talahtnut Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 The term 'God' is outdated, scary, spooky, and confusing. Mathematics is the master of the Universe and life. Clever old Buddha's Wheel of Life is comparable to retro causatic time loops: modern physics. However you've still got to behave yourselves as Buddha suggests or you may come back as a worm. Do you feel lucky? Anything that is possible will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic7 Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 26 minutes ago, StreetCowboy said: Jews, Christians and Muslims believe in the same One God. They just follow different prophets. I get that, which many of them don't. HOWEVER, try telling that to them! Many will get really "fired" up if you lay that on them. Regardless...each thinks the others are excluded from their "afterlife" because they don't believe what the other believes. Tell me you seriously believe that any Christian thinks any Muslim is going to their Heaven. Nearly all will tell you that all Muslims are going to burn in the Christian Hell. He's throwing out the contradictions...not me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sujo Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 My god is the only true god and he told me anyone that believes in religion is an idiot and going to hell. as it happens, hell will be a great fun place without god botherers annoying me. Its my heaven. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyluke Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 "There are idiots in every country that believe they are the superior race." -fredwiggy- How do you call people that believe their religion, their god, is the only (superior) one? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredwiggy Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 7 hours ago, Skeptic7 said: I would agree with you...EXCEPT for the fact that, if memory serves, you claim yours in the 1 and only and all 69% of others are damned to burn in a lake of fire with gnashing of teeth for eternity. You believe in the Christian god...the one of the Old and New Testaments...yes? AND it has to be your god...not just any god. And you've already made clear, if memory serves, that anyone who doesn't accept your god, is doomed to burn in Hell. You even included Buddha suffering that very fate, same as me...a lifelong atheist and blasphemer. So, in your all-loving superstitious opinion, 69% of nearly 8 billion humans living today, plus untold billions of other non-christians who previously lived, are going to burn (or are already burning) in your loving god's Hell. Or have I got you wrong? I didn't make the rules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanuk711 Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 8,315 posts---555 Pages---been running for over a year ---longest forum post ever. After all that. Has anyone changed their mind on what they believed when they first came in here. Its OK, it was just a rhetorical question -- I think we all know the answer................................. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredwiggy Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 Simply put, believers are going to be in heaven with God and non believers won't. It's sad that some can look at this life and see it just ending, with nothing afterwards. Putting all that energy into trying to prove their point, that there isn't a God. Of course this universe had a creator, it's impossible to have just happened from out of nothing. What will you do when all your life you're certain that this is the only life we get, and when you die, you're in front of God, and he's asking you why didn't you believe, especially when you had knowledge of him and turned away instead? That many people, including here, have tried to explain that this life is short, and although we couldn't prove God exists, we all had faith that this short life was just a short test, to see if we would turn the right way. There aren't any reasons to get into arguments over this topic. It was just someone asking if we believe and why. I, and other believers, are expected to try and convert others, but without ramming it down their throats. Just giving them a little taste, and letting them decide if we are right in our beliefs or not. This life is short enough, even if you live to 100. We know in our hearts there is something waiting for us, not just death and nothing after. Just think if there weren't any believers in God. What would this world be like then? I think everyone knows that answer. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yodsak Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Denis Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 2 hours ago, fredwiggy said: I didn't make the rules ... But you imply that 'these rules' are the One and Only Truth coming directly from the One and Only God. So of course we need to be clear about what specific rules you are referring to. And it seems you only accept the Bible as the 'rule book' of which every syllable has to be taken literally. And that's what both the skeptics and the believers in other ways of getting in touch with God, are not buying. Declaring all non-Bible sources as Heresy, and their followers suffering eternal damnation is an extremely narrow-minded point of view, and has caused immense and needless suffering. by those 'acting in the Name of (their) God'. