Beetle in a Box

I got a notice in my recent activities saying I had a violation, -10 points. But when I try to click on the link to the question to see what it was, it shows up as deleted. It wasn't my question, I don't think, since all of those seem to be present, so it must be something I answered, but I don't know what. I haven't gotten an email about this either, and it's not in my spam folder. Is this a real violation or some glitch where the question I answered received a violation and was deleted, and it showed up for me as a violation as well?

it has no reformation value because you don't get to get out and get a second chance, and it has no deterrence value because those who believe in it cannot go there and to those who do not it offers no incentive?

I'm addressing this chiefly towards evangelicals and fundamentalists. Other groups that allow for the loss of salvation potentially have more grounds for argument (though still inadequate IMO).

To evangelicals/fundamentalists, salvation is irrevocable and detached utterly from works. A person could conceivably be saved and still be an an adulterous murderer (David) and still get to go to heaven. To believers God says, "If you love me, keep my commandments," not "keep my commandments or you'll fry." Christians' chief incentive towards good behavior is gratitude. Sure, there are a few who hold to the point of view that "whom the Lord loves, he chastens" and obey more out of fear that if they backslide God will say, cause grandma's car to hydroplane into an overpass as punishment for their disobedience, but they don't fear hell.

Then you look at those who are not saved, and contrary to what some quote ("even the demons believe, and shudder"), those who don't consider themselves saved are that way because they don't believe in God. Or at least your version of it. At all. They are no more afraid of dying and going to hell than they are of Zeus smiting them with lightning bolts. Hell has not power to compel them, because they don't think it exists. So hell can't possibly act as a deterrence against bad behavior on their part.

When will everyone believe in hell? When they are already in it, or in heaven. If they are in heaven, hell can act as no deterrence because most evangelical/fundamentalist Christians believe that once you die, your free will is gone ("anyone who has died has been set free from sin"). Those in heaven are incapable of sinning so need no incentive. Those who are in hell are already in hell, should likewise be incapable of sinning, and thus are without need for an incentive twice over.

So the existence of hell has no reformative or deterrence value either in this life or the next.

Our motivations in punishment are to reform a person or to deter others from following their example. When punishment lacks in these purposes, it is just pointless suffering. When this suffering is eternal and agonizing, that's sadistic torture. A good God could not eternally torture people he claims to love.

Anyone who disagrees have a good counter?

I'm an atheist. I'm about to go to church, where I'll sing in the choir, listen to the sermon (and if it's boring, zone out and think about work, errands, and possibly sex), and have communion. Before I run out the door I wanted to ask, am I going to hell?

Best answer for the most interesting or amusing respondent.

I posted this question before but didn't get a correct diagnosis. This is a twining vine (no tendrils) found in south-central Ohio apparently growing wild. It has large, very round, heart-shaped leaves about 4 inches wide and 3 inches tall. Some leaves are almost more poplar shaped, but most are heart-shaped. A photo of some of the vine's leaves is here: http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f96/CC-1065/myst... There are currently no flowers.

We just bought a house in the southern part of Ohio. It has woods out front that are being taken over by wild grape vine, so I've been cutting those down. In doing so I've run across another vine. I don't know what it is so I don't know if I should cut it down or not. It is a twining vine (I think right to left, with a smooth, green stem), and does not have tendrils. The leaves are darker green than grape leaves, smooth, and shaped like a very wide, round heart. These leaves don't match any heart-shaped leaf vines I can find, since others are too long and too pointy. These leaves are very rounded. Some vines that I think are the same species have leaves that are shaped more like very rounded tulip poplar leaves, with two "ears" sticking off the side. The leaves are single, about five inches wide and maybe four inches tall at their largest. I believe they are alternating down the stem. I haven't seen any flowers or fruits.

Let me know if you have any ideas. If you need more information I can provide some when I get a better look at them tomorrow.

Here's a chance for non-doctors to play doctor without killing any patients. Real doctors please don't answer unless it's been a day or so and no one else has.

I'm taking the basis for this example from a medical journal I was reading recently, but I can't track down the source, darn it. I thought it was an easy diagnosis when I ran across it, but it's something we don't usually think about.

Your patient immigrated with her husband from Nigeria three years ago. As a child she was treated for P. ovale malaria, otherwise her medical history is unremarkable. Currently she has several patches of lightened skin on her back and shoulders. They developed slowly, and she came in today because she noticed that the sensation is dulled, at first to temperature and now in some she can't even feel pain. What is the diagnosis?

For best answer, say what version of the disorder this is and what medication can be used to treat it that had disastrous effects when used for a different condition.

Here's a chance for non-doctors to play doctor without killing any patients. Real doctors please don't answer unless it's been a day or so and no one else has.

A patient comes in because he has had a high fever for several days now and yesterday developed a cough. He had asthma as a child, has seasonal allergies, and a mild heart murmur. When you are listening to his heart (there's that murmur) you notice tiny freckle-like bruising on his chest. He raises his hand to scratch his forehead and you spot a bruiselike spot on his palm. When questioned he says it does not hurt and he's not sure what caused it. As you examine his hand you notice a few tiny red lines running down several of his nails. You ask him to take off his shoes and socks and sure enough, there are more of those painless red blotches on his soles. You immediately send him to the hospital for tests for...?

For best answer name the blotches and say what the first two tests will be.