Do you believe in God and why

[Mike Teavee]

2 hours ago, CMNightRider said:

The mind is a terrible thing to waste.....just saying.  

Indeed....

[Surelynot]

I find it incredibly sad that the more Christian someone becomes the less Christian their behaviour . I guess you could substitute any religion into that sentence. It is the quiet, unassuming, less devote that seem to be the true christians.

[mauGR1]

6 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

I find it incredibly sad that the more Christian someone becomes the less Christian their behaviour . I guess you could substitute any religion into that sentence. It is the quiet, unassuming, less devote that seem to be the true christians.

Well, it's not a secret that Jesus was persecuted by the high priests of Jerusalem, and history always repeats.

One can see the same patterns in everyday life.

[Sunmaster]

12 hours ago, CMNightRider said:

You must have slept during your history classes.  Up until the late 1800's and early 1900's, people either traveled on sailing ships, horses, or walked.  Computers were invented in our lifetime.  

 

You guys who keep trying to deny God's word as written in the Bible are beating a dead horse.  Have you ever read about the Rapture and the Tribulation in the Bible?  We will probably live to see and experience both.  It only takes about 72 hours to read the Bible.  The mind is a terrible thing to waste.....just saying.   

LOL Hellooo?
Deny God? Have you read anything I wrote in the past year??

[thaibeachlovers]

21 hours ago, mauGR1 said:

Right, and America is arguably the "all powerful" in a way, and the "one world government" seems to get closer. But in a way, there is already a world government at work, in the offices of the world banks and institutions.

As i posted a few times, doom and gloom predictions are strikingly similar on Hindu ancient books.

We can say that everything has an end, from a physical and perhaps cultural point of view, but from a spiritual point of view it can be said that "Everything" doesn't have an end, it's eternal. (imho)

Even in the case of the complete disappearance of the human race, the spirit would surely exist.

Which is why I qualify "end of life" with "as we know it".

In the middle ages they thought the black death was the end, in the 1950s they thought the atomic bomb would end us, but would it not be ironic if what our governments did in RESPONSE to a virus was the actual end of life as we know it.

Up till now we always had past experience to look back on, but for the first time in my life the future is an unknown.

Regarding religion- during past catastrophes people turned to religion to find comfort, but that seems to not have happened this time. Seems to me society has indeed turned its back on religion.

[mauGR1]

3 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Regarding religion- during past catastrophes people turned to religion to find comfort, but that seems to not have happened this time. Seems to me society has indeed turned its back on religion.

Well, apart from a minority of free thinkers, i presume that the masses are not too different from 500 or 1000 years ago.

Nowadays, "science" is "god", and the scientists are the priests; for most people, if you dare to discuss the moral integrity of the priests/scientists, you are a heretic.

[Sunmaster]

On 4/15/2020 at 8:42 AM, CMNightRider said:

You must have slept during your history classes.  Up until the late 1800's and early 1900's, people either traveled on sailing ships, horses, or walked.  Computers were invented in our lifetime.  

 

You guys who keep trying to deny God's word as written in the Bible are beating a dead horse.  Have you ever read about the Rapture and the Tribulation in the Bible?  We will probably live to see and experience both.  It only takes about 72 hours to read the Bible.  The mind is a terrible thing to waste.....just saying.   

Besides, what happened to the steam train in the mid 19th century? That one really was a big step in transportation, fast and affordable. You forgot about that one?

And what happened to the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment, you know....those periods of time when knowledge became important again, after about 1000 years of Christian Dark Ages...Forgot those ones as well?

 

The point is, compared to what was before, that transportation innovation and those increases in knowledge were relevant to your prophecy then, as the car or computer is now. 
So, when is this famed Day of Reckoning coming?

 

[mauGR1]

56 minutes ago, Sunmaster said:

Besides, what happened to the steam train in the mid 19th century? That one really was a big step in transportation, fast and affordable. You forgot about that one?

And what happened to the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment, you know....those periods of time when knowledge became important again, after about 1000 years of Christian Dark Ages...Forgot those ones as well?