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredwiggy Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 (edited) 2 minutes ago, Peter Denis said: ... But you imply that 'these rules' are the One and Only Truth coming directly from the One and Only God. So of course we need to be clear about what specific rules you are referring to. And it seems you only accept the Bible as the 'rule book' of which every syllable has to be taken literally. And that's what both the skeptics and the believers in other ways of getting in touch with God, are not buying. Declaring all non-Bible sources as Heresy, and their followers suffering eternal damnation is an extremely narrow-minded point of view, and has caused immense and needless suffering. by those 'acting in the Name of (their) God'. First of all, who is "we"? The believers here aren't the ones arguing my point. You have to read all of the posts before deciding what someone believes. I know the Bible has faults, because it was written by man. Who knows what men God talked to and who got information secondhand? We weren't there. Again, I didn't make the rules and do not enforce them. That's God's job. I only stated what I've learned and feel in my heart. I'm neither narrow minded or closed minded. The Bible is one book, transcripted for God. The 10 Commandments are his rules, given to us through Moses. Even if you don't believe in God, his commandments make complete sense. He gave them to us to help and protect us from harm. A lot of people have died because zealots have acted out poorly, using God as a crutch. "IF" there is a God, then don't you think that someone that created everything has the right to set forth rules for us to follow, especially seeing they are in our own best interest? Edited June 14, 2020 by fredwiggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic7 Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 3 hours ago, fredwiggy said: I didn't make the rules And the majority (69%), nearly 7 out of every 10, of Earth's population don't care. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunmaster Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 2 hours ago, fredwiggy said: First of all, who is "we"? The believers here aren't the ones arguing my point. Oh no no, they are, trust me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talahtnut Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 (edited) Religions and Football clubs are similar, each wear uniforms / colours that denote a particular peoples natural desire to belong to whatever. All Footy Clubs / all Religions play/preach the same basic rules. The problem is that Gods of all religions and Football clubs have been highjacked by the profiteers who have made millions out of gullible fans / congregations who pay willingly like silly sheep. Football is just a game, Religious teachings are just basic common human law, predating Christianity by thousands of years. Gods are only tools to scare the cr@p out of us, for control and profit. Eventually modern science and common sense will prevail. Though one has to wonder about the common sense bit. Edited June 14, 2020 by talahtnut addition Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredwiggy Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, Sunmaster said: Oh no no, they are, trust me. No, a believer wouldn't argue about what I've said, because what I've said makes sense, and is not only what I've learned all these years, in a number of schools, churches and meetings, is what the Bible says about God's laws. And again, that's okay, I'm not worried about just dying and going nowhere, I'll be with God. And for anyone else who argues that God doesn't exist, that's okay also, as you have your beliefs and I have mine. I just feel sorry for them, as living a short life like we do with no hope for anything afterwards is (fill in the blank). Just one .................. In spite of their differences, Jews, Christians and Muslims worship the same God September 6, 2017 1.08pm AEST Author Philip C. Almond Emeritus Professor in the History of Religious Thought, The University of Queensland Disclosure statement Philip C. Almond does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Partners University of Queensland provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU. View current jobs from University of Queensland View all partners We believe in the free flow of information Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under Creative Commons licence. Email Twitter184 Facebook5.2k LinkedIn Print It is often assumed that the God of Islam is a fierce war-like deity, in contrast to the God of Christianity and Judaism, who is one of love and mercy. And yet, despite the manifest differences in how they practise their religions, Jews, Christians and Muslims all worship the same God. The founder of Islam, Muhammad, saw himself as the last in a line of prophets that reached back through Jesus to Moses, beyond him to Abraham and as far back as Noah. According to the Quran, God (known as Allah) revealed to Muhammad: the Book with the truth [the Quran], confirming what was before it, and [before He sent down the Quran] He sent down the Torah of Moses and the Gospel of Jesus… as a guidance for the people. Thus, since Muhammad inherited the Jewish and Christian understandings of God, it is not surprising that the God of Muhammad, Jesus and Moses has a similarly complex and ambivalent character – a blend of benevolence and compassion, combined with wrath and anger. If you were obedient to his commands, he could be all sweetness and light. But you didn’t want to get on his wrong side. To those who turned to him in repentance, this God was (above all else) merciful and all-forgiving. But those who failed to find the path or, having found it failed to follow it, would know his judgment and wrath. Mohammed receiving his first revelation from the angel Gabriel. Miniature illustration on vellum from the book Jami’ al-Tawarikh by Rashid al-Din, published in Tabriz, Persia, 1307 CE. Wikimedia