Ten Books

[Rhinoqulous]

lurker wrote

I found these books on my front porch today. I'll post reviews after I read them all. :D

Why I created the Universe - by God
The Top 10,000 Questions Finally Answered - by God (this one is pretty thick)
Creation 101 for Mortals - by God
In the Beginning – Me! - by God
Holy Smokes – The Mystery of the Burning Bush Unlocked - by God
Evil Explained - by God
Hiding In Plain Sight - by God
The Illustrated Guide to Heaven - by God
Omniscient God, Omnipotent God - by God
I’m God and You’re Not – Why I Do What I Do - by God

Why can't you share what your real reading material is? Could it be that you aren't reading? Shame on you, lurker.

Rhinoqulous wrote

Why can't you share what your real reading material is? Could it be that you aren't reading? Shame on you, lurker.

Right now I read a lot of articles/reports/columns and not too many books. I don't enjoy reading fantasy or sci-fi. I enjoy factual/helpful/business books more. I'd rather read a textbook on thermodynamics or material science than the latest Stephen King novel. It's the engineer in me I guess. Right now I'm reading "Think a Second Time" by Dennis Prager.

lurker wrote

It's the engineer in me I guess.

It seems like there are more theists in engineering than in any other branch of science. At the very least, whenever I watch "evidence of creation" shows on the Catholic channel, the scientific expert they bring on to comment is an engineer 90% of the time. I wonder if there are any statistics to back up this hunch of mine.

[Philboid Studge]

Evil_Mage_Ra wrote

It seems like there are more theists in engineering than in any other branch of science. At the very least, whenever I watch "evidence of creation" shows on the Catholic channel, the scientific expert they bring on to comment is an engineer 90% of the time. I wonder if there are any statistics to back up this hunch of mine.

Maybe some projection is taking place: "I'm an engineer, so the universe must have one too." Man creates God in his own image . . .

Philboid Studge wrote

Maybe some projection is taking place: "I'm an engineer, so the universe must have one too." Man creates God in his own image . . .

Now you guys are really reaching for straws here. It's (semi) entertaining - I'll give you that much.

lurker wrote

Now you guys are really reaching for straws here. It's (semi) entertaining - I'll give you that much.

I don't think it's that much of a stretch, if my theory is true (again, this is just a first impression......I don't have statistics). They had a NASA engineer on the Catholic channel a while back. He was showing a creationist a bowl he made out of pieces of interlocked wood. They pointed out that that bowl could not have just been made by chance, since it was so complex. So if something as simple as a bowl could be complex enough to require a designer, how much more would something as complex as life require a supreme intelligence? I think a lot of theists buy into this analogy.

Evil_Mage_Ra wrote

It seems like there are more theists in engineering than in any other branch of science. At the very least, whenever I watch "evidence of creation" shows on the Catholic channel, the scientific expert they bring on to comment is an engineer 90% of the time. I wonder if there are any statistics to back up this hunch of mine.

I think it's more that the Engineer, having had applied scientific training, has the veneer of scientific respectibility. People have been carefully trained to go into dumb mode when a "scientist" is speaking, even if that "scientist" is an engineer who is not discussing his or her area of expertise.

What's telling to me is that they don't have any biologists come on the show to champion Intelligent Design. Why is that, do you think? ;)

Maybe it's because those shows are trying to do nothing more than reinforce what their audience already "knows"? They're certainly not out to reach the 14-or-so percent of the population which identifies as atheist or agnostic.

You seem to be arguing that engineers are wrong about god, but offer no proof. You worship at the feet of science, yet you go on and on about silly anecdotal stuff like this. Whatever :rolleyes:

lurker wrote

You seem to be arguing that engineers are wrong about god, but offer no proof. You worship at the feet of science, yet you go on and on about silly anecdotal stuff like this. Whatever :rolleyes:

This isn't proof for the existence or non-existence of God, just an observation. Let's say for a minute that there is an intelligent designer--what type of evidence would lead me to believe in its existence? I just think that engineers would focus more on the "designs" than any other line of evidence/reasoning you might take.

lurker wrote

Now you guys are really reaching for straws here. It's (semi) entertaining - I'll give you that much.

For once I agree with Lurker. Engineers are, if anything, the most atheistic group of people I know, next to scientists, and I should know. The thinking is more like, "I'm an engineer and I can create almost anything, what need do I have for some lame God". Engineering is learning how to think effectively; although I'll grant you that most engineers don't need to know anything about cosmology or biology, mainly mechanics and math.

But if you want to make conclusions on engineers from one theist, then piss off.

[Philboid Studge]

WhoNeedsSci wrote

But if you want to make conclusions on engineers from one theist, then piss off.

My comment was at the very most half-serious, which I think Lurker realized, as he says he was semi-entertained. But for the half that was serious, let me just say it was not much of a "conclusion" (I prefaced it with "maybe" fer chrissake) and that it never would have been posed based on one engineer-theist. Evil_Mage_Ra's comment was about an indeterminate number of engineers who prop up theism 90% of the time. "Hunch" based on anecdotal evidence + 1/2assed "therory" = (semi)entertainment. I wouldn't take it too seriously ...

On the other hand, maybe God planted engineers (in His own inage) on Earth to give the rest of us both a shot at both salvation and some kick-ass bridges. I say rock on, Lurker!

[WITHTEETH]

A Man In A High Castle - Philip K Dick
Ender's Game books - OSC
A Brief History Of Time - Stephen Hawkins
Fabric of The Cosmos - Brian Green
The Selfish Gene - Richard Dawkins
1984 - George Orwell
Origin Of Species - Darwin
The Prince - Mackiaveli
Voices Of Wisdom - Kessler
Ishmael - D. Quinn

Philboid Studge wrote

My comment was at the very most half-serious, which I think Lurker realized, as he says he was semi-entertained. But for the half that was serious, let me just say it was not much of a "conclusion" (I prefaced it with "maybe" fer chrissake) and that it never would have been posed based on one engineer-theist. Evil_Mage_Ra's comment was about an indeterminate number of engineers who prop up theism 90% of the time. "Hunch" based on anecdotal evidence + 1/2assed "therory" = (semi)entertainment. I wouldn't take it too seriously ...

On the other hand, maybe God planted engineers (in His own inage) on Earth to give the rest of us both a shot at both salvation and some kick-ass bridges. I say rock on, Lurker!

Maybe I should've added a disclaimer: "No engineers were harmed in this wild speculation" :lol:

Philboid Studge wrote

On the other hand, maybe God planted engineers (in His own image) on Earth to give the rest of us both a shot at both salvation and some kick-ass bridges.

I kinda like that...

Christianity: so stupid a civil engineer can believe it.:D

I did catch a few minutes of one of those crazy UFO Bible shows on History Channel where some cracked up priest based his argument that space aliens inspired some prophet by quoting an engineer's reading of a Bible passage.

anyway... books anyone?

[Philboid Studge]

WhoNeedsScience wrote

8. Field Guide to Eastern Trees
9. Field Guide to Eastern Birds

Are those Peterson or Audubon guides, or something else? I'm sure it will be a shock to learn I've got a 20+ year old, well-used Audubon Guide to North American Mushrooms ...