 

The point is, compared to what was before, that transportation innovation and those increases in knowledge were relevant to your prophecy then, as the car or computer is now. 
So, when is this famed Day of Reckoning coming?

 

While i appreciate the effort in your argument, i think that in the bigger picture, this graphic is very much debatable.

Why is it defined "Christian dark age", and how do we know if Romans were the "top of science" in those long gone days, or was the "Renaissance" time just a good time for European merchants and businessmen.

 

As we know: "History is written by the winners", and that's making history debatable.

 

Another question : How can "Scientific advancement" be described ?

Is bombing innocents in the name of democracy more civilized than sacrificing young girls to the god of sun ?

[Surelynot]

1 hour ago, Sunmaster said:

It only takes about 72 hours to read the Bible.

72 hours that could be spent in a no tell Motel. Think that wins the argument

[Peter Denis]

12 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

Another question : How can "Scientific advancement" be described ?

Is bombing innocents in the name of democracy more civilized than sacrificing young girls to the god of sun ?

Sunmaster would most probably object when sacrificing young girls to him. ????

[mauGR1]

2 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Sunmaster would most probably object when sacrificing young girls to him. ????

Surely everybody would not agree to harm innocents in any way.

My point was, as human race, do we have the right to say that our life in these days is better than our life 3000 years ago ?

And, regarding our origin and culture and civilization, is just related to the script. In fact it's hard to imagine how civilization was before the script, but to say that there was no civilization before the script, that is wrong imho ????

 

The Romans built this temple 2000 years ago, on a basement of pre-existing ruins.

 The Romans didn't cut and move those huge stones, they didn't even have a clue who did and when.

 

[Sunmaster]

53 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

Surely everybody would not agree to harm innocents in any way.

My point was, as human race, do we have the right to say that our life in these days is better than our life 3000 years ago ?

And, regarding our origin and culture and civilization, is just related to the script. In fact it's hard to imagine how civilization was before the script, but to say that there was no civilization before the script, that is wrong imho ????

 

The Romans built this temple 2000 years ago, on a basement of pre-existing ruins.

 The Romans didn't cut and move those huge stones, they didn't even have a clue who did and when.

 

The graph was just a side note to the point I was trying to make, which was that there have been gradual steps forward in terms of transportation and knowledge throughout history. Meaning, the apocalypse has been prophesied several times, by Christians and others, and none of those prophecies has come true. Why should this one be different?

The Dark Ages are called Christian Dark Ages in the graph, because after the decline of the Roman Empire, the church gained a lot of power, becoming in fact the sole source of moral authority. They used this authority and power to suppress any new discovery that would undermine its dogma. This is a well known fact as far as I know, so not sure why you want to debate it.

 

1 hour ago, mauGR1 said:

Another question : How can "Scientific advancement" be described ?

Is bombing innocents in the name of democracy more civilized than sacrificing young girls to the god of sun ?

You mention the negatives of human advancements, but as you know, with every scientific breakthrough or invention, both positives and negatives came along. Gunpowder was used for guns, but was also used for medicine, as a fertilizer and for rockets, which eventually lead us to the "conquest of space".
 

 

1 hour ago, mauGR1 said:

My point was, as human race, do we have the right to say that our life in these days is better than our life 3000 years ago ?

Better? I don't know...Is a seed "better" than a tree?

More comfortable? Sure. More access to knowledge? Absolutely. More freedom to roam, to choose your path in life, to live where you want, to marry who you want, to have the time to actually worry about all these things instead of worrying if you will have enough food for the winter? I think so.

Me at 20...lots of energy, lived like there's no tomorrow, a bad hangover didn't last very long. It's easy to look back and become nostalgic....ahh, those were the times... But I was also terribly insecure and shy, with no direction and no idea who I really was.
Me at 45...less energy, try to avoid hangovers all together, few kg more, a lot of hair less...but also clearer in my goals, confident in myself and the world, with roots going deep into the ground and branches reaching high into the sky. Would I go back to how I was at 20? No way! 

 

3000 years ago they did the best with what they had, and so are we now. Yet, if I had to choose one time over the other, I wouldn't think twice. Would you?