images For Jews, God was fully revealed in the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament). The God of the Old Testament was both good and evil. He went way beyond the good when he told Abraham to offer his son to God as a burnt sacrifice. He was a warrior God who murdered the firstborn of Egypt and drowned the army of Pharaoh. He approved Elijah’s slaughter of the 450 prophets of the ancient Canaanite God Baal. Yet he was also a compassionate and loving God, one who in the well-known words of Psalm 23 in the Book of Psalms was a shepherd whose goodness and mercy supported his followers all the days of their lives. He loved Israel like a father loves his son. Further reading: We don’t know if God exists but we should keep asking Hans Meling, Christ Giving His Blessing (1478). Wikimedia images The God of Jesus in the four Gospels in the New Testament had a similarly ambiguous character. On the one hand, Jesus spoke of a personal God, referring to him as “Father” in the prayer that he gave to his disciples. Yet, behind this God of tenderness and love, there remained a ruthless God of justice. Like the prophets of the Old Testament, Jesus preached doom and gloom. He was offering Israel its last chance and God would be merciless to those who failed to heed his message. God would come in judgment at the end of history. All would then be resurrected. The fortunate few would receive eternal happiness, but the wicked majority would be cast into the eternal fires of hell. So too, with the God of Muhammad. At the end of the world, God would act as a God of justice. All the dead would be resurrected to receive God’s judgment. God would then reward or punish each person in the gardens of paradise or the fires of hell according to their deeds. Each would be presented with a record of his deeds – in the right hand for those to be saved, in the left for those to be damned to the fires of hell. For those who were saved, the delights of paradise awaited. Those who died in the cause of Allah, however, did not need to wait for the Last Judgment. They would go straight to heaven. Further reading: Paris attacks – why Islam and Christianity are twin religions of war and peace The key to salvation was above all surrender (“islam” in Arabic) to God, obedience to his commands as revealed in the Quran and allegiance to his messenger Muhammad. Like the God of Moses, Allah was a lawmaker. The Quran provided (often varied) guidance to the believing community in matters of marriage and family law, women, inheritance, food and drink, worship and purity, warfare, punishments for adultery and false accusations of adultery, alcohol and theft. In short, it provided the foundation of what was later to be much elaborated in sharia law. Muslims, Christians and Jews do all worship the same complex God. Yet, in spite of this, all believe that their religion contains the full and final revelation of the same God. Here is the origin of their unity. Here also lies the cause of their division. For this belief in the truth of one religion and the falsity of the others leads to inevitable conflict between the believer and the unbeliever, the chosen and the rejected, the saved and the damned. Here lie the seeds of intolerance and violence. So the God of Muhammad, like the God of Jesus and Moses, divides as much as he unites, a cause of strife both between and within these religions. And something else for those interested, or those that don't agree...............https://www.fpcjackson.org/resource-library/sermons/an-empty-life-8-the-emptiness-of-life-without-god Edited June 14, 2020 by fredwiggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunmaster Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 (edited) I'm pretty sure there are at least 4 regular contributors here (not including me) who do believe in a Higher Power, that are as far from your dogmatic understanding of God as any atheist or agnostic here is. Of course you're entitled to your belief and I have no problem with it. What I do have a problem with though, is that your interpretation necessarily excludes all other interpretations. 1 is right, all others are false, misleading paths leading to Hell. Others like me on the other hand, are also believers, but have a different understanding. The most notable difference being that we believe in an inclusive system, where all the religions are just different ways to perceive and interpret the same ONE thing. I would go a step further even, saying that any belief system that is not capable of including every field, be is scientific or metaphysical, is an incomplete system that will produce incomplete answers. It's just not good enough to dismiss something as fundamental to the human experience as the belief and the experience of the divine spark, the same way it's not possible to exclude scientific discoveries because they don't fit in some religious dogma. What we need is an integral, all encompassing, all-including system to make sense of our reality and our place in this life. It would help to be more pragmatic about the God question. I don't think that the millions of believers today (and the billions in the past) are all just naive, uneducated and superstitious people. It would be very presumptuous tho think that way. There is clearly "something" there, and it should be explored with the right tools. At the same time, we should also quell the thirst for knowledge by scientific means. Science has a place in our reality just like spirituality. What I want to say is, it is only by joining forces that true progress can be achieved. Science and spirituality DON'T have to exclude each other, but to reach that point it is important to let go of what we think we know, and take an