Definitely Weird

As for a hoax or not, Snopes says "undetermined", though their investigation and comments lead one to believe that it is not true for a variety of reasons:

http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/nosex.asp

you're right. I apologize. I never should have expressed my opinion.

Religion helped my wife and I get through the tough times when our 1st son passed away after 8 weeks of life.

Religion is helping us now as my wife battles breast cancer.

Just because religion has done nothing for you (and don't get me wrong, i don't criticize you for that), doesn't mean that it hasn't done good for others.

That was the only point I was trying to make, but didn't think my post out clearly enough. I apologize for causing any confusion as to what I was trying to say.

I don't think you need to apologize.

Yes, the boards are having serious database issues. I came across a post I wrote two days ago, where I quoted someone. When I came across it today, my text was there, but the quoted passage was something completely different!

I don't either - the comment against religion seems a bit unnecessary. Or heck even a comment FOR it if a non sequitur/ad hoc ad homina homina whatever it would be...

Cheap shot comes to mind. I mean we all have our opinions about hot button topics but is *this forum* the place for them?

Aka...Friday thread!!!!

I think it depends entirely on what it is you are expecting to get out of religion. A lot of people use religion to gain personal power. It is not the religion's fault; it is the person who is abusing it for personal gain. Religion just happens to be a really easy method for power-mongers to get their jollies, because religion deals with faith about things which cannot be concretely proven nor disproven.

But for a vast number of religious people, religion gives them a sense of purpose far beyond "I exist for no reason whatsoever, and am only the result of some cosmic accident."

Religion has also prevented more social problems that it has caused. Today in the US, religious participation is down, religious involvement is frequently derided and frowned-upon, and violent crimes, despair, and suicides are up. Coincidence? I don't know. I'll let you be the judge.

As an aside, although most religions frown on extramarital sex, I am not aware of any religion that bans sex completely. That would be asinine. Such a religion could not physically survive more than a generation or two.

You are both seeing ghosts where none exist.

Pie (perfectly normal explanations for both)

Well the Shakers did, and the religion quickly died out (IIRC).

Also the Rev. Sun Myung Moon reportedly forbade the couples he put together from having sex for the first 3 years of their marriage...Some cults also have been criticised for the leader forbidding the men in the group from being 'with' the women, sometimes so the leader can...

But it seemed such a sweeping statement and in that sense, no, religions typically do not forbid sex between married people in fact usually the reverse criticism is heard, that it is supposed to be 'only' for married people. It seemed a non sequitur random insult is what it seemed. It may not be for everyone but some people hold their religious beliefs as, well, sacred.

Good point though about *some* abusing the system...but that is also true with any system...government, financial institutions...etc. People sometimes fail to see the difference between the structure that *some* seek to abuse (casting doubts upon a lot of good people doing good for humanity in the process btw; a lot of charity is done by those 'awful' religions, too) and the beliefs themselves.

I guess it's Friday somewhere...

Your post didn't move, the thread did because someone didn't press the button

Agreed. Considering you have naked people during daytime in almost every commercial and on ad walls over here, it is simply impossible for someone to grow up in Germany without knowing about sex. Also, sexual education is a required point in schools over here.

And *coughs* since they tested his fertility, he knows how to masturbate at least.

Although I agree that this is a hoax... had this been true, what's to say the guy didn't get... training, or assistance?

I see a comment like "that is offensive" with no other statements as to the "why" as being pretty worthless.

This gives more info for your reasons and is therefore (in my opinion) what conversation is about.