by Terry 17 Replies latest jw friends
| N | ice one Terry. Did you get your bike fixed? |
Yes. Those serial flats were caused by an exposed spoke screwhead in the wheel. The protective band of rubber had shifted exposing the sharp edge to the vulnerable
inner tube to harm. I'm back on the road!
Terry, interesting exchange.
BTW, you have a PM.
00DAD
My reference to "caution" flows from the difference between people with their feet on the ground versus people who are capable of ignoring the real world.
There's no reason to assert that someone is capable of ignoring reality simply because they show belief in a creator. More data is required. To judge someone merely based off their belief in God is judgemental, stereotypical and profiling. When people profile it's more out of fear than logic, but they allow themselves to believe it's based in logic and reason. When someone loses loved ones in a race war for instance they can develop deep seeded hatred for a certain ethnicity. They will believe that they are acting out of logic, but really it's out of fear and emotion in general.
At one extreme we have devout practioners of Islam who will blow you up because you don't embrace their version of Allah. At the other extreme you have mothers who will stand by and allow their children to die because of a blood transfusion refusal. Irrational=dangerous in certain contexts.
That only accounts for two religions and they just so happen to be of the most extreme. You are taking religious fanatics and making them the logical precedent for belief in God which effectively lobbs off all the good people. By putting honest hearted religious people into the pot of religious extremism you are not only losing friends, but you are also taking the chance of creating enemies.
Nonetheless, if a person straps a bomb to their chest and blows up civilians I call that criminal activity, not religious extremism. Sure, they may say they have a religious reason, but that's how religiously organized crime works. Our natural leaning towards belief in God is leveraged by criminals. That's why you get people who blow up civilians AND people who allow their children to die needlessly on the operating table. They are all duped by criminals hiding behind the guise of organized religion that are using sophisticated systems of mind control to keep their false environment in check.
But, I have lost loved ones to fanaticism rooted in belief, faith and disregard for the here and now. How else should I proceed?
That means that you specifically are susceptible to acting out of fear rather than reason on this particular subject. What you should do is make sure you fully understand all the benign systems of belief and encourage those. There is nothing wrong with atheism or agnosticism, but they don't serve as across the board replacements for theism, despite how many people want to believe they do.
-Sab
Sab- Nonetheless, if a person straps a bomb to their chest and blows up civilians I call that criminal activity, not religious extremism.
Your response only reinforces my opinion, Sab. Sorry.
Being in touch with reality is very important. Superstition is a crack in rational thinking.
Sab- When someone loses loved ones in a race war for instance they can develop deep seeded hatred for a certain ethnicity. They will believe that they are acting out of logic, but really it's out of fear and emotion in general.
You sound pretty sure of that. Serbs and Croations know exactly where they stand with each other because of their track record. What emotions they experience in regard to each other has been verified again and again and again. Is that mindless emotion or just common sense?
Sab- To judge someone merely based off their belief in God is judgemental, stereotypical and profiling.
I plead guilty as charged. Look at all the foolishness at airports across America where they adamantly refuse to focus on Middle Eastern men and, instead,
body search old white ladies just to be politically correct. I think profiling is a sign of intelligent attention to detail.
I repeat, devout faith-based thinking TO ME is an "indicator" and a red flag. I keep my eye on them. I'm wary. Sooner or later there may emerge
strong evidence of total inability to see things as they are and impose a religiously tinged spin contrary to common sense.
Sab-- What you should do is make sure you fully understand all the benign systems of belief and encourage those.
Oh? "Should" I, really? Thank you for your concern but I'll skip that step and leave it to the unhinged residents of happy horseplop land.
If it helps you, just feel sorry for me.
Sab- That's why you get people who blow up civilians AND people who allow their children to die needlessly on the operating table. They are all duped by criminals hiding behind the guise of organized religion that are using sophisticated systems of mind control to keep their false environment in check.
I'm sorry, but, this is a crock. Duped? You are now insulting the actual native intelligence of people of Faith by making them "victims" instead of true believers exercising their choices. What you see as victimhood I identify for what it is--an INABILITY to think clearly.
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Two years ago, Sab, you posted the following statements. Do you agree now with your own self?
"All I have to say is this: Christian's disrespect non-religious typesconsistantly. Whenever they talk about the Bible being true, or Jesus' teachings etc they are taking an indirect jabto the non-religious types.
Why?
Because of what the Bible says about non-religious types. Our fate is morbid to say the least regardless of what denomination you are attached to. The ones that reject God are the ones the buzzards are going to peck at the eyes of at Armageddon! Or going to burn forever in eternal tourture!
So whenever a Christian cries a little because us non-religious types get snarky about the Bible or Christianity I give little care for the sensitivities of a group of people who hold these attrocities as truths."
-Sab
Love your response to the first question. Well articulated and thoughtful.
If someone feels that they Know God, they do not have to prove it to anyone in the first place. And it does not make them a religious fanatic because they have a belief in a higher power. Many people who are not fanatics are spiritual. Spirituality and fanaticism can be two seperate things imo.
edited to add; by Terry's assumptions can an atheist also be a fanatic?
If someone feels that they Know God, they do not have to prove it to anyone in the first place. And it does not make them a religious fanatic because they have a belief in a higher power. Many people who are not fanatics are spiritual. Spirituality and fanaticism can be two seperate things imo.
edited to add; by Terry's assumptions can an atheist also be a fanatic?
Anybody who is irrational can be a fanatic. More likely, in fact, for the irrational thinker to be sucked in to extremes.
As far as somebody who is a "believer" or "spiritual" being or not being a "fanatic" I would not presume to judge unless or until
their actions give them away.
All I have said in regard to this matter is that I keep an eye on anybody who professes to believe in invisible persons with super powers.
I think we should all understand what it takes away from a person's clear view of actuality to hold such a belief firmly in mind!
It doesn't mean they are a serial killer or a zealot. It just indicates a state of mind.
There was an old Twilight Zone episode.
A man falls in love with a beautiful young woman who is reluctant to allow him to meet her parents because they are.....unconventional and she
doesn't want him to stop loving her as a result.
Eventually he reassures her how open-minded and accepting he is. He will never judge her!
Next scene, the man and his girlfriend are at her parent's house about to sit down to dinner. They seem to be okay (to we viewers at home, but, we are sort of wondering.........)
There is an extra plate on the table and the man inquires whether they should perhaps wait to eat until another guest arrives...?
At this point the parents look at him peculiarly and the girl gives him a very uncomfortable look.
The mom and dad proceed to "talk to" the empty chair and place food on the plate in front of it as though someone actually were ALREADY there!
The fellow catches on real fast! He acts as though nothing is unusual. He even speaks a few words of pretend at the empty seat in the course of the meal.
All the family members beam with delight!
Act 3 is after the wedding of this same man and his girlfriend.
They are in their new house.
It is meal time.
Their first married meal together.
The wife sets the table with candles and wine and.............an extra plate!
As the new groom looks on in horror his new bride proceeds to "chat" with the empty space!!
The End
Wow, I never saw that episode. An interesting allegory, and subtle enough that it could get past the censors of the time
