how much are "chill pills" running these days? i am running low..do they still give you the same effects?

Ask kate she seems to know all about them.

Not a problem LBD.

I try to call them like I see them, good or bad. I'm not out to convert anyone, or bash anyone's beliefs, no matter what some people might think.

I just think that on an open forum, if someone posts something for all to see, then they are requesting feedback. And, as I've tried to expalain on several occaisions, not all feedback is going to be the <<Yeah, you're absolutely right go baby go>> kind.

If I post "I like olive loaf" on an open forum, I expect folks to post agreements, disagreements, and alternative snack foods. Unless I post on ILOVEOLIVELOAF.com. btw, I really can't stand olive loaf. blergh.

THis statement can be turned around. The only reason you think it is enlightened to not have absolutes is that YOU BELIEVE IT TO BE SO. So with that said, here is the turned around statement.

"If you were so enlightened, you would not deem that God hasn't worked through the Bible and shown Himself through His Son."

There we go.

(walks away smugly, knowing he's made his point in a way that no one can refute)

For the record here, we seem to be going in circles. Below is an approximate outline of how this thread is going.

1. Skeptic claims Christians are close-minded because they do not acknowledge the fact that they are wrong.

2. Christian fires back saying that it is close-minded to not entertain the fact that it could be correct.

3. Skeptic retorts that this is an insult to any other religion or world view.

4. Christian replies..........

5. Skeptic says............

..........................

17. Someone eventually posts that we are all close-minded to an extent.

18. Everyone agrees.

19. Short period of peace.

20. Back to (1.)

true

thats a lil mixed up BFG, but very close.

you think so?
i was discussing teaching, not the topic being teached. notice later i also said we all have something to offer and all can learn from everybody else? not exactly the position of someone who is out to disprove your cherished scriptures (in fact even though i don't believe in the external existance of gods i have gone on record many times to say there are valuable things that can be learned from the philosophies of the religions)

i never said the bible doesn't work for you. it does nothing for me though.

there is more than one correct answer, and thus there is no absolute answer. the bible-god is real to you, and it is correct for you. the bible-god is fiction and unreal to me, and that is correct for me. further, if you wish to deify something go ahead if that is the correct action for you. i will never deify anything, and that is the correct answer for me. if i met a creature that met the constuct you have of your god, i might be interested in talking to it, i might not be... i am capricious to say the least. anyway, too much time is wasted living in the past and arguing over irrelevent issues (does knowing exactly how the universe formed really make your current life better?)....

thats the never ending cycle. indeed. well said

can i ask where i said that you are narrow minded?
i dont believe i did

i was simply pointing out that u are just as narrow minded as us, you stick to ur beliefs and we stick to ours, u cant say we are narrow minded whn u are guilty of stickng to ur guns as well

i was also pointing out that she could have offended other religions by saying that anyone who isnt christian is narrow minded

besides, going on a few of ur posts that i have seen, u have no right to tell ANYONE to take a chill pill my dear

I mentioned Chill Pills to princess because she told me to take one a couple days ago, so no, you guys will have to ask her where to find them!

Diplomacy is lost on you two....

mmmmmmmmmkay

Aren’t all of us Idiots (narrow minded) with their own temperament, mixture of personal characteristics to a certain extent; who are always requiring from others to have consideration towards our beliefs or theories and thinking that our way of being is the right one, because according with our narrow minded Idiosyncrasy, it has objectivity and firmness of thought?

Idiot
"Uneducated or ignorant person," from Gk. idiotes "layman, person lacking professional skill," lit. "Private person," used patronizingly for "ignorant person," from idios "one's own".

Idiosyncrasy
from Fr. idiosyncrasie, from Gk. idiosynkrasia "a peculiar temperament," from idios "one's own" + synkrasis "temperament, mixture of personal characteristics," from syn "together" + krasis "mixture."

Well considering you told me first to take one, you need to think hard first before saying stuff. Because I turned around and told you to take one cuz you got all worked up, so I thought you might need one like you thought I need one. Always remember that what you say can come back and hit you in the butt!!

c'mon ladies, there is no reason to fight over me.

To answer the original question:

God is a concept created by Churchmen to control the masses.

I'm not saying that something "bigger", something spiritual does not exist (because we don't really have proof in any direction) like "Mother nature".

But the Biblical God and Christianity are pure campfire stories that somehow got great publicity and grew by eliminating other sects at the time being.

Personally (without you people start laughing) I think "Life of Brian" by the Monty Python crew is the most intelligent view of how things came to be.

i think i told YOU to take one because u seemed to be jumping on someones back in almost every topic, i however, didnt get on my high horse because someone doesnt believe in my religion. I got annoyed because the girl who`s post i quoted implied that ANYONE who isnt CATHOLIC is narrow minded, which was a stupid statement to make in my eyes

Weren't we all taught not to bring anything to class unless we brought enough for everyone? Now pass em around. Thank you, may I have another?

Very cliche way of speaking.

Note to self - no room for humor here.
Please accept my most humble apologies.

Though heat may be a product of light, heat is not light so it is false to say you can feel light...

As far as your little spill about God being no where, perhaps you are blind to Him, and thus you cannot see His existance...

Thats is why so many people cannot see Him, they get it into their heads that He doesn't exist and don't open their eyes to see the truth.

One day you will see...

Is this "Blind faith"?

It's an opinion, not a law.

