XenoFish Posted November 29, 2019 #176 Share Posted November 29, 2019 6 minutes ago, joc said: I still live my life that way...I call it the Universal Flow...but really it's just my way of reducing stress to a minimal. Things just work out most of the time...or they don't and if they don't... well...that's reality and you just deal with it. But usually things do. Not because of any magical flow of the Universe but because it's easy to flow with the river...it's difficult when we are fighting the current at every step of the way...the more one goes against the current, the more stress one has. And for some...at least I know at times in my own life...Faith in God and prayer was a very important part of that flow. And, for me, I think that the real thing going on in all of that was superstition. "Believe in the possibility of what you intend to do, hold it strongly in your mind and it will happen." Basically as the thinker I will either do something and/or notice something. That mental focus just directs my awareness towards things I might not notice otherwise. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+joc Posted November 29, 2019 #177 Share Posted November 29, 2019 52 minutes ago, XenoFish said: "Believe in the possibility of what you intend to do, hold it strongly in your mind and it will happen." Basically as the thinker I will either do something and/or notice something. That mental focus just directs my awareness towards things I might not notice otherwise. "If you can conceive it and believe it you can achieve it!" ...might not notice otherwise... ....like...the soft knock of opportunity on the back door... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truthseeker007 Posted November 29, 2019 #178 Share Posted November 29, 2019 From an X Christians perspective. I don't think the Bible god is really god but a book put together by priests to control people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XenoFish Posted November 29, 2019 #179 Share Posted November 29, 2019 7 hours ago, joc said: "If you can conceive it and believe it you can achieve it!" ...might not notice otherwise... ....like...the soft knock of opportunity on the back door... It is often in forgetfulness that we find our way. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piney Posted November 29, 2019 #180 Share Posted November 29, 2019 5 hours ago, Truthseeker007 said: From an X Christians perspective. I don't think the Bible god is really god but a book put together by priests to control people. The general consensus among Jewish people is the Old Testament was written by people for people. It's only Christians who promote it was "divinely inspired". 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAyMO Posted November 29, 2019 #181 Share Posted November 29, 2019 (edited) 30 minutes ago, Piney said: The general consensus among Jewish people is the Old Testament was written by people for people. It's only Christians who promote it was "divinely inspired". IMO it was written by the landed gentry to cement their ownership of land in Israel, and to keep the plebs in their place. Edited November 29, 2019 by RAyMO 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piney Posted November 29, 2019 #182 Share Posted November 29, 2019 7 minutes ago, RAyMO said: IMO it was written by the landed gentry to cement their ownership of land in Israel, and to keep the plebs in their place. A lot of the Mosaic Law was written during the Ptolemaic Era to remove the Greek influences from Hebrew culture and religious practices. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Horse Posted November 29, 2019 #183 Share Posted November 29, 2019 22 hours ago, onlookerofmayhem said: I'll just leave this with you : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_dilemma Well perhaps you could have told me if I had made a false assertion, or something. Just to remind you. Folks on here have been quick to blame God for the state of the planet, whereas I have put the blame onto mankind. (making bad choices through greed and jealousy etc). And by blame I mean, the reasons for poverty, war, and the environmental destruction of our beautiful planet. If there is a false dilemma there, then please explain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Sherapy Posted November 29, 2019 #184 Share Posted November 29, 2019 (edited) 14 hours ago, joc said: I still live my life that way...I call it the Universal Flow...but really it's just my way of reducing stress to a minimal. Things just work out most of the time...or they don't and if they don't... well...that's reality and you just deal with it. But usually things do. Not because of any magical flow of the Universe but because it's easy to flow with the river...it's difficult when we are fighting the current at every step of the way...the more one goes against the current, the more stress one has. And for some...at least I know at times in my own life...Faith in God and prayer was a very important part of that flow. And, for me, I think that the real thing going on in all of that was superstition. Well said, there are good days and bad days, ups and downs, and at times great luck or times that suck and you just push through, there are times of great joy, and even this can be undergirded with a bit of nerves, such as, new jobs, new babies, new relationships. I love how you say there are times we do feel as if they are fighting against the current every step of the way. In these times, I focus on staying on my feet and look for the opportunities for personal growth. I know and have watched people rise out of situations that no one should have to if we lived in a perfect world, but we don’t. For some, it is their faith, for others it’s the support they get from their friends or family