AB517

GodLoves:

Place a man at the center of a maze,
and watch his seemly random motions.

Turn the light on,
he uses his eyes.

Turn the light off,
and he will use his hands.

romansh

just a thought ... if we anthropomorhize and reflect our values in god then my god must be all unknowing, ??

__________________
There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

AB517

It is mans ego that makes God bigger (and smaller) than it is.
It is so old and misunderstood.
It wants us to be as we can be and would like us to understand it as we can.
In the life of an ant, we are forever.
In the mind of an ant, we are all knowing.
The gap between us and is it even greater, but it is not omni-anything.
It just is.

romansh

OK so if this god above (posted) a reflection of you, then what do you see in the metaphorical mirror?

I just a read an article that we tend to put our values and motivations in/on other people. A sidebar in the article also indicated this is true for our gods. And in my case I found it be quite true?

It just intrigued me.

__________________
There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

AB517

Yes, it is true of most of us.
I am working on this myself, letting people be who they are much like I let a tree be a tree. No judgments, just an appreciation of who they are.

God is not a reflection of me,
no more than my thumb is a reflection of the person I am.

I am a function of it and this universe.
They are really the same thing I am just using the words here to make the point.

This puts too much of self in the mirror. I am more of a “we” guy.
Maybe (Key word: MAYBE) The bible,
that would be a reflection of man.

romansh

Thankfully agnostics were not tested ...
The whole article is about our our egocenticity.

__________________
There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

AB517

In The United States?
it is all about "me" here.

That is why I work so hard at "we" and not "Me".
I am very egocentric.

"He was able manipulate the strength of their convictions"
This worries me.
A non believer will twist it one way and a believer will twist it the other.

But he definitely has a valid point. This is why I go to atheist and agnostic sites and not Christian sites. If I stay within my own group we can validate something that is “wrong”. I test my beliefs here, and if they hold up, maybe, just maybe, we are on the right path.

As far as agreeing with every rule in a group, I hate when people bring this up. The only type of person that thinks any group’s rules are all right is a fundamentalist. I am a citizen of the United States but I do not agree with everything we do.

romansh

AB
Not sure what you meant by the first statement.

I mean this as a compliment .. You seem an atypical Christian to me.
Broadly speaking (for me) Christians fall into two "types" Accepting ... you know those who happily go to church most Sundays, by and large are good people, understanding of the nature of society and get on with their lives. The other "type" I might describe as Converting ... They want change and perhaps are not happy with the status quo. I need to be saved apparently. I know this a very broad generalization. It is the latter type that we meet on forums, as the accepting group have lives to live.

I suppose my question is when you visit Christian sites what is your opinion of them? Can you suggest a Christian site for somebody with my temperment?

__________________
There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened. ........... Douglas Adams

AB517

How do you describe a color to someone who has not seen it?
When two people get together that saw it they can tell pretty quickly that the other person has seen it also. This transcends any religion.

Christians are people.
Some have seen the color, most have not.
Just like everybody else.

Religion is not God.
Science is not “not” God.

A better question is what do we think of people that spend as much time on forums as we do? The ones like you get drowned out by the others.

debdodd

Very good question .... I spend time on here when 1) it is cold and rainy outside and can't/won't go out and play 2) I'm an insomniac and can't sleep ... I'm sure there are more reasons that I am not identifying at this time ....

__________________
"Ubi dubium ibi libertas."

"We are all lone souls. It pays to know humility, lest the delusion of control, of mastery, overwhelms. And indeed, we seem a species prone to that delusion, again and ever again ....."