[mauGR1]

26 minutes ago, Sunmaster said:

The Dark Ages are called Christian Dark Ages in the graph, because after the decline of the Roman Empire, the church gained a lot of power, becoming in fact the sole source of moral authority. They used this authority and power to suppress any new discovery that would undermine its dogma. This is a well known fact as far as I know, so not sure why you want to debate it.

Well, you seem to see a lot of negativity in the Christian church, but in the middle age not many people, except the monks and the sons of the extremely rich, could read and write, so it's fair to say that those were the scientists and the guardians of knowledge at the time.

Is it possible that they foresaw the great potential development of science, with its pros and cons, thus trying to keep the people in the dark for their own good ?

26 minutes ago, Sunmaster said:

You mention the negatives of human advancements, but as you know, with every scientific breakthrough or invention, both positives and negatives came along. Gunpowder was used for guns, but was also used for medicine, as a fertilizer and for rockets, which eventually lead us to the "conquest of space".

Had i mentioned the positives of human advancements, my point would be the same.

 

26 minutes ago, Sunmaster said:

Better? I don't know...Is a seed "better" than a tree?

 

My point exactly, it's a rhetorical question.

 

26 minutes ago, Sunmaster said:

3000 years ago they did the best with what they had, and so are we now. Yet, if I had to choose one time over the other, I wouldn't think twice. Would you?

Of course i wouldn't think twice, but i am glad to have witnessed the disappearing aspects of the tribal society, with its pros and cons, while travelling in Asia in the end of the 70'.

It would be great, nonetheless, to have a time machine, and visit ancient India, or Greece in the week-ends.

Edited April 16, 2020 by mauGR1

[VincentRJ]

7 hours ago, mauGR1 said:

Another question : How can "Scientific advancement" be described ?

Is bombing innocents in the name of democracy more civilized than sacrificing young girls to the god of sun ?

Scientific advancement results in a greater understanding of the processes in the reality that surrounds us and the reality within us.

 

The way in which these advanced understandings are used, often involves political decisions motivated by power, greed and ego. The political application of scientific discoveries, such as the use of the atomic bomb to end WWII in Japan, is an example.

 

The true nature of science is completely unbiased and impartial.

[mauGR1]

6 minutes ago, VincentRJ said:

The way in which these advanced understandings are used, often involves political decisions motivated by power, greed and ego.

Far too often, apparently.

Science, by your definition (which i don't completely disagree with), in the wrong hands, is as dangerous as ignorance.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 4/16/2020 at 5:39 PM, mauGR1 said:

as human race, do we have the right to say that our life in these days is better than our life 3000 years ago ?

For us lucky westerners our life is indeed far, far better than it was long ago. Had I been born in the 19th century I'd probably have been a navvy digging canals in England. I prefer the life I actually had.

However, for the peasants of the world, I doubt their life is much better, though somewhat different.

 

On 4/16/2020 at 5:39 PM, mauGR1 said:

The Romans didn't cut and move those huge stones, they didn't even have a clue who did and when.

Although most don't want to believe it, everything is easily explained if one accepts that aliens were on planet Earth with advanced technology. When they left/ died off humanity fell into barabarism and it was a long road back to civilization.

Don't even have to be aliens- could just have been an advanced civilization of humans that locked themselves down too long because of a Corona like event.

[Peter Denis]

5 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

...

Although most don't want to believe it, everything is easily explained if one accepts that aliens were on planet Earth with advanced technology. When they left/ died off humanity fell into barbarism and it was a long road back to civilization.

Don't even have to be aliens- could just have been an advanced civilization of humans that locked themselves down too long because of a Corona like event.

Advanced technology has made the lives of many people (surely in the Western world) easier - but not necessarily 'better'.

Also it should not be confused with civilization.

Reminds me of a quote by Gandhi >

 

[thaibeachlovers]

4 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Advanced technology has made the lives of many people (surely in the Western world) easier - but not necessarily 'better'.

Also it should not be confused with civilization.

