] highlights a group of Ex-Muslims hoping to change the terms of debate about Islam in Europe. Maryam Namazie, the head of the British group said "Too many things in the media and government policies have been geared to pandering to the political Islamic movements and Islamic organizations." <ref> [http://michellemalkin.com/2007/06/20/ex-muslims-stand-up-in-britain/ Ex-Muslims stand up in Britain]</ref>

----
''Some of the text for this article was taken from "Islam: A Primer", Congressional Research Service Report for Congress (2003), a work in the public domain'' [http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/islam.htm#back]

==Prominent Muslims==
*[[Muhammad]]
*[[Muhammad Ali]]
*[[Ahmed Deedat]]
*[[Yusef Islam]]
*[[Prince Naseem Hamed]]
*[[Rezazadeh Hossein]]
*[[Ayatollah Khomeini]]
*[[Ayatollah Khamenei]]
*[[Mohammad Khatami]]
*[[Osama Bin Laden]]
*President [[Barack Hussein Obama]] (suspected)

== See also ==
[[Image:Africa islam 87.jpg|thumb|Islam in Africa]]
*[[Arab American]]
*[[Islamic republic]]
*[[Qur'an]]
*[[Ramadan]]

==External links==
*[http://muslim-canada.org/islam_christianity.html Islam and Christianity] - excellent article comparing and contrasting the two.
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/ Quran online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/ Sahih Bukhari (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/ Sahih Muslim (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/abudawud/ Sunan Abu-Dawud (Hadith collection) online in English]
*[http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muwatta/ Malik's Muwatta (Hadith collection) online in English]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Worldviews]]

Bunnies and Burrows

2009-02-21T21:09:56Z

FJohn: New page: Bunnies and Burrows is a roleplaying game in which the players take on the role of rabbit characters, in the style of the book Watership Down. It was first published in 1976, by Un...

Bunnies and Burrows is a [[roleplaying game]] in which the players take on the role of rabbit characters, in the style of the book [[Watership Down]]. It was first published in 1976, by Unlimited Fantasy Games, and was republished in 1992 by Steve Jackson Games, in a supplement for [[GURPS]]. Despite the somewhat strange premise, this game was innovative at the time, because it was the first role-playing game in which the characters were non-humanoid and it contained an advanced skill system. The current edition uses GURPS rules.<ref>http://www.panix.com/~sos/rpg/bunny.html</ref>

==References==
<references/>

GURPS

2009-02-21T20:44:58Z

FJohn: New page: GURPS (Generic Universal RolePlaying System), is a role-playing game written by Steve Jackson in 1986. It is a set of rules designed to allow role-playing to take place in any setting, fro...

GURPS (Generic Universal RolePlaying System), is a role-playing game written by Steve Jackson in 1986. It is a set of rules designed to allow role-playing to take place in any setting, from fantasy to science fiction. In 1988, GURPS won an award for having the best role-playing rules.<ref>http://www.originsgamefair.com/awards/1988</ref>

==References==
<references/>

Traveller

2009-02-21T20:26:25Z

FJohn: New page: Traveller is a science-fiction role-playing game. It was first published by the Game Designers' Workshop in 1977. The rules are written to allow a group of people to take on the role of ch...

Traveller is a science-fiction role-playing game. It was first published by the Game Designers' Workshop in 1977. The rules are written to allow a group of people to take on the role of characters in a science fiction setting. It was originally notable for a unique character generation system, which produced characters with much previous experience, though it sometimes produced dead characters. Many editions of the Traveller rules exist.

Typhoid fever

2009-02-21T19:58:49Z

FJohn: New page: Typhoid fever (sometimes confused with typhus) is a disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. It causes high fever, sweating and diarrhea. If untreated, it will cause headaches...

