Alzheimers..........

[naomi24]

....surely the saddest and cruellest of afflictions, and often suffered by the gentlest and kindest people. How does religion justify that?

[annadomino]

But, we can hope for a cure.

http://www.telegraph....ble-in-two-years.html

[ubasses]

Naomi I have copied one line from you link:

It is the most common form of dementia.

There are many types of dementia that are really illnesses of which dementia is a big sympton. Over years a lot of generalisation has come into talking about it and people are just referred to as having dementia.
Medically my Mum has vascular disease in her brain and this has become known as vascular dementia.

Further problems occur when a lot of people do not get the necessary brain scans to identify the type of illness and they are told they have dementia.

[naomi24]

//Setting aside the cause, while Alzheimers is distressing for the friends and relatives, i have known many people who have retreated happily into their own world and not been particularly distressed by it if carefully managed. I would name Parkinson's Disease, cancer, MS and Motor Neurone Disease as much crueller afflictions and these only head a long list.//

Whilst, as I've already indicated, Alzheimers does not only affect friends and relatives, but can create the most appalling terrors for the sufferer, the above does nothing to enhance the reputation of an alleged God of love.

ubasses, // Further problems occur when a lot of people do not get the necessary brain scans to identify the type of illness and they are told they have dementia.//

Absolutely right. In fact only yesterday I gave someone here a link to information on another condition, often misdiagnosed as Alzheimers, which turned out to be something the patient's doctors had since suggested.

[Elderman]

A recent study in the Netherlands says that “smoking more than doubles the risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.The study of 6,870 persons over 55 years of age revealed that smokers are 2.3 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than lifelong abstainers. The risk for those who had quit smoking was only slightly higher than for individuals who had never smoked. Alzheimer’s disease, which involves the gradual destruction of brain cells, is “the most common form of dementia.

[naomi24]

^^ Therefore, for a substantial number of non-smokers, one of God's 'wonderful' creations - Alzheimers - is still a stark reality.

[sith123]

let me get this straight...when there is suffering you start to say that why did god create this but however you dont mention all the good things he has created. youre basically just using it as a scapegoat.

[Old_Geezer]

Why do religions need to justify a natural problem with living ? Living has risks. Dieties do not generally meddle. And besides a diety would know the individual having such a disease would only be like that for a vanishingly short period of their whole existence, and they may even gain understanding from having experienced it. Indeed, it also gives an opporunity for those around the individual to help and understand the necessity to help those in need.

[sith123]

nice answer

[naomi24]

Sith, Funny how you're happy to give credit where you think it is due, but remarkably reluctant to place blame where, following your philosophy that your God created everything, blame must also be due. How does that work then?

OG, //Why do religions need to justify a natural problem with living ?//

Precisely for the reason above.

//Dieties do not generally meddle.//

They don't? That'll be a disappointment to the religious. All those prayers for nothing.

Sith, nice answer? No, it's the usual 'God works in mysterious ways' cop out answer. //it also gives an opporunity [sic] for those around the individual to help and understand the necessity to help those in need//

Good old God, eh? He's all heart. ;o)

[sith123]

in one of my earlier posts i said that you gave some good answers.

[naomi24]

Sith, please don't misunderstand. My answer was not intended to be detrimental to OG in any way. I simply pointed out to you that his answer was an example of the standard response of the religious who credit God with all that is good, but never with anything that is bad - which is what I said to you in the first place.

[sith123]

yes...but that is called faith.

[naomi24]

//yes...but that is called faith.//

.... the possession of which equates to the abandonment of rational thought.

[sith123]

where did u get that definition from? please tell me. or is it just something you atheists believe?

[naomi24]

Sith, I got it from my own head. Whilst I'm aware that all atheists lack belief in any God, I've no idea what else they, as individuals, think because atheism isn't a 'religion', and hence there are no rules or dogma that atheists are obliged to adhere to. They have minds of their own and they think their own thoughts.

[RATTER15]

I will need to look at my big book of Atheism definitions written thousands of years ago before I can answer that.

The problem with this big old book, it says one thing and means something totally different, Its funny but religionists don't understand what is written, probably because they have this spiritual eye that makes them read some really comical stuff into everything! :)

[sith123]

look, im sure rational does not only refer to religion so i and many other religious people are rational.

[naomi24]

Sith, a question. Is it rational to continue to believe what a 1500 year old book tells you when science has proven without doubt that the information that book contains is false? You think about it.

[maggiebee]

Sorry Naomi, you sound like a broken record - round and round repeating and repeating - give it a rest, you've already made up your mind!

[naomi24]

Maggie, I'm talking to Sith and this is an on-going conversation. You are most welcome to join us, but if the subject doesn't suit you, you are under no obligation.