If God Is...?

[Swagger]

The Agora is the movie. Terrible how early christians were vandals and murderers.

A sizable portion of the UK's old grammar school curriculum focused on the classics. That's where I first read about Hypatia, amongst many others. But yes, I have seen the movie you speak of.

I suppose the point I was alluding to was that if the ancients theorised over such a drastic contradiction to what was upheld up to a thousand years later, who knows how far advanced we'd be today if the Christians didn't take such offense at scientific and mathematical investigation. Who knows, we might've reached the Moon by the Middle Ages, as opposed the '60s.

Compared to the medieval doctines and superstitions, do you think people now are less self-limiting, less dogmatic, less tied to the current theories and dogma, less likely to make a religion of the current accepted wisdom re science, phenomena, and speculation?

That's a very broad question, in the absense of where those people are located, and consequently how secular their respective societies are. But yes, I believe they've departed from relying largely on religious dictates in governing their lives and destiny. Evidence of this is all around us, at least in the west. For instance, when building large structures, we incorporate countermeasures against the elements as opposed to relying on divine intervention to protect the occupants against earthquakes and the like. Advances in medicine are further testimony to that. However, even in the west we're still bound inextricably to religion, such as swearing on the Bible in court, conventional marriage vows, etc.

 

[Steelplate]

I think the 'other side' is going to hold a lot of surprises for all of us. I fully epect to be surprised at how little interest there will be in my theology; less surprised to find out how silly we are in our concepts of the correct way to 'do church'. I fully expect to be surprised in various ways we have been wrong in some of our interpretations of religious teachings.

I do think the most surprised of all, however, will be our Atheists.

Yeah....I understand where you're coming from. All of this stuff we talk about everyday will probably seem pretty silly. I find near death experience testimony interesting, skeptics say it's a chemical release....but I don't necessarily believe it.

I must admit that I also have a "guilty pleasure" fascination with the paranormal shows...like Ghost Hunters, and Long Island Medium.....I am a huge skeptic, of course....but, like I said.... a guilty pleasure.

But anyway...I agree with you.

I have seen the light, no angels, etc just a bright light. Somethintg about my optic center shutting down or something I expect it was.
the brain does not completly shut down for a bit after official death.

Did you have the sense of peace and love like others feel?

 

[Intense]

Oh yes, I forgot to include that one in my list of cop-outs to explain why such a lazy, negligent God allows so much needless suffering.

I'll tell you what. Let's take a walk out at Robert Moses State Park, on the beach, during a Lightening Storm, and you can expand on how lazy you think God is. My point here, is there are things in our lives, that humble, and put things into better perspective. We have enough arrogance going around. I don't confuse laziness with patience and compassion. When was the last time you put God first in all things? When was the first time?

I grew up in a fundamentalist christian home. Until my mid twenties I was pretty devout and came to my current beliefs through living and witnessing some of most horrible occurrences anyone can have in the modern western world. If we do not try to make the world a better place it is clear that God is not going to do a thing about it and it seems many so-called christians are satisfied to follow God's example and not do a thing about it either.

What comes around goes around.

 

[Intense]

Oh yes, I forgot to include that one in my list of cop-outs to explain why such a lazy, negligent God allows so much needless suffering.

I'll tell you what. Let's take a walk out at Robert Moses State Park, on the beach, during a Lightening Storm, and you can expand on how lazy you think God is. My point here, is there are things in our lives, that humble, and put things into better perspective. We have enough arrogance going around. I don't confuse laziness with patience and compassion. When was the last time you put God first in all things? When was the first time?

I still have a lot of trouble with that...putting God first, that is. Take church for instance...I have a good paying job, however, working with the Developmentally disabled is a 24/7 proposition. I get one weekend off/month and on that one Sunday, I find it a very difficult thing to get up and drag myself to our 9AM service.

Next Sunday (the 19th), our church is starting an evening service. That will broaden my opportunities and I am hoping that those new opportunities will develop into a habit. The only thing I am concerned about is that the evening service is going to be a Contemporary service. I've always gone to Traditional services, so I'm not sure if I'll feel comfortable with it. I do play guitar and sing on a semi-professional basis, so I'm looking forward to trying to get more involved that way.

Now, I know that one does not need to be in a brick and mortar church to be a Christian. But I do think that those of us who don't tend to focus harder on our everyday lives than on God....at least that's the way it is for me.

Where do you go that you leave your conscience behind? Where, that you don't have an effect or influence? .......

 

[hortysir]

If god is....


Now that is the real question.

all the other questions about god are irrelevant till that one is answered.

I think God answered that when He said "I AM"

and it is the ultimate question. One of Supreme importance. Because if He is there, and I can testify that He is, then the course of our lives can dstrastically change compared what they could be if He isnt.

Umm some human wrote that down.
From the same group of humans that claim to be the chosen of god, etc.

