Thank you God...... Have you thanked God lately?

[cutie 0]

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I was just answering Rhino's question!

That is good...but people here that take offence to this thread ..don't if you are secure in your feelings and beliefs

[Muenkel 0]

Folks, I'm curious about something. What are your thoughts of people who have said they have had spiritual visions? Would you think they were psychotic or hallucinating or do you believe there actually are people who have seen with their own eyes something that is not of this world?

Chris

[Zenister 0]

i will say i have seen a great many things that i can nott easily explain.

i think people interpret those kinds of events thru the filters of their culture. ie if you are raised christian, you tend to think of that mythos. If buddhist you use that frame work etc..

i think its important for EVERYONE to throw away what they have been told all their lives by other people and attempt to see the world with their own eyes, and to decide for themselves what the real meaning behind everything is..both in terms of things that can be easily documented and understood and more importantly when dealing with 'exceptional' phenomena.

retreating into predetermined belief systems is just a defence mechanism against things not so easily grasped..everyone wants the world to fit into thier own little box, religion is often the result of man trying to explain what went bump in the night, and the human mind will go to great lengths to make everything 'normal' again..

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Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[sinker 0]

I'd say this...

1. Some people are psychotic.
2. Some have deep seated personality flaws that leads them to conjure up stories for "needs" such as attention.
3. Some people are possessed (yes I believe in diabolical possession, call me antique, don't care much...)
4. Some people are legit. If God DID exist, why wouldn't He want to speak to His children? The only deal is, if visions/apparitions/locutions really occur, I think the people who receive them tend to want to call very little attention to themselves. They are so overwhelmed by the experience that they tend to shun any form of attention.

so there are my views...

-the artist formerly known as sinker

[Muenkel 0]

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i think its important for EVERYONE to throw away what they have been told all their lives by other people

What if what they have been told was not by a "person?"

Chris

[blondeflyer7 0]

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i think its important for EVERYONE to throw away what they have been told all their lives by other people

What if what they have been told was not by a "person?"

Then you go with your heart it knows right from wrong if nothing else does

[sinker 0]

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i think its important for EVERYONE to throw away what they have been told all their lives by other people
and attempt to see the world with their own eyes, and to decide for themselves what the real meaning
behind everything is..both in terms of things that can be easily documented and understood and more
importantly when dealing with 'exceptional' phenomena.

In some ways, that is a very irresponsible thing for people to do. Yeah, some people have been fed a lot of crap, esp. about religion. A lot of people have very skewed views of God, of morality, of whatever. But you know, some people have been brought up with truths about God, about reality, about the universe. Those people shouldn't throw out the baby with the bathwater, but there is NO problem in questioning those beliefs and testing them. If those beliefs are true, they will withstand the test.

-the artist formerly known as sinker

[wmw999 2,153]

Zenister:

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i think its important for EVERYONE to throw away what they have been told all their lives by other people
and attempt to see the world with their own eyes, and to decide for themselves what the real meaning
behind everything is..

Sinker:

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there is NO problem in questioning those beliefs and testing them. If those beliefs are true, they will withstand the test.

Sounds like the same thing to me in a lot of ways. Stated differently, but the same thing.

Personally, I think faith is entirely a choice, and theology of the "I know what God will do" variety is incredibly arrogant. There are websited dedicated to defending how the mistranslations in the King James version of the Bible were actually divinely inspired.

Umm -- does that mean God got it wrong the first time 'round? Yes, I do think there are parts that are influenced by the culture of the time.

Life is a gift to us. Our gift back is what we do with it. Our gift to others is how we change them.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[sinker 0]

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etreating into predetermined belief systems is just a defence mechanism against things not so easily
grasped..everyone wants the world to fit into thier own little box, religion is often the result of man trying
to explain what went bump in the night, and the human mind will go to great lengths to make everything
'normal' again..

The only problem with this is that if your own investigations and search for answers lead you to beliefs espoused by a particular religion, some people will be far to tempted to excuse it as "retreating into a predetermined belief system" or a cute "little box." It is inconceivable to some that such a belief system may actually contain objective truth. Such people come to the table w/ too many predjudices.

-the artist formerly known as sinker

[debonair 0]

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And I thank God daily, for every blessing, and every moment I am allowed. I try to thank God in the way I live my life, and in the way I treat people. And while I fail, I know He knows. And I thank Him for that.

Thanks Michele, I feel very much the same way. Below is a quote that I think is very appropriate.

People are often
unreasonable and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,
people may accuse you of ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are honest,
people may cheat you.
Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness
People may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today
may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough.
Give your best anyway.

For you see, in the end,
it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

- Mother Teresa
__________________________________________

debonair

[nathaniel 0]

lol, there's even a section on landing out:

Deuteronomy 23:
24 If you enter your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket. 25 If you enter your neighbor's grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to his standing grain.

they should post this at hinckley
* do not pack grapes into your container
* if your main gets caught in the corn, you may use your hands to extract it, but do not use your hook knife on the field corn

it's the Lord's Word!



nathaniel

My advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir. The bums will always lose. Do you hear me, Lebowski?

