No I've never had the pleasure.
Have you ever read the poems of Caedemon, especially the ones written on Genesis?
"Holobolo"
Printable View
No I've never had the pleasure.
Have you ever read the poems of Caedemon, especially the ones written on Genesis?
"Holobolo"
No, I haven't--poetry isn't my preferred category for reading, but I'm curious. Perhaps I'll look into it.
Don't laugh, but I think Michael Crichton's The Lost World makes an interesting point regarding the nature of evolution. What happens it that the Velociraptors that have been cloned exhibit behaviors that are nothing like the hunters of today, and probably nothing like the hunters of prehistory.
For example, when they make a kill, all ages of raptor leap into the fray to feed, without any form of hierarchy based on rank or sex. If one raptor is contesting the meal against another, it is liable to be disemboweled and then added to the menu.
The reason for this is because, when the Velociraptors were cloned, only their GENETIC blueprint was copied. Any form of social hierarchy that existed in raptor "culture" was lost when they went extinct, and with it any rituals or practices (such as feeding patterns) that kept them orderly. Other group predators by comparison, like lions, undergo no such chaos after hunting.
So, the question is, when humans replaced the family/group structure that exists in other branches of the primate tree with a counter-evolutionary thought pattern, how did they manage to survive? For example, I was thinking about poisonous mushrooms earlier in the day (I haven't the faintest idea why). How is it that humans have to be formally educated in which mushrooms are edible and which are poisonous, yet wild animals manage just fine without posters or the New York Public Library Desk Reference? Or take all of those abominable commercials for Viagra and comparable drugs--if the condition being treated is so serious and epidemic that it merits medical research to fix, how is it that we managed for the past 40,000 years as a species?
I don't think so. Not all of us he loves.Quote:
5. God loves all of us
hmm 5 truths?
well that is what religious people believe,
"1. God created everything that exists.
2. God is omnipotent.
3. God is omniscient.
4. God gave us free will.
5. God loves all of us."
Number 1 is logical, but its wording can allow for a wide range of interpretations, from God has created each and every thing in the galaxy personally, to God created the matter needed by the "big Bang".
number 2, why not.
number 3, why not.
number 4, now here is a dilemma if God knows all, he knows what choice we will make so is it free will, but theoretically we are still free to make the choice, it's just that God knows the outcome.
Number 5, why not.
All of these cannot be proved nor disproved, so when discussing this one must be carefull not to commit the fallacy of the argument from ignorance, God exists because you can't prove he doesn't, and God doesn't exist because you can't prove he can.
We'll just have to wait till we die, so untill then the choice is to have blind faith or not. Maybe a different question is why do you think God does/doesn't exist, why does it have meaning for you, or why does it not have meaning for you? Is religious faith really so bad?
If God does not exist, how can rules (either thought or felt) function?
"If God does not exist, everything is permitted" including murder (of any forms, at any levels), theft (of any degrees), betrayals, etc. And, those things would happen at the very beginning of the history of mankind that it would take an illogical effort for the logic to accept the fact that human race have managed to survive this far.
If God did not exist, the history of mankind would not even survive a day. If God did not exist, every actions that we now call "evil" would be justified. There would be no faults, wrongs; everything would be right, good.
The reason why today we still witness people doing evil is because they don't admit the presence of God, or if they admit it (such as religious people), they openly reject him, preferring their own desires.
Wow, somebody has an EXTREMELY warped view of us atheists.
Look outside--assuming you don't live an a major urban center, there's probably some form of wildlife out there. What you see are creatures existing peacefully who haven't the faintest concept of a deity and, what's more, probably aren't inclined to seek one. Yet they've survived just dandy of MILLIONS of years without committing mass murder, wanton rape, or conscienceless theft like you seem to think we'll do.
I'm an atheist, I'll say right now. I'll also say that I don't swear, drink, or smoke, and have sworn a personal vow of chastity until I am married. I have no criminal record whatsoever, and am near the top of my class at school. I was born by my mother--I didn't emerge from a smoking hole in the ground. No late-night sex rituals, no sacrificing small animals. Prejudice is an ugly thing, bhekti.
our friend above is assuming that a clean life can only be discovered from God, and that people could not create a morale notion on their own...from a strictly evolutionary sense it is only natural that people would develop morals or law codes...it is simply group dynamics.