members.. There is a lot to be said for having a loving support system, even just one person can change everything. I don’t think that clinging to a coping style that can only function if times are good is going to work cuz it doesn’t reflect reality. The best coping system is one that takes into account the good and bad of course, each life will be different. For ex: My grandma used to say life doesn’t hit you all at once with the hard times, even this isn’t so in some lives, In hers it made sense. I have a good friend who has lost 5 family members 2 of them tragically, including her son in 4 months time, and she is a caregiver she lost a patient earlier this year one she was with till the end. This is a emotionally draining experience because you get so close to the person and in these situations it takes 3 months of respite and repose to recover. She has had none of this. Edited November 29, 2019 by Sherapy 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XenoFish Posted November 29, 2019 #185 Share Posted November 29, 2019 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Sherapy said: Well said, there are good days and bad days, ups and downs, and at times great luck or times that suck and you just push through, there are times of great joy, and even this can be undergirded with a bit of nerves, such as, new jobs, new babies, new relationships. I love how you say there are times we do feel as if they are fighting against the current every step of the way. In these times, I focus on staying on my feet and look for the opportunities for personal growth. I know and have watched people rise out of situations that no one should have to if we lived in a perfect world, but we don’t. For some, it is their faith, for others it’s the support they get from their friends or family members.. There is a lot to be said for having a loving support system, even just one person can change everything. I don’t think that clinging to a coping style that can only function if times are good is going to work cuz it doesn’t reflect reality. The best coping system is one that takes into account the good and bad of course, each life will be different. My grandma used to say life doesn’t hit you all at once with the hard times, even this isn’t so in some lives, In hers it made sense, I have a good friend who has lost 5 family members 2 of them tragically, including her son in 4 months time, and she is a caregiver she lost a patient earlier this year one she was with till the end. This is a emotionally draining experience because you get so close to the person and in these situations it takes 3 months of respite and repose to recover. She has had none of this. Edited November 29, 2019 by XenoFish 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchopwn Posted November 29, 2019 #186 Share Posted November 29, 2019 On 11/27/2019 at 7:41 AM, OverSword said: Perhaps God, good and evil are not what Epicurus supposes they may be and he should stop whining and blaming the Universe for being the Universe. This merely shows that you don't understand the argument. The point Epicurus amply demonstrates is that God's performance is not as advertised. Thor promised to rid the world of Ice Giants, and I don't see any Ice Giants. Jesus promised to rid the world of evil. How is he still in business? 1 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Sherapy Posted November 29, 2019 #187 Share Posted November 29, 2019 (edited) 7 minutes ago, XenoFish said: Your focus determines your 'reality'. For me, I would revise this to say ones focus helps them get through whatever they are dealing with as far as reality, it doesn’t change the reality, it gives something to focus on such as a way to push through. Then there are situations that are just awful and you either get as far away from them as possible or you push through to the best of your ability. Some situations suck so much and seem so hopeless that living in a delusion or fantasy is probably better. Edited November 29, 2019 by Sherapy 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XenoFish Posted November 29, 2019 #188 Share Posted November 29, 2019 2 minutes ago, Alchopwn said: How is he still in business? Because every cult needs a logo to anchor themselves to. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchopwn Posted November 29, 2019 #189 Share Posted November 29, 2019 (edited) 3 minutes ago, XenoFish said: Because every cult needs a logo to anchor themselves to. A dead guy nailed to a cross is just tacky. Edited November 29, 2019 by Alchopwn 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XenoFish Posted November 29, 2019 #190 Share Posted November 29, 2019 1 minute ago, Sherapy said: For me, I would revise this to say ones focus helps them get through whatever they are dealing with as far as reality, it doesn’t change the reality, it gives something to focus on such as a way to push through. Then there are situations that are just awful and you either get as far away from them as possible or you push through to the best of your ability. I've got to politely disagree based on personal experience. Everyone has a reality tunnel, it is our perception of things. We 'create' our realities. If say someone see's the world through a deeply pessimistic and nihilistic perspective, it might not take them long to attempt suicide, because that will be the only thing they see. If that same person decided to take the world 'as is', they might be able to look at it more objectively. Realizing what will be, will be. Even in the worst of situations all that person needs to ask themselves "where is the real solution to this problem". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XenoFish Posted November 29, 2019 #191 Share Posted November 29, 2019 1 minute ago, Alchopwn said: A dead guy nailed to a cross is just tacky. When the pope sit on a gold throne, it's more than tacky. It's power. Just look at what people will do because of their religious beliefs. Islam isn't the 'friendliest' religion. Christianity has bigots galore. If the religion has a god, look for who it actually benefits. It's easy to herd cat with a can of tuna. Religions are cans of tuna. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Due Posted November 29, 2019 #192 Share Posted November 29, 2019 30 minutes ago, XenoFish said: Religions are cans of tuna. True religion isn't a can of tuna. True religion is eight hours of pay for eight hours of work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Sherapy Posted November 29, 2019 #193 Share Posted November 29, 2019 (edited) 47 minutes ago, XenoFish said: I've got to politely disagree based on personal experience. Everyone has a reality tunnel, it is our perception of things. We 'create' our realities. If say someone see's the world through a deeply pessimistic and nihilistic perspective, it might not take them long to attempt suicide, because that will be the only thing they see. If that same person decided to take the world 'as is', they might be able to look at it more objectively. Realizing what will be, will be. Even in the worst of situations all that person needs to ask themselves "where is the real solution to this problem". For me, reality are the events that happen in the course of life. For example: My sister was murdered and I was deeply pessimistic, angry, saw no point of life, it was also the first time I experienced such debilitating grief. Changing my perspective wasn’t a go, grief is all consuming. I decided to go get help and I had help understanding what I was going through, I didn’t change my perspective, I learned how to cope with what was while I transitioned through grief. Then some years later my best friend committed suicide, I was able to get through but it was terrible, I ended up going back to work to change scenery for myself. My perspective didn’t change, I took the situation as was and did what I could to survive. I cried a lot too. Eventually, I healed. I didn’t create these realities, life did. I had to find ways to get through. Everyone is different though, this is how it works for me. Edited November 29, 2019 by Sherapy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OverSword Posted November 29, 2019 #194 Share Posted November 29, 2019 54 minutes ago, Alchopwn said: This merely shows that you don't understand the argument. The point Epicurus amply demonstrates is that God's performance is not as advertised. Thor promised to rid the world of Ice Giants, and I don't see any Ice Giants. Jesus promised to rid the world of evil. How is he still in business? Just when did Jesus promise to rid the world of evil? That’s bull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Hammerclaw Posted November 29, 2019 #195 Share Posted November 29, 2019 The only destiny worth having is the one we make for our self. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XenoFish Posted November 29, 2019 #196 Share Posted November 29, 2019 1 minute ago, Sherapy said: Eventually, I healed. You did change your reality. I think you might be misunderstanding me. Our own personal reality, the lens through which we see things is what needs to change. A lot of bad stuff made you very pessimistic, that was your resulting lens. You made the choice to get help, to work through your grief, to change the lens to something better. It didn't change the past, but how you handled it NOW. I can not change all the stuff that happened to me starting in 2011. I had to go through hell before getting to solid ground and seeing something of a light. I had to work through my pain to create a better lens. Does that make sense? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tatetopa Posted November 29, 2019 #197 Share Posted November 29, 2019 49 minutes ago, XenoFish said: Religions are cans of tuna. I like that so much I might carve that into a wooden plaque. It will be practical as well as spiritual. When the needs of the body outweigh the needs of the soul, I can burn it to keep warm. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OverSword Posted November 29, 2019 #198 Share Posted November 29, 2019 On 11/26/2019 at 12:35 PM, Mello_ said: “Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” Epicurus, circa 250 BC I want to hear Christians about this quote. Back on subject. Evil is actions, thoughts and beliefs of humanity. There is no evil in the animal world because there is no concept of evil. There is no right and wrong. That’s truly what separates us from animals. If there is an argument about why God doesn’t prevent evil it’s in the Bible. God granted humans free will. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Horse Posted November 29, 2019 #199 Share Posted November 29, 2019 11 hours ago, Truthseeker007 said: From an X Christians perspective. I don't think the Bible god is really god but a book put together by priests to control people. I think there is a lot of that in the Bible, but I also think that there is a lot of good stuff too. I guess you need some honey to attract the wasps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Horse Posted November 29, 2019 #200 Share Posted November 29, 2019 5 hours ago, Piney said: The general consensus among Jewish people is the Old Testament was written by people for people. It's only Christians who promote it was "divinely inspired". So does anyone know why the two were tacked together? What became the OT wasn't even correlated into the OT at the time of Jesus. much like the NT!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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