Actually one would do well to dare and ask an atheist what they believe, rather than presume it is a faith that denies god. Atheism defined.

I believe that atheism is the strongest faith of all. To believe there is nothing supernatural invigorating, inspiring, empowering or invested within this living, is truly bold in the face of what appears as the ego's need to feel special and kindred with a disembodied spirit that gives a damn, one way or the other, about our presence here.
And consequently proclamations that supernatural , extra-terrestial spirits consciousness as "god", embodied in parochial labels of faith is also bold.

However , between the two; atheism and parochialism, I think atheism has an easier road to hoe, save for the scorn and ridicule it's believers receive from the faithful, because there is nothing to work toward in the name of "salvation", nor is there anything to subdue one's ambition for personal gain, nor retard one's sense of self worth.


"Nothing is greater than a thinking human" Anonymous

Non-believers are believers, too! They believe in there NOT being a gawd!

Seriously people. There's no way you can say there is a god, and there is no way you can proove there isn't.

Personally I think all the wonderful things people do each and every day can be done without this "god".

Believing in a god gives them strength and makes them feel as if there is some almighty being who made them special and unique and knows their every thought and listens to their every prayer- it makes them feel like they have a purpose and are loved.

A lot of people have this already from friends and family.

It doesn't matter what you believe, as long as you feel what I listed above.
Does that make sense?

Yes it does.

One summer day I was once approached by 2 Mormon men riding their bicycle's, as I stood working at a local food cart.

"Hello, have you heard of the teachings of the church of latter day saints?!" One asked.

I simply said that I believed as long as someone's faith, no matter what it was, made them a better person to share this world with, I was all for it.

They looked to one another, nodded and then the other man said; "That's beautiful. May we have two hot dogs and two pepsi's please!?"

I think a little compassion goes a long way and that if one expects respect they must show respect, whether it's on issues faith or other topics for discussion.
It is personal, after all.

A true believer patriot!

A true Atheist patriot!

nein

You can not see him, feel him, touch him, hear him, and he has not done any thing (Miracle) in millenniums but you still put your trust and faith in him?

Blind faith!

I myself am not a bible thumper or deeply religious,... I've only been inside any churches for weddings and funerals. I am most likely going to Hell

However, I have a great respect for people who put their faith in god. You can pile up tons and tons of evidence that drives against their beliefs, you can say they are ignorant and blind to the truth, and you can show them how wrong their faith may be.... but they continue to follow.

I actually think Blind Faith is a very noble thing to have. Skeptics get off on saying Christians fallow their god blindly, as if god wants to lead you into some dark alley and mug you! For christians to have such unbiased trust and love in these times is..... Wow. That, I think, is beautiful and admirable. To actually have devout faith in these times of violence, hatred, and war is like a tiny star of hope against dark skies.

I can see how skeptics can bad mouth faith however, especially if you are under the impression that we live in godless times and people are driven to do evil things because we're all, well, people. And People are NUTS.

It certainly doesn't help those who truly believe in the trust and love of Jesus when some member of the church goes and rapes an alter boy. Let alone all the religious groups proclaiming war in the name of their god as Loge pointed out above.

Of course, do not let certain individuals who care to manipulate religious institutions in their quest for power allow you to judge the entire base of christians... and they do rely on reason and logic too! I know, I was surprised to see my deeply religious friend turn on the microwave and not say,"Look, God warmed up the baked potato because I hit the prayer switch!"

I am glad I am on the fence most of the time with hard core passionate believers and skeptics. It let's me see both sides of the fight and allows me to make judgements without a passion driven bias.

I can feel a certain presense. Not sure how to explain it. Does this mean Its blind faith?

Not sure what you mean.

Merriam-Webster Online

sorry, i was referring to number 1.

If you can feel this "presence" then to you it might be real.

But to me it might be something else.

Yeah, thats a possibility.

And yes...you are confused. You just said you worshipped my creator and then you said your creator was Jesus, but if Jesus existed (and I believe he did) he couldn't have been your creator because you are not old enough for him to be your dad...and that would be the only way a man could've created you is through sexual reproduction or possibly cloning.

P>S> you once said, "Until someone proves otherwise"...however, I promise that there isn't enough proof for you. No offense, but once someone has completely sold out to a denial of fact religion...they always live in denial.

Peace.

I think she was referring to a creator in general.

Obviously, Jesus was not her dad.

Exactly my point. Jesus was a man...it even says so in the buy-bull. so, how can a man who lived 2000 years ago be the creator of man??? Sorry, I know you guys will try to reason this one away, but I'll just say this: Jesus never claimed to be GOD or a God of any kind (unless when you count his quoting from his scriptures...which weren't the New Testament writings).

Thats where Jesus talks, in the New Testament.

Also, Jesus was a part of the Holy Trinity. If you fail to realize that Jesus was the Son of God, then I could see how this would not make sense.

Matthew 1:20-21

But while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,saying, Joseph, thou son of David,fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; " for that which is copncieved in her is the Holy Ghost" "and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins."

So Like Amalgumat said he is of the Holy Trinity.

That's a BAD analagy. Light definetely exists, so you can't use it as an example. Also, I hate when people say Athiests "Deny" the existance of god and that believers know about it. That's just stupid, as there is much more evidence to the point of god not existing.

But how does a blindman know that light exists? When he can't feel it, or see it?

That's not what I mean. Just using Light makes the analogy biased.

How so? A blindman can't see light.