honest look at the things we don't know. Edited June 14, 2020 by Sunmaster 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teatime101 Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Sunmaster said: Science and spirituality DON'T have to exclude each other Science is broadly a process of imagining, observing, hypothesising, and attempting to explain the physical world. Spirituality concerns things that are non-physical. Science doesn't 'exclude' what it cannot explain. It simply demands (physical) evidence. There are plenty of non-physical things important to humans - love, justice, fear and hope, etc. Science doesn't generally deal with these kind of things either. Science is a self-correcting process. How ironic that religion's claim to validity is entirely based on non-physical things. Religion is dogma essentially frozen in time, thanks to its dependence on what is laughably called 'scripture' - the least reliable source one could possibly imagine. The Old Testament was written by bronze age goat herders who believed in a 'jealous god' and capital punishment for children who poke fun at old men... How absurd. Why do people believe such hogwash? Can they not use their brains? Edited June 14, 2020 by teatime101 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunmaster Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 10 minutes ago, teatime101 said: Spirituality concerns things that are non-physical. Not quite...spirituality concerns things that are both physical and metaphysical (body-mind-spirit). Also...the so called "soft sciences" like psychology, sociology and anthropology, interpret human behavior, including love, justice, fear, hope and everything in between. Point being, there is no clear demarcation between science and spirituality and the gap between them is getting closer and closer, thankfully. 26 minutes ago, teatime101 said: How absurd. Why do people believe such hogwash? Can they not use their brains? I'd like to answer that, but I think my definition of hogwash will be quite different from yours. ???? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VincentRJ Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 5 hours ago, fredwiggy said: And for anyone else who argues that God doesn't exist, that's okay also, as you have your beliefs and I have mine. I just feel sorry for them, as living a short life like we do with no hope for anything afterwards .................. That's very admirable of you, to feel sorry for the unbelievers. However, it does seem rather strange that the God you worship does not seem to have as much compassion as you have, and is prepared to send unbelievers to an awful, everlasting Hell. How do you explain that? ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic7 Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 Every single one of us is more moral than the abominable main character in his book. ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredwiggy Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 4 hours ago, Sunmaster said: I'm pretty sure there are at least 4 regular contributors here (not including me) who do believe in a Higher Power, that are as far from your dogmatic understanding of God as any atheist or agnostic here is. Of course you're entitled to your belief and I have no problem with it. What I do have a problem with though, is that your interpretation necessarily excludes all other interpretations. 1 is right, all others are false, misleading paths leading to Hell. Others like me on the other hand, are also believers, but have a different understanding. The most notable difference being that we believe in an inclusive system, where all the religions are just different ways to perceive and interpret the same ONE thing. I would go a step further even, saying that any belief system that is not capable of including every field, be is scientific or metaphysical, is an incomplete system that will produce incomplete answers. It's just not good enough to dismiss something as fundamental to the human experience as the belief and the experience of the divine spark, the same way it's not possible to exclude scientific discoveries because they don't fit in some religious dogma. What we need is an integral, all encompassing, all-including system to make sense of our reality and our place in this life. It would help to be more pragmatic about the God question. I don't think that the millions of believers today (and the billions in the past) are all just naive, uneducated and superstitious people. It would be very presumptuous tho think that way. There is clearly "something" there, and it should be explored with the right tools. At the same time, we should also quell the thirst for knowledge by scientific means. Science has a place in our reality just like spirituality. What I want to say is, it is only by joining forces that true progress can be achieved. Science and spirituality DON'T have to exclude each other, but to reach that point it is important to let go of what we think we know, and take an honest look at the things we don't know. It's a good idea not to answer for others, as in "we" believe in an inclusive system. If you believe in God, and know the Christian way, you know that religions are man made, and that Christianity is about Christ, and his teachings, which follow his father, the one God. A lot of religions, and I'm not sure which ones you are referring to that might all perceive the one true God, aren't about God................. Atheism/Agnosticism Bahá’í Buddhism Christianity Confucianism Druze Gnosticism Hinduism Islam Jainism Judaism Rastafarianism Shinto Sikhism Zoroastrianism Traditional African Religions African Diaspora Religions Indigenous American