thaibeachlovers

IMO the only "cult" on this thread is of the "god doesn't exist" mob that are totally invested in denying something that science can't disprove. Seems that even though some scientists admit there is a great deal out there that they can't explain or even understand, the anti God crowd deny the possibility that a creator God might exist- in other words, closed minds. I actually understand some of your frustration, as I don't understand a lot of the conversation, mainly because I'm not sufficiently invested in it to get involved, or pursue the theories presented, but among the stuff I don't understand there is some really great information to be be acquired, so I'll keep reading. Up to you of course, but it's the only thread on this forum that challenges us about our innermost beliefs, and the fact that it's lasted longer than any other thread, perhaps in the history of this forum, proves that it is of interest to many.

I've just come on and haven't read the previous pages, but from the above post we had the same experience, except I was agnostic at the time. I call it my "road to Damascus" moment. It didn't last long, but it opened my mind to the realisation that God does exist. Never happened again, and I haven't sought to experience it again. The pro "science knows everything" crowd could never understand it, as it's not, IMO, something that could be repeated on demand to investigate. Perhaps it ( or something similar ) could be experienced by use of chemicals, but I have no need to go that route. Even alcohol was too bad, and I gave that up pretty quickly.

Ah, my wifi connection is <deleted> and keeps going down so I'm missing out on reading everything, so I misunderstood. However, our emotions are as a result of chemicals that are released in response to a stimuli, whether mental or physical, so in some sense automatic, though we may like to think otherwise. So, fear is a spontaneous reaction to a perceived threat, while ecstasy is a response to pleasurable stimuli, but IMO is not a spontaneous reaction. Just think of the body as a hive of chemical reactions in response to all the stimuli that our bodies are receiving every second we are alive. Unfortunately, some people are unable to generate the required chemicals to be a good person, which means they can be psychopaths, etc. Of course it's way more complicated than my simplistic answer, so no need for the "experts" to pick it apart. It's too frustrating to be on line at the moment, so if I manage to post this it'll be my last for now.

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I never had that bad depression. Mainly just very unhappy and not feeling any hope for my life. I had a job that paid reasonably well and wasn't physically hard, but as with all public service jobs I did the managers were <deleted>. So it was really just a feeling of hopelessness and having given up on my life. That changed when I retired and moved to Thailand, got married. Even when the marriage failed, I was still livin' in LOS, and lovin' it. It's only since returning to home country that I have once again lost hope and feeling that my life is pointless. Never mind, it's not for too long and I'm looking forwards to my next and greatest adventure.

Sorry, but I think to ask why we are here is rather pointless. Unless one believes that we are special, and were specifically created, one would have to accept that we are just another species that evolved from a common ancestor with the apes, and further back with other mammals. I don't know if our superior brain was intended or an accident, but IMO we have not been good for planet earth.

None of the things preached by the Christ are harmful, but bad men have twisted them to serve their evil purposes.

I think fear and ecstasy are two unrelated things. Fear is a genetic safety response, as part of the fight or flight reaction to a threat. I can see that there may not be much obvious difference, as both are a result of a chemical release in the body, but ecstasy is not necessary to preserve our life from danger or to ensure the survival of the species, though it was nice of God to include it in our genetic programming.

Sorry, but while you are welcome to your beliefs, I don't agree with you. Does a 2 year old create the brain tumour that kills him slowly and in a great deal of pain? If I am in a "circle of hell" it's because of mistakes I made in my life that brought me to it, not because I created it ( unless I am really living in the Matrix, in which case I did ).

Sorry, but while you are welcome to your beliefs, I don't agree with you. Does a 2 year old create the brain tumour that kills him slowly and in a great deal of pain? If I am in a "circle of hell" it's because of mistakes I made in my life that brought me to it, not because I created it ( unless I am really living in the Matrix, in which case I did ).

Except he'll probably see the end of the institution if he doesn't hand it over to William. He's just not popular. Anyway, he'll probably be dead in a few years so a waste of money changing the stationary.

Perhaps because the most people that will want to pay for a ticket will be tourists ( I doubt any current 3rd class passengers will be traveling on it ). Not much in Uttaradit to attract tourists. I wouldn't go on it either as I enjoyed the night train journey in second class sleeper.

Actual high speed rail is apparently elevated as it's not a good idea having them at ground level. IMO, there is no need for a real high speed rail as double tracked would probably give a better cost benefit. High speed only carries passengers, so would it be providing seats at the same meager price, or will it be too expensive for the average rail user to pay?

Apparently some of them are sinking because too much water is pumped out from under them. Anyway, if not for the embankment and the big pumps, Bkk might be permanently flooded already.

I can be included in the 39%. IMO it's used now to mock the radical left and their druthers.

Democracy in action! Don't like it, change the government next election.

The biggest criminal in US history Are you talking about Nixon?

If he can prove coercion he has a case. I believe he was coerced.

True. It's just a "wish list" at present. The final budget will depend on the GOP, as they control the money. At the moment he can say anything he wants. He should have done it all when the Dems controlled the house, but he didn't!

The Australian solution was to stop people dying at sea, and it's worked. As I see it the UK version is for the same reason. To allow the same situation to continue is to allow more loss of life at sea, IMO.

Then they can take their own measures to stop the immigrants landing without legal entry requirements. Hasn't Hungary done so? I thought Italy was already refusing to allow "rescue" ships docking in Italian ports.

They apply from the first safe country they get to.

IMO Charles will come to regret that he didn't pass it directly to William. If he doesn't come to his senses soon, IMO it's going to be difficult to keep the monarchy in it's present form. IMO he and Camilla are just too unpopular to be the right people to save it.

The Ukranians have no defense against hypersonic missiles, according to Al Jazeera- they just go too fast. The latest attack has demonstrated that nowhere in Ukraine is immune to Russian missile strikes. The latest US budget negotiations will be interesting if the GOP decide that US $ are better spent in the US than in Ukraine.

The real benefit of this forum, as with ThaiVisa before, is for the posters on the specialist subforums. There are two more popular subforums that are probably needed to get numbers up for the advertising, but both of them have seen a reduced number of posters compared to a few years ago, IMO. I certainly find a lot less threads worth posting on.

I'm not really looking for answers, and just hanging around waiting to pass over, when all will be explained, but it'd be nice if the waiting room was more pleasant. If I created this reality I must really, really hate myself.