Your proof of god's existence seems to all revolve around one manuscript that humans wrote down.

And it was mere humans that have written their scientific theories of why he doesn't exist, yet you accept their writings.

The 9th word in the OP demonstrates that there was never any intent of having a serious debate on the matter, though, so.......

 

[Borillar]

I think the 'other side' is going to hold a lot of surprises for all of us. I fully epect to be surprised at how little interest there will be in my theology; less surprised to find out how silly we are in our concepts of the correct way to 'do church'. I fully expect to be surprised in various ways we have been wrong in some of our interpretations of religious teachings.

I do think the most surprised of all, however, will be our Atheists.

Perhaps the Hari Krishna devotees will be proven to be right all along.

 

[Intense]

I think the 'other side' is going to hold a lot of surprises for all of us. I fully epect to be surprised at how little interest there will be in my theology; less surprised to find out how silly we are in our concepts of the correct way to 'do church'. I fully expect to be surprised in various ways we have been wrong in some of our interpretations of religious teachings.

I do think the most surprised of all, however, will be our Atheists.

Perhaps the Hari Krishna devotees will be proven to be right all along.

In relation to what? Diabetes? Aerobics?

 

[AVG-JOE]

Cause and effect is scientific not mystical as it was once thought to be.
Like sacrificing a virgin to get the sun to come back from an eclipse.
And we are not done learning new things. What is now mystical will one day be understood.

To The Future! And to Sentience!

And to Momma's Little Bastards..... ours may be a somewhat rough kickoff, but we're also off to a hopeful kickoff, on a quest to follow our Curiosity to the stars.​

Are you kids there yet?

 

[Steelplate]

I'll tell you what. Let's take a walk out at Robert Moses State Park, on the beach, during a Lightening Storm, and you can expand on how lazy you think God is. My point here, is there are things in our lives, that humble, and put things into better perspective. We have enough arrogance going around. I don't confuse laziness with patience and compassion. When was the last time you put God first in all things? When was the first time?

I still have a lot of trouble with that...putting God first, that is. Take church for instance...I have a good paying job, however, working with the Developmentally disabled is a 24/7 proposition. I get one weekend off/month and on that one Sunday, I find it a very difficult thing to get up and drag myself to our 9AM service.

Next Sunday (the 19th), our church is starting an evening service. That will broaden my opportunities and I am hoping that those new opportunities will develop into a habit. The only thing I am concerned about is that the evening service is going to be a Contemporary service. I've always gone to Traditional services, so I'm not sure if I'll feel comfortable with it. I do play guitar and sing on a semi-professional basis, so I'm looking forward to trying to get more involved that way.

Now, I know that one does not need to be in a brick and mortar church to be a Christian. But I do think that those of us who don't tend to focus harder on our everyday lives than on God....at least that's the way it is for me.

Where do you go that you leave your conscience behind? Where, that you don't have an effect or influence? .......

Good point.

 

[AVG-JOE]

Im sorry to hear about your mother. You will see here again someday.

Typo aside, and with all due respect to occupied, I think you're wrong.

Not necessarily with what you believe... the next chapter truly is anyone's guess (and I defy anyone to PROVE otherwise)... it's the way you say it. Like it's simply a matter of fact.

I'm going to haunt everyone who says something to the effect of "he's in a better place" at my funeral. The truth is that nobody knows and if anyone actually did know, nobody would have to believe any more.

The first generation to understand what it means to give to their neighbors the right to be wrong in their after-death imaginings gets to watch their children reach for the stars.

 

[uscitizen]

Yeah....I understand where you're coming from. All of this stuff we talk about everyday will probably seem pretty silly. I find near death experience testimony interesting, skeptics say it's a chemical release....but I don't necessarily believe it.

I must admit that I also have a "guilty pleasure" fascination with the paranormal shows...like Ghost Hunters, and Long Island Medium.....I am a huge skeptic, of course....but, like I said.... a guilty pleasure.

But anyway...I agree with you.

I have seen the light, no angels, etc just a bright light. Somethintg about my optic center shutting down or something I expect it was.
the brain does not completly shut down for a bit after official death.

Did you have the sense of peace and love like others feel?

peace yes, quiet and calm. Love?

 

[AVG-JOE]

Umm some human wrote that down.
From the same group of humans that claim to be the chosen of god, etc.

Your proof of god's existence seems to all revolve around one manuscript that humans wrote down.

That's absurd. I rely on at least 4 manuscripts from various times and locations in addition to countless other witnesses to God and His glory. Most of all I rely on the testimony the Spirit has given me. When the Holy Ghost touches the heart and mind and testifies to the truth, it's impossible to deny without serious consequences.

yeah I know all about the holy spirt/ghost. I was raised up in a holy roller church (Assembly of God).
God never once spoke to me.
16 years.