Religions......................Some believe there is no God, as you can see. In any event, it doesn't matter, as long as they believe in the one God. I was raised a Catholic, and went to Catholic school for 8 years, church every Sunday, the Bible read and re-read, sermons by the thousands, so I'm well aware of the religious part of it, as catholic is close to Christianity, but some thigs I didn't believe in, as in praying to Mary or any of the saints. Prayer should only be to God, as all the others are just humans, as is Buddha. How can anyone be far from my dogmatic understanding and still be a believer? And as far as an atheist? That would make them a non believer, because my learnings, from a multitude of priests, preachers and the word itself, all follow Christianity, which again, is the way through Jesus to God.Science can disprove some things in the Bible, but not everything, and science can be wrong. In any event, even if you think Noah's ark never sailed, what Jesus did happened, and I'm sure you're fully aware of what I'm referring to. It doesn't matter what anyone says here, as some are believers and some are not. What matters is what you yourself believes, what is in your heart, because it's as simple as that.God wants us to follow him,without question, and that's what I've always done. What others do has no bearing on my beliefs. It's up to them to decide where they want to go after they die. I know where I want to go, and have never wavered from that, no matter how <deleted>ty this world is and what crappy things have happened to me in my life. As a believer, you should only support my beliefs, as God is hearing every word you say, and I'm sure he knows your heart also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredwiggy Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 41 minutes ago, VincentRJ said: That's very admirable of you, to feel sorry for the unbelievers. However, it does seem rather strange that the God you worship does not seem to have as much compassion as you have, and is prepared to send unbelievers to an awful, everlasting Hell. How do you explain that? ???? Follow his rules, and you will know him. He has compassion, but he doesn't want anyone turning their backs on him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teatime101 Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 2 minutes ago, fredwiggy said: Christianity is about Christ, and his teachings, which follow his father, the one God. You might like to believe that, but it's a huge presumption. Every 'Christian' either follows his own concept of 'Christianity' or that which he has been taught or brainwashed to believe. There is no such thing as 'Christianity' per se. There are as many variations on the theme as there are believers. Don't get me started on the extreme right evangelical movement in the USA, the one that believes in the right to walk around the street with an assault rifle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teatime101 Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 7 minutes ago, fredwiggy said: Follow his rules, and you will know him. He has compassion, but he doesn't want anyone turning their backs on him. Discussion on the topic is one thing. Preaching to other posters is not OK, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibeachlovers Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 (edited) On 6/13/2020 at 7:26 PM, StreetCowboy said: I thought that the Bible said that God created man in his own image, so presumably he imparted to us all his own foibles. Personally, I believe that man created God in his own image, and each of us are free to imagine the God that we wish to create and resemble. The God in men’s minds is the only god that I have seen have any effect on the world around me. You believe everything in the Bible? The Bible was written by people with an agenda. You think anyone would give money or such to priests that told them that God was unknowable and wouldn't help them if they got into trouble? The irony of religion is that if two countries with the same religion are at war, their priests are asking the same God to help their side! If God actually did have human emotions and saw what a mess people were making of the planet I think he'd send all manner of pestilence to punish us for being such bad guests on planet earth. Edited June 14, 2020 by thaibeachlovers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibeachlovers Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 7 minutes ago, teatime101 said: Discussion on the topic is one thing. Preaching to other posters is not OK, IMHO. I wasn't aware that you are forced to read anything on here. Easily solved, just don't click on the thread. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibeachlovers Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 11 minutes ago, teatime101 said: You might like to believe that, but it's a huge presumption. Every 'Christian' either follows his own concept of 'Christianity' or that which he has been taught or brainwashed to believe. There is no such thing as 'Christianity' per se. There are as many variations on the theme as there are believers. Don't get me started on the extreme right evangelical movement in the USA, the one that believes in the right to walk around the street with an assault rifle. Jesus was a Jew and followed the Jewish teachings. Christianity was invented by his followers. Jesus believed in swords, ergo he'd be for being armed now. His followers are just living by his words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunmaster Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 2 minutes ago, fredwiggy said: It's a good idea not to answer for others, as in "we" believe in an inclusive