Not to be rude, but it seems to me that you misplace the blame for the death of the animal - just because he told you there was ice in its head did not give you the right to kill and then butcher it.  The problem with mankind is not religion it is people who will kill with no real purpose other than amusement and curiosity. . .

Excuses for poor behavior run rampant regardless of religion.

"don't fight within their species" (quoted Feverdog in Post #1)

>"I'll take that bet. You have obviously never watched as ant colonies are invaded and destroyed by another colony of ants."<
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That was not my quote or bet, but I should have corrected it; you're right.
The Feverdog poster should have said "don't fight within their colony", unlike humans.


>"You are not the only one to assert that humans are not the superior species on this planet ... you're wrong. ... to build this earthly civilization the human brain will do."<
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In this thread, the concepts "superior" and "right vs wrong" are philosophical perspectives, IMO.
The evolved human brain is a TOOL for survival ... as well as death.  Is that "superior"?
Tools can cut both ways, and I don't limit this discussion to just technological superiority.
Yes, the human brain and hands are very creative as a combination, but also very destructive. 
However, as a social entity, the human species may not last as long (per Feverdog) ...
 

No, it took place because you choose to kill something out of curiosity.  Take religion out of the picture and people still kill - atheist kill, etc.  People are the number one predators on the planet - at least half the murders and/or animal killing that take place do so because of jealousy or greed. 

Post 11:
>"one of the distinguishing characteristics of humans is the rather well developed sense of consciousness, of self-awareness, which very few other species seem to exhibit, at least to the same degree ... In which case my question essentially boils down to whether one wants to be conscious or not. Or, equivalently in my view, whether one wants to be alive or dead."<
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I agree that humans may have evolved a "well developed sense consciousness" -- as individuals.
Ants, from another perspective, may have evolved a well developed sense of consciousness as social entities or "superorganisms".
In both cases, individual and social (colony or species) survival are motivating factors.


"happiness seems to be practically synonymous with goals – that which we desire to have. Although many seem to find, in some cases anyway, that the pursuit is more of a pleasure that its attainment."
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In my hedonistic theory, pleasure and pain perceptions (in the brain) are dynamic processes that reflect the direction of achievement or loss, and are motivating factors.  Therefore, I agree that pursuit in the "right" direction is pleasurable, and a complicated (multi-factored) set of perceived attainment leads to "happiness" -- for awhile.

I only became religious once I entered my teens  - I have never killed anything for sport, curiosity nor for religion.  Anytime I saw an animal die or a human harmed by a human I just wanted to smack the person doing it - excluding food.

the point is religion is not what make people murder.  that excuses is like saying video games or tv make us murder others.  lame excuses for bad behavior. people just need to own up and take responsibility for their own choices and behavior and stop saying religion, tv, games, lust, etc made me do it.

And power, fear and taking things that did not belong to them had nothing to do with it.  They simply did it because of their religion?  Having religion myself does not make me nor millions other want to go out and take over the world, kill others, rape and pillage.  How many on this board that would consider themselves religious do any of that? 

How many rapist do we have on the board?
How many who would try to take over the world with concentration camps, death marches or human sacrifice?
Who want to pillage?

Any takers?????

There are always bad apples - does not matter if they are granny apples, red delicious, golden delicious, etc.  That does not mean we torch all the apple trees, instead we keep an eye out for the bad ones and toss their butts when we come across them - personally I am pro death penalty - you kill someone regardless of excuse - we kill ya back!  Or as some of my kinder hearted individuals - put them away for life.  Either way the apples are not running around doing stupid things.

So my being an american female means what?  Plenty of females in this country have become killers - we even have serial killers who are female.   But religion was not what drove them - greed, jealously, stupidity, etc. were the motivators in the murders of these women.