Is teaching your child about your religion mental abuse?

[Craterus]

Survival Instinct? No. Had it been an instinct, there would be no suicides and no self-sacrifice.

Procreation Instinct? No. Monks/Nuns and secular people who remain willingly childless clearly do not follow it.

Altruist Instinct? Once again, no. Acts of altruism are not universal.

Etc.? There is no etc. Humans have no instincts. If an "instinct" can be overcome, it's not an instinct. If an "instinct" is not universal for the species, it's not an instinct.

We can clearly go beyond our instincts. Overrule them. Use whatever term you like, those are still instincts.

Even more basically [than the survival instinct], an aversion to pain? We instinctively avoid it. Bring up sadism if you will but I'd argue that that is a psychological overruling of our instincts in order to achieve another instinct.

All humans pursue pleasure and happiness. Or at least what they think will grant them those two things.

That satisfy your criteria?

[rvg]

All humans pursue pleasure and happiness. Or at least what they think will grant them those two things.

So, when a soldier covers up a live grenade with his body in order to save his buddies, how exactly is he seeking pleasure or happiness?

[Ronin]

So, when a soldier covers up a live grenade with his body in order to save his buddies, how exactly is he seeking pleasure or happiness?

we are instilled by society to protect those around us.....like I have said a bunch of times....instinct can be overridden....you are sticking to a rigid definition of "instinct" that is not correct.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Gentlemen,

You will all calm down right away, or this thread will be closed and warnings issued.

Please respect each other's viewpoints when discussing this sensitive subject.

Thank you kindly.

[rvg]

we are instilled by society to protect those around us.....like I have said a bunch of times....instinct can be overridden....you are sticking to a rigid definition of "instinct" that is not correct.

And why exactly is it not correct?

[Craterus]

So, when a soldier covers up a live grenade with his body in order to save his buddies, how exactly is he seeking pleasure or happiness?

He would die happy knowing that he was about to do something good. Plus, it's far better to die honourably and satisfy that need we all seem to have for a legacy.

I'd like to think I'd do the exact same thing. And I'm as hedonistic as anyone.

Tell me, then, what caused the big bang? Where did the matter that created the Universe come from? Logically, there must be a source for everything. Or does time simply not actually exist, and everything's infinite. Something HAD to create the base substances, the oxygen, helium, iron, and so forth from which the universe was created. And I have not ever heard of any logical equation which shows how it came from nothing.

By that logic, something has to have created God. Eventually, you have to concede that something must have come from nothing. May just as well be anti-matter (or however Big Bang Theory goes) as it is God.