system. If you believe in God, and know the Christian way, you know that religions are man made, and that Christianity is about Christ, and his teachings, which follow his father, the one God. A lot of religions, and I'm not sure which ones you are referring to that might all perceive the one true God, aren't about God................. Atheism/Agnosticism Bahá’í Buddhism Christianity Confucianism Druze Gnosticism Hinduism Islam Jainism Judaism Rastafarianism Shinto Sikhism Zoroastrianism Traditional African Religions African Diaspora Religions Indigenous American Religions......................Some believe there is no God, as you can see. In any event, it doesn't matter, as long as they believe in the one God. I was raised a Catholic, and went to Catholic school for 8 years, church every Sunday, the Bible read and re-read, sermons by the thousands, so I'm well aware of the religious part of it, as catholic is close to Christianity, but some thigs I didn't believe in, as in praying to Mary or any of the saints. Prayer should only be to God, as all the others are just humans, as is Buddha. How can anyone be far from my dogmatic understanding and still be a believer? And as far as an atheist? That would make them a non believer, because my learnings, from a multitude of priests, preachers and the word itself, all follow Christianity, which again, is the way through Jesus to God.Science can disprove some things in the Bible, but not everything, and science can be wrong. In any event, even if you think Noah's ark never sailed, what Jesus did happened, and I'm sure you're fully aware of what I'm referring to. It doesn't matter what anyone says here, as some are believers and some are not. What matters is what you yourself believes, what is in your heart, because it's as simple as that.God wants us to follow him,without question, and that's what I've always done. What others do has no bearing on my beliefs. It's up to them to decide where they want to go after they die. I know where I want to go, and have never wavered from that, no matter how <deleted>ty this world is and what crappy things have happened to me in my life. As a believer, you should only support my beliefs, as God is hearing every word you say, and I'm sure he knows your heart also. I've been writing on this thread since the very beginning, for over a year now, so I think I'm quite familiar with the way the other regulars think. But you're right, I will better speak about myself only. Do you know the parable of the 4 blind men? They come across an elephant, so one touches the trunk and says "Oh, this animal is like a big snake". Another one touches the leg and says "No, it's more like a tree trunk". The third touches the ear and says "You're both wrong...it's like a big leaf". The last one touches the tail and says "You're all wrong, it's like a little broom". Now, please don't take it literally! ???? It just means that all those religions you listed there are doing their best with the info they got to make sense and explain that which is unexplainable. Who is right? All of them and no one. I didn't go to Sunday school or learned from priests or read the bible to know what I know. I firmly believe that the only way to truly know the Supreme Being is through direct experience. Everything else is second hand knowledge and is unreliable and misleading in the worst case. Your statement that Buddha is sitting in Hell is probably the best example for that. I know where you're coming from in terms of mentality and are convinced you're on the only "true" path. Reality is different though. Can you accept that a person can be a believer in a Higher Power, without following any religion? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibeachlovers Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 1 hour ago, VincentRJ said: That's very admirable of you, to feel sorry for the unbelievers. However, it does seem rather strange that the God you worship does not seem to have as much compassion as you have, and is prepared to send unbelievers to an awful, everlasting Hell. How do you explain that? ???? For someone that professes not to believe in God you certainly seem invested in the God of religion. You say nothing about spirituality, but only about a God with human characteristics, which is IMO a nonsense as God that created life the universe and everything can hardly be bounded by human traits. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaibeachlovers Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 6 minutes ago, Sunmaster said: Can you accept that a person can be a believer in a Higher Power, without following any religion? I think you are wasting your time. We've been talking about spirituality for 556 pages but they keep talking about religion. Either they are too invested in religion to understand what spirituality is, or just trying to bait us, IMO. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mauGR1 Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said: I think you are wasting your time. We've been talking about spirituality for 556 pages but they keep talking about religion. Either they are too invested in religion to understand what spirituality is, or just trying to bait us, IMO. Yep, some people here have no clue about what we're talking about, some would send all of us to hell, others treat us like ignorant bigots, mind boggling if you ask me.. anyway, let's forgive them, they just haven't got a clue. In the same time, I want to thank all those posters who made this thread interesting with their contributions, you know who you are. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.jpg.4fd22303fa94eb0a6ebf5a9cf7194eb4.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now