Reminds me of a quote by Gandhi >

 

No, my life has been brilliant BECAUSE of technology. I could not have traveled the world the way I did without air travel, cancer did not kill me in my 50s because of it, I could not listen to music the way I do and I certainly couldn't have a collection of movies that I enjoy watching. Perhaps I'd have been better off without a PC and the internet though. I reckon late 1970s technology was good enough. Laser discs were invented in 1978.

[mauGR1]

30 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Although most don't want to believe it, everything is easily explained if one accepts that aliens were on planet Earth with advanced technology. When they left/ died off humanity fell into barabarism and it was a long road back to civilization.

Don't even have to be aliens- could just have been an advanced civilization of humans that locked themselves down too long because of a Corona like event.

According to the Bible and various legends and stories, there have been races of giants on the planet, people whose life was centuries long, not to talk about the flying machines and the sky battles of the Veda.

Possibly there are races in this universe who have fancier technology than us, and pay us a visit from time to time.

Once i read a theory that it could be us travelling in the past to create the future, who knows.

Perhaps "time" is not a straight line, but some sort of spherical thing.

[CMNightRider]

On 4/16/2020 at 10:52 AM, Sunmaster said:

Besides, what happened to the steam train in the mid 19th century? That one really was a big step in transportation, fast and affordable. You forgot about that one?

And what happened to the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment, you know....those periods of time when knowledge became important again, after about 1000 years of Christian Dark Ages...Forgot those ones as well?

 

The point is, compared to what was before, that transportation innovation and those increases in knowledge were relevant to your prophecy then, as the car or computer is now. 
So, when is this famed Day of Reckoning coming?

 

Only God knows the date, the time and the hour, and only God knows when time will run out. While Scripture nowhere encourages us to try to determine the date of Jesus’ return, we are told to keep watch because we don’t know what day our Lord will come (Matthew 24:42).

[Peter Denis]

16 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

No, my life has been brilliant BECAUSE of technology. I could not have traveled the world the way I did without air travel, cancer did not kill me in my 50s because of it, I could not listen to music the way I do and I certainly couldn't have a collection of movies that I enjoy watching. Perhaps I'd have been better off without a PC and the internet though. I reckon late 1970s technology was good enough. Laser discs were invented in 1978.

Yes, for sure I would never have visited Thailand and other parts of the world, when born in earlier times.  So yes I am most grateful for what these technological advancements provide us (except for this 5G craze, but that's a different topic).

But that has little to do with civilization, and I would argue that we are surely not more civilized than our fore-fathers because of all the wonderful tech-goodies available now.

[mauGR1]

1 minute ago, Peter Denis said:

But that has little to do with civilization, and I would argue that we are surely not more civilized than our fore-fathers because of all the wonderful tech-goodies available now.

That was exactly my point in the above posts, the man makes the toys, but the toys don't make the man ????

[CMNightRider]

5 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

According to the Bible and various legends and stories, there have been races of giants on the planet, people whose life was centuries long, not to talk about the flying machines and the sky battles of the Veda.

Possibly there are races in this universe who have fancier technology than us, and pay us a visit from time to time.

Once i read a theory that it could be us travelling in the past to create the future, who knows.

Perhaps "time" is not a straight line, but some sort of spherical thing.

Every time I read many of these posts about "do you believe in God," I feel as though I just visited the twilight zone.  The Bible is the word of God, and was written for us to know where we came from, our purpose in life, and where we are going.  To pretend otherwise is beyond being foolish.  Everyone makes mistakes in life but denying Jesus Christ died for our sins and God created the universe is the mother of all mistakes.   

[mauGR1]

Just now, CMNightRider said:

Every time I read many of these posts about "do you believe in God," I feel as though I just visited the twilight zone.  The Bible is the word of God, and was written for us to know where we came from, our purpose in life, and where we are going.  To pretend otherwise is beyond being foolish.  Everyone makes mistakes in life but denying Jesus Christ died for our sins and God created the universe is the mother of all mistakes.   

No, i think you need to open your mind a bit, honestly, i wish i could help you.