[racer42 0]

Had a pretty good day today. Got some work done, kissed my children and my wife told em I loved em, did hurt anyone and had some fun in the process. Hmm doesn't sound like me. Maybe someone else was workin with me.

L.A.S.T. #24
Co-Founder Biscuit Brothers Freefly Team
Electric Toaster #3
Co-Founder Team Non Sequitor
Co-Founder Team Happy Sock

[SpeedRacer 1]

Here's some evidence of God for all you atheists/agnostics out there!

Speed Racer
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[Zenister 0]

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some people have been brought up with truths about God, about reality, about the universe. Those people shouldn't throw out the baby with the bathwater, but there is NO problem in questioning those beliefs and testing them. If those beliefs are true, they will withstand the test.

really? why then do you need your church? your pastor?your entire religious structure designed to tell you what when where how to think about everything?

why can 'god' (and i hate using that word because it has been corrupted by several religions) not speak to you? thru the wind the sea and the sky?

do you not feel the breath of god in the wind? feel the caress of her hand in the grass as you stare into the infinite realm? feel the throb of his pulse with your ears beneath the waves and your eyes on the moon? if (and i firmly believe there is, come play in the night some time with me and i will show you why) there is divinity beyond the scope of mans small senses, why do you believe she is confined to the dogma of a single culture? what is so persuasive (other than a good story which it is) about that mythology that leads you to believe it is the only path to salvation and that all others are 'false' a party of the enemy?

if you believe there is something more, then you should have no fear that he will reach you, without the need of a filter, another mans word to tell you how life truely is or is not. why rely on what is inarguablly the written word of MEN who claim god inspired them to write these words? why can the infinite not take the moments it requires to speak to you yourself, not thru the words and culture of anyone else (not just christian) but directly? dont qoute me scripture, i can qoute you shakespeare with as much or more meaning, tell me instead of your own truths as you experienced them for yourself and made that direct contact with the divine apart of who you are...

always be open to a new experience, but to do so REQUIRES you to break your preconceptions..wine can only adopt the shape of the vessel it is poured into, no matter how much water has been there before...

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[Shark 0]

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Between this and Billvon.....I think we have the religion and politics covered for today. Now...how about boobies and beer?

Yeah! But how is it that we cannot leave a thread with it's original content and not hijack it???

Rhino asked a simple question. Now every mf throws in there opinion; possibly to see if there are others that feel the same way. Whatever.

I got 4 jumps in today!

[Zenister 0]

very simply..you cannot ask any question and have it answered until you define your terms...

God? whos god? the christian? nope never. the man on the throne with the beard who punishes people for being themselves, exactly as he created them, he doesnt exist for me

divinity? absolutely..with every breath in every moment asleep or awake..

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[Shark 0]

Like I said, start another thread...

[Zenister 0]

why? its certainly the same topic..

he said god not jesus, not buddha not yahweh..god and the word god belongs to everyone no matter how much any religion wishs to make it mean "only the divinity we believe in"

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[SadSue 0]

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Just to be the voice of dissent, nope, I haven't thanked God lately. I don't think God exists.

[wears fireproof suit]

I'd second that, We're a long time DEAD, Im just gonna get as much as I can in now, Screw the after life!

Hope you don't get Banned!

[Shark 0]

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why? its certainly the same topic..

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Thank you God...... Have you thanked God lately?

Is it???

Out.

You can argue by yourself if you want.

[Zenister 0]

lol i do that any way..

and yes it is..

God belongs to no one religion.

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[Shark 0]

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God belongs to no one religion.

Yeah, but he lives in SoCal...

[Muenkel 0]

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lol, there's even a section on landing out:

Deuteronomy 23:
24 If you enter your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat all the grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket. 25 If you enter your neighbor's grainfield, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to his standing grain.

Now this is funny! Thanks for the early morning laugh Nathaniel.

Chris

_________________________________________
Chris

[jfields 0]

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Love and laughter and joy. It is about acceptance and simplicity and everything being always new. It is about the hug of a child and the glance of the aged, both sides of this life meeting and sharing an understanding. It is the sunkissed daisy which blooms right outside your kitchen door. It is appreciating that which is all around us, all the time, often unnoticed or rushed past.

I agree with this completely, and I'm an atheist. Even those of us that don't believe in God should still take the time to enjoy the beauty in the world, whatever its origin.

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[chuteless 1]

Justin: Did you know that you (yes you Justin) are mentioned in the Bible? It says in Psalms53:1, "The FOOL hath said in his heart there is no God". That reference to the FOOL, is you Justin. The time WILL COME when you and all your kind will dwell in eternity regretting your foolish remarks. The reason you dont want to believe in God is you are selfish, because believing in God means a change in your life, one you are too selfish to make. FOOL!!!