Personally I do believe in God, and that God is the source of good, however, the argument is a week one, athiests are capable of making moral decisions.
I'm an atheist as well, and I wouldn't have defended that case better. Thanks Robin!! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by RobinHood3000
I think what's really important is whether or not you have principles, isn't it? :confused:
RobinHood3000: "I'm an atheist, I'll say right now. I'll also say that I don't swear, drink, or smoke, and have sworn a personal vow of chastity until I am married. I have no criminal record whatsoever, and am near the top of my class at school."
Ah but... your disbelief in God does not prevent Him from being the author of your conscience. I think that it (your disbelief, I mean) may make you better able to fulfil His purposes, because your moral code is something that you work out and choose for yourself, rather than taking it ready-made from some book. Religion can be a great barrier to godliness, and atheists do not have that hurdle to jump over.
Now, if you could just be a bit more positive for good, as well as negative towards bad, then...
Very well said, and supported by the parable of the son that leaves and then is welcomed back and treated as a king when he returns. Leading a good life is the main thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Whifflingpin
Perhaps--whether God's purpose is authored by Him or me, I am glad to at least live my life by principles to which I can claim some degree of personal authorship.
I wonder if a valid parallel would be trying to find the right diet--often, the one that works best is one that's customized for you, rather than one from the mouths of Atkins or Jenny Craig.
indeed, I do not understand some of these flash diets they are as fake as some of the television preachers!Quote:
Originally Posted by RobinHood3000
Ahh, Diets, its "Die" with a T.
Its often a hard realization that in spite of our efforts, we are not getting anywhere.
In truth this is sometimes upsetting, in many forms of a way, and indeed vexating on a persons mind.
For this reason it is very difficult trying to discuss things with Atheist, and the like, because we all naturally assume that our faith is the correct answer, and thus all other answers are lacking, or void in usefullness.
This is why it is often difficult to make any head way. I can understand the views of the world from the eyes of an Atheist, but many can't, just as an atheist cannot understand the actual feelings of true faith.
All the more we are to pitied, equally.
For these simple reasons.
We as Christians believe in Christ, and thus want to share our faith with those around us, while those around us usually do not wish to open their minds to that specific way of thought.
Moreover, many people site the church as an excuse for not wishing to belong to Christianity. And we as Christians are so often causght in defence of the church that we fail to acknowledge the fact that the Atheists are right.
Many churches are spiritually bonded to religion, or religious rituals and hardly encourage the development of personal faith.
People who follow these, are often Sunday Christians, who neither seek a true relationship with Christ, or wish to know more about their creator.
These people are disfunctional Christians, because the do not essentially understand Christianity fully. Thus they fall into religious doctrinations of those churches which in many cases crushes someones faith.
Many Atheist who I know were former Christians, who caught in that spiritual stagnation lost their faith, because there was no room in those churches for an individuals spiritual growth.
This often embitters a person towards Christianity. And thus makes them unwilling to recieve or even consider ideas from a Christian perspective, because they've already been involved with church that was repressive and thus think that all Christian ideals are equally repressive to the attitude of that former church.
Therefor its hard to convince or share and idea with anyone who is deadset against what you say, before you've even had the chance to say it.
More than likely this will be shot done, or ripped apart, but by doing so it only really proves what I've said in the above.
"How often does though comst here? Too often I thinketh!"
Bartle Bronags.
Oh, I wouldn't say that, shizznigg. Not all atheists are lunatics bent on converting the world to paganism. Some of us are quite open to religious opinions.
I'd also like to point out that being an atheist sometimes requires just as much faith as believing in a god.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RobinHood3000
I would say that it requires even more.
What I don't understand about this post is, that all atheist are bent on converting the world to paganism?
Are you a paganist? Or do you try to convert people to paganism? :confused:
I didn't mention anything about atheist trying to convert people, merely the difficulties many have with being unbiased when given spiritual questions about Christianity.
I'd in no way think for a minute that Atheist are the enemies of my faith, and so on, because your not.
In my eyes you are merely people, the same as everyone else.
Take care, Shizz.
"Lollipops!"