Typhoid fever (sometimes confused with [[typhus]]) is a disease caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi. It causes high fever, sweating and diarrhea. If untreated, it will cause headaches, abdominal pain and nosebleeds. Complications can arise, often causing intestinal bleeding. The disease is endemic in most of the Southern hemisphere. If treated, death from Typhoid is rare, and if untreated death results in about 10% of cases.<ref>http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001332.htm</ref>

==Notes==
<references/>

Pellagra

2009-02-21T19:49:07Z

FJohn: New page: Pellagra is a disease caused by lack of B vitamins and protein. It is often a sign of general famine. Symptoms include paleness, damage to the brain, weakness, general fatigue,...

Pellagra is a disease caused by lack of B vitamins and [[protein]]. It is often a sign of general [[famine]]. Symptoms include paleness, damage to the [[brain]], weakness, general fatigue, [[muscle]] detoriation and inflammation of the skin.<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16207585</ref>

==Notes==
<references />

Franciscan

2009-02-21T19:39:00Z

FJohn: Making refs visible

Franciscans are members of the Order of Friars Minor, an order defined by their following of the Rule of Saint Francis of Assisi. The order was founded by Saint Francis in the early 13th century.<ref>http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Catholic_Encyclopedia_(1913)/Order_of_Friars_Minor</ref>

==Notes==
<references />

Franciscan

2009-02-21T19:37:09Z

FJohn: New page: Franciscans are members of the Order of Friars Minor, an order defined by their following of the Rule of Saint Francis of Assisi. The order was founded by Saint Francis in the early 13th c...

Walter Reed

2009-02-21T19:14:25Z

FJohn: New page: Major Walter Reed (September 13, 1851 to November 23, 1902) was a phyiscian in the U.S. Army. He is best known for his discovery that yellow fever is carried by the mosquito, d...

Major Walter Reed (September 13, 1851 to November 23, 1902) was a phyiscian in the [[U.S. Army]]. He is best known for his discovery that [[yellow fever]] is carried by the[[ mosquito]], during a series of experiments in [[Cuba]]. As only humans will catch yellow fever, Walter Reed had to use human volunteers. Once it was known that mosquitoes carried yellow fever, it was possible to reduce deaths from yellow fever by mosquito eradication, allowing the completion of the Panama Canal.<ref>http://www.wramc.amedd.army.mil/visitors/visitcenter/history/pages/biography.aspx</ref>

==Notes==
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User:FJohn

2009-02-21T18:56:15Z

FJohn: Hi

Hi all. My aim is to contribute about equal parts wanted page edits and other edits. I do not understand computers well and any help with my edits is much appreciated.

Hilkiah

2009-02-21T18:48:49Z

FJohn: New page: Hilkiah was the high priest of Judah during the reign of King Josiah. He visited Huldah the prophetess and heard her prediction that the Lord would punish the Kingdom of Judah for making o...

Hilkiah was the high priest of Judah during the reign of King Josiah. He visited Huldah the prophetess and heard her prediction that the Lord would punish the Kingdom of Judah for making offering to false gods.<ref>http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt09b22.htm#8</ref>

==Notes==
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John Duns Scotus

2009-02-21T18:27:58Z

FJohn: Links

John Duns Scotus (1266 AD to 1308 AD) was a [[Franciscan]] theologian and philosopher. He founded the school of thought known as Scotism. He developed a proof of the existence of God and advocated the doctrine of [[Immaculate Conception]]<ref>http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05194a.htm </ref>.

==References==
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[[category:Religious People]]

John Duns Scotus

2009-02-21T15:03:37Z

FJohn: New page: John Duns Scotus (1266 AD to 1308 AD) was a Franciscan theologian and philosopher. He founded the school of thought known as Scotism. He developed a proof of the existence of God and advoc...

John Duns Scotus (1266 AD to 1308 AD) was a Franciscan theologian and philosopher. He founded the school of thought known as Scotism. He developed a proof of the existence of God and advocated the doctrine of Immaculate Conception<ref>http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05194a.htm </ref>.