Seriously?!? When I was there I found folks were jealous because The Voice was talking to me.

​

 

[uscitizen]

That's absurd. I rely on at least 4 manuscripts from various times and locations in addition to countless other witnesses to God and His glory. Most of all I rely on the testimony the Spirit has given me. When the Holy Ghost touches the heart and mind and testifies to the truth, it's impossible to deny without serious consequences.

yeah I know all about the holy spirt/ghost. I was raised up in a holy roller church (Assembly of God).
God never once spoke to me.
16 years.

Seriously?!? When I was there I found folks were jealous because The Voice was talking to me.

​

I always like how when they spoke in tongues the same words would translate differently from time to time. They did the translations of course.

 

[Steelplate]

I have seen the light, no angels, etc just a bright light. Somethintg about my optic center shutting down or something I expect it was.
the brain does not completly shut down for a bit after official death.

Did you have the sense of peace and love like others feel?

peace yes, quiet and calm. Love?

I've heard it put that way...just curious.

 

[AVG-JOE]

yeah I know all about the holy spirt/ghost. I was raised up in a holy roller church (Assembly of God).
God never once spoke to me.
16 years.

Im sorry to hear that. Though in my own experience, when I had the specific moment where I recognized the Holy Spirit for what He was, I realized He had been trying to talk to me many times before then and that I just wasnt prepared to listen or recognize His influence.

Maybe it's the same for you. Maybe not. I don't know all the ways God works. All I know is He is there and loves us.

I realize how comforting that feeling can be, whether it is true or not.

I do not believe in any form of afterlife or supreme being.
I have lived over 2 years past my doctors expectations, when I die I just expect to cease to exist mentally since my "being" is based on my biological processes and my experiences in life.

That's what I think too.

My hope is that we're born again as Stars with a desire to nurture a living planet and to pray for Sentience.

My 'belief' depends on my mood when asked.

Yeah, I know... mushy fucking belief - but I'm good with it.

 

[hortysir]

yeah I know all about the holy spirt/ghost. I was raised up in a holy roller church (Assembly of God).
God never once spoke to me.
16 years.

Seriously?!? When I was there I found folks were jealous because The Voice was talking to me.

​

I always like how when they spoke in tongues the same words would translate differently from time to time. They did the translations of course.

I'm sorry you weren't ever overtaken by the Holy Ghost, USC.

Most times, in my church, there wasn't a translator tho......
When in prayer why would someone need to have their heart translated for others?

 

[Intense]

yeah I know all about the holy spirt/ghost. I was raised up in a holy roller church (Assembly of God).
God never once spoke to me.
16 years.

Im sorry to hear that. Though in my own experience, when I had the specific moment where I recognized the Holy Spirit for what He was, I realized He had been trying to talk to me many times before then and that I just wasnt prepared to listen or recognize His influence.

Maybe it's the same for you. Maybe not. I don't know all the ways God works. All I know is He is there and loves us.

I realize how comforting that feeling can be, whether it is true or not.

I do not believe in any form of afterlife or supreme being.
I have lived over 2 years past my doctors expectations, when I die I just expect to cease to exist mentally since my "being" is based on my biological processes and my experiences in life.

No coincidence there. Or is there?

 

[uscitizen]

Seriously?!? When I was there I found folks were jealous because The Voice was talking to me.

​

I always like how when they spoke in tongues the same words would translate differently from time to time. They did the translations of course.

I'm sorry you weren't ever overtaken by the Holy Ghost, USC.

Most times, in my church, there wasn't a translator tho......
When in prayer why would someone need to have their heart translated for others?

Prayer? this is dancing around with arms waving in the air wailing and such.

But strangely enough the church considered dancing a sin and going to movies, etc.
You would burn for that kind of behaviour.

 

[AVG-JOE]

yes...occupied, I'm sorry about your mother too. I lost my dad in 1982 from emphysema, I was 17...he was sick from the time I was 11 and got increasingly worse until he died. My mom passed away in 2004 from complications from heart surgery.

I know where you are coming from. But, and I don't mean to sound flippant or insensitive....but we all die. Not all deaths are peaceful....my dad's certainly wasn't. His skin complexion was black from lack of oxygen and he was screaming for God to help him. It's an image that still haunts me 30 years later. I still feel guilt for asking God to take him.

I know my time is coming someday, and the older I get, the sooner it's going to happen. I just hope that I don't have to go like that.

To a peaceful end to a hell of a ride!

 

[AVG-JOE]

God and the concept of worship me now and I will reward you after you die seems like the ultimate scam to me.

Give me your money and soul and you will be paid back after you die....

somehow that cheapens the only sure life we have.

"I went skyyyyyyy... diving!"

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov9chHk8_As]Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw (lyrics in description) - YouTube[/ame]