[thaibeachlovers]

8 minutes ago, Peter Denis said:

Yes, for sure I would never have visited Thailand and other parts of the world, when born in earlier times.  So yes I am most grateful for what these technological advancements provide us (except for this 5G craze, but that's a different topic).

But that has little to do with civilization, and I would argue that we are surely not more civilized than our fore-fathers because of all the wonderful tech-goodies available now.

The original point MauGR1 made was

My point was, as human race, do we have the right to say that our life in these days is better than our life 3000 years ago ?

He didn't say it was about civilization, just whether we have better lives. My life is better than it would have been.

[mauGR1]

4 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

The original point MauGR1 made was

My point was, as human race, do we have the right to say that our life in these days is better than our life 3000 years ago ?

He didn't say it was about civilization, just whether we have better lives. My life is better than it would have been.

Well, perhaps i have to apologize to both you and @Peter Denis for my improper use of words, of course it includes also civilization, intended as the collective effort in creating a harmonious society.

In that respect, the humankind as a whole, moves like the waves of the sea imho.

 

Perhaps we have better laws now than 2000 years ago, but civilisation is always a thin paint, and a big shock, individual or collective, can wipe off the "paint" in no time.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, mauGR1 said:

Well, perhaps i have to apologize to both you and @Peter Denis for my improper use of words, of course it includes also civilization, intended as the collective effort in creating a harmonious society.

In that respect, the humankind as a whole, moves like the waves of the sea imho.

 

Perhaps we have better laws now than 2000 years ago, but civilisation is always a thin paint, and a big shock, individual or collective, can wipe off the "paint" in no time.

All civilizations since the first have fallen when they become rotten from the inside. If our western civilization isn't already rotten, it's not far off, IMO.

Far as I can see it's all about money, and when a few people have more money than most of humanity the end surely can't be far off, IMO.

Not to forget the big dog that is not concerned with what gender people think they are etc., and is building a mighty war machine with our money.

It's a good time to have faith in a better future beyond the bounds of this life.

Edited April 18, 2020 by thaibeachlovers

[mauGR1]

2 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

It's a good time to have faith in a better future beyond the bounds of this life.

Well, today i am as optimistic as Voltaire: "We live in the best possible world".

But, no doubts, it's always a good time to have some faith in a better future, in this life, and if not, beyond its bounds ????

[CMNightRider]

On 4/18/2020 at 10:48 AM, mauGR1 said:

No, i think you need to open your mind a bit, honestly, i wish i could help you.

I believe that is projection on your part.  The Bible is very clear on what happens to us when we die.  Everyone will kneel before Jesus, and we will all spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell.  To pretend otherwise is a very foolish decision.  

 

For those who have actually read the Bible, Revelation is crystal clear about how events will unfold in the "end times."  We are living in the end times.  

 

Think for a moment we didn't evolve from some single cell in some obscure mud muddle billions of years ago, and were created by God as explained in the Bible.  If a person had average intelligence and a little common sense, I would think they could just look at nature and know the God of the Bible is real.

 

Once you take your last breath, it will be too late to ask Jesus for forgiveness.  Don't be deceived or blinded by Satan.  

[ivor bigun]

5 minutes ago, CMNightRider said:

I believe that is projection on your part.  The Bible is very clear on what happens to us when we die.  Everyone will kneel before Jesus, and we will all spend eternity in either Heaven or Hell.  To pretend otherwise is a very foolish decision.  

 

For those who have actually read the Bible, Revelation is crystal clear about how events will unfold in the "end times."  We are living in the end times.  

 

Think for a moment we didn't evolve from some single cell in some obscure mud muddle billions of years ago, and were created by God as explained in the Bible.  If a person had average intelligence and a little common sense, I would think they could just look at nature and know the God of the Bible is real.

 

Once you take your last breath, it will be too late to ask Jesus for forgiveness.  Don't be deceived or blinded by Satan.  

With the thousands of Christians who die every day ,dont you think Jesus gets a little busy ,giving out forgivness ,i mean even Satan must get a bit peeved welcoming all the sinners.

wont have any time to get on with being wicked.