Beliefs Tied to Geography (page 6)

EntirelyPossible

Tec, I think that, more than hard work, SMART work paid off. I learned from others.

I really just wanted to say I got the job today that I've been going after for 6 months :)

tec

Then why not just make the first commandment, "Love people like I love people." Seems like the love for god would and should come naturally if he's acting like a loving god.

Now I would suggest that this would be determinate upon whether people understood how God loves other people to begin with.

But as for that command, Christ did give it. He gave this command precisely. "As I have loved you, you must love one another." "God causes rain to fall on the righteous and unrighteous. (speaking about loving and blessing enemies as well as friends) So be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect."

I wish HE would've hung around a bit longer than 30 something years so those of us who don't operate on faith could grasp that noble idea.

Well, even if you don't have faith, His ex mple is still there for all to see. Othewise, no one would be able to get it. His command above is pretty clear. He washed his disciples feet and told them to do likewise. (He served them... "just as the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve) He even specifically said that those who want to become great, must become least, and a servant.

Peace,

tammy

tec

Tec, I think that, more than hard work, SMART work paid off. I learned from others.

I really just wanted to say I got the job today that I've been going after for 6 months :)

LOL... well, congratulations :) I'm glad you got it!

Peace,

tammy

ziddina

"I can't accept that I am alone in this, because I know that I am not alone in this..." tec

I'm not even going to waste my breath on this one...

However, it is encouraging that humanity is apparently evolving past its need to appeal to a "sky-daddy" for help in escaping famines [but prayers to the "sky-daddies" hasn't helped Africa - or China - or Europe - in the past], wars [need I mention all the wars, especially the religious ones?] or natural disasters [the Christian citizens of the area near Mt. Vesuvius weren't able to 'pray away' volcanic eruptions...]

Eventually the human race will lose its need to "believe", except for a few primitive, superstitious throw-backs...

FlyingHighNow

Only between the ears of people who are desperately clinging to the concept of an invisible, non-interactive sky-daddy [or mommy], because they cannot accept two facts....

First, that death is our end.

Secondly, that we are absolutely "alone" in this. There is no amplified and extended psychic version of a "parent" that will rescue us from whatever unpalatable or downright dangerous situation that we might find ourselves in, whether due to our own ignorance and superstitious beliefs, or due to things beyond our control.

It takes a much higher level of courage to accept that we will cease to exist and that we are alone, and by accepting these things to live one's life effectively, making as much progress as possible in the limited time that one knows one has...

As opposed to those who rely on what is basically a figment of their imagination to whitewash or allay the realities of life, and who frequently attempt to coerce, intimidate or even force others to agree with their delusions, no matter how "politely" or "respectfully" done.

This is strictly your opinion, Zid and it's patronizing. Maybe you don't intend to, but your comments sound as narrow minded and as bigoted as those of many fundamentalists. Your tone reminds me a lot of some of the Southern Baptists.

FlyingHighNow

I'm not even going to waste my breath on this one...

Sounds like you fancy yourself some kind of expert and authority. Honestly.

FlyingHighNow

Entirely Possible, congratulations on your hard work and having it pay off.

ziddina

"This is strictly your opinion, Zid and it's patronizing. Maybe you don't intend to, but your comments sound as narrow minded and as bigoted as those of many fundamentalists. Your tone reminds me a lot of some of the Southern Baptists. " quoted above page 3 FHN

Flying High Now, that is an "ad hominem" attack. My comment, "First, that death is our end." pointed out that the worship of deities provides a perceived alternative to the finality of death; atheism, on the other hand, faces death in all of its finality...

It takes greater courage to realize that one is actually going to die, than to say that one is going to be momentarily inconvenienced while one's "self" - be it soul or consciousness - transmutes or transforms into another form of life...

"that we are absolutely "alone" in this. There is no amplified and extended psychic version of a "parent" that will rescue us from whatever unpalatable or downright dangerous situation that we might find ourselves in, whether due to our own ignorance and superstitious beliefs, or due to things beyond our control." quoted above page 3 Zid

That is the most dangerous thing about believing that one has a "sky-daddy" or a "sky-mommy", or whatever have you... Such belief tends to remove the responsibility and focus to resolve our problems, from ourselves, to that magical "being" who is somehow going to come and "save" us...

It isn't an insult to former jw raised ins to say that atheism seems to be a big reaction amongst them. FHN, post# 21022, page 2

Why did you bring the term "insult" into that comment, at all? My concern is that far too many theists/deists think that atheism is an emotional reaction to abuse, not a conscious and logical choice. But neither implies "insult"; it's just that the theists'/deists' belief that atheism is an emotional reaction is highly inaccurate...

"There isn't any factual evidence of the non-existence of God." FHN post #21023, page 2

That is one of the most absolute statements I've ever read... You gave absolutely NO room in that statement for ANY information that might contradict your viewpoint...

Yet you have never addressed this fact: That the Bronze-Age Middle-Eastern desert nomads whose mythology and regional deities make up the bible, have been the basis for the origins of your belief in a "god".

Your beliefs have been informed and shaped by these primitive, superstitious, Middle-Eastern males and their collection of mythology, traditions, and "holy" writings...

As I've pointed out several times before, you were exposed to those beliefs BEFORE you had developed critical thinking skills. At the SAME time, you were NOT exposed to any OTHER theology - such as Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, or Shintoism.

Which takes us right back to the opening post of this thread...

Your theology - your "god" - is totally dependent upon your place of birth and the culture into which you were born.

Zid

FlyingHighNow

Zidd, neither you nor anyone else can absololutely prove there is no god. It's a little sad that you can't just admit this. You can theorize that there is no god. You cannot prove it. You seem to think of yourself as a superior intellect. It shouldn't be that hard for you to understand or admit that. You believe there is no god. You cannot prove you are right.

FlyingHighNow

Oh and Zidd, I do believe in an intelligent higher being. I do not believe the Bible is a god written book.

My mother and her dad exposed all of us kids to Hinduism and Buddhism from the time were tiny. Grand daddy used to wake us at 5 AM to do yoga with him and have discussions. When we had questions, mother encouraged us to invesitgate and make up our own minds about God or gods. My dad's maternal grandfather was full blooded native American. Dad embraced that kind of spirituality. Belief in an intelligent, higher power wasn't something shoved down our throats, not even in the Episcopal Church. My parents and grandparents recognized that we kids had to walk our own spiritual journeys. Our home was big on science. We had a series of books on evolution, the universe, the human body, the earth and more. My parents were intellectuals, musicians and artists. Dad's career was in oceanograpy. He was a big evolutionist. Neither of my parents were atheists.

Beliefs Tied to Geography

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