“Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He comes shall find watching.”?~ Luke 12:37
Edited by shadowhawk, 10 April 2014 - 01:18 AM.
Posted 10 April 2014 - 01:15 AM
“Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He comes shall find watching.”?~ Luke 12:37
Edited by shadowhawk, 10 April 2014 - 01:18 AM.
Posted 10 April 2014 - 01:37 AM
Hindu cosmology teaches that the universe cycles between creation and destruction, through infinite time.
The closest cosmological model conforming to Hindu Scriptures is the eternally oscillating model of the universe.
The oscillating model requires that the universe exist eternally into the past.
But the evidence of the Big Bang shows the the universe, and time itself, had a beginning.
The oscillating model requires that the expansion of the universe reverse into a collapse, (= crunch).
In 1998, the discovery of the year was that the universe would expand forever. There will be no crunch.
Therefore, the oscillating model is disconfirmed by observations.
The oscillating model also faces theoretical problems with the bounce mechanism.
Atheism also requires an eternal universe, according the Secular Humanist Manifesto:
FIRST: Religious humanists regard the universe as self-existing and not created.
Posted 10 April 2014 - 01:48 AM
/the first second of the big Bang is in hot debate. There is no accepted model. All views are debated. I may poist more on this but this is where we are at in science helping us. Science is almost always wrong.
Humanism ls largely Atheist and does reject religion. The people I quoted are atheists. http://www.beliefnet...ts-Believe.aspx
Edited by shadowhawk, 10 April 2014 - 01:56 AM.
Posted 10 April 2014 - 07:24 AM
From my perspective it is good that you have not rejected God. Just thinking there may be an elevator to take you to the top of a building is not faith. You need to get into the elevator and let it take you up. Trust. Knowing there is a democratic party does not make you a democrat.
Faith is trust. It is a belief in a person or thing with incomplete evidence. We all live by faith because we never have complete evidence of anything. Faith does not mean no knowledge. We all live by faith. You can’t even cross a street with 100% knowledge a car is not coming.
Trust God, if you put your faith in Him, he will not reject you. He will honor your faith. Trust is a verb.
A test for evidence.
If Christianity was true, would you become a Christian?
This works exactly the same way in all religions, so all gods must be equally true, otherwise people would not find all these gods?
Posted 10 April 2014 - 08:33 PM
Posted 10 April 2014 - 09:15 PM
A test for evidence.
l asked you:
“If Christianity was true, would you become a Christian? “
platypus, you answered:
“This works exactly the same way in all religions, so all gods must be equally true, otherwise people would not find all these gods?”
As we have seen, all religions are not the same. No two believe the same whether religious or not. Some things are not true and people believing them does not make them true. That was not my question as you know. If Christianity was true, would you become a Christian?
Faith however works the same for everyone including Atheists. It matters what you put your trust in. If Christianity was true, would you become a Christian?
Faith is trust. It is a belief in a person or thing with incomplete evidence. We all live by faith because we never have complete evidence of anything. Faith does not mean no knowledge but it Is a hypotheses based on limited knowledge. We all live by faith. Are you open to truth if it is Christian?
Posted 11 April 2014 - 01:56 PM
Edited by addx, 11 April 2014 - 02:04 PM.
Posted 11 April 2014 - 02:39 PM
Premise 1: Every natural, innate desire in us corresponds to some real object that can satisfy that desire.
We are not talking about a few mental cases, but the vast majority of the people of the world. (
The well ones)
Premise 2: But there exists in us a desire which nothing in time, nothing on earth, no creature can satisfy.
Conclusion: Therefore there must exist something more than time, earth and creatures, which can satisfy this desire.
This something is what people call "God" and "life with God forever.
If our desires are for real things, then what of our desire for God? This is not intended to be an exhaustive prove all argument. However I can tell you from personal experience that if you open your heart (the seat of that desire) He will meet you there. That is the best real evidence.
Like awareness, language is no thing. For though it finds expression in the objective form of the spoken and written word, language as such is not itself any object. Nor do words themselves, as signifiers merely denote or represent specific objects or signifieds. The meaning of language does not lie in referring to things but in deferring meaning. Thus even in the most seemingly commonplace of everyday verbal interactions between people, and despite their apparent reference to everyday things and events, we can never pin down in words what it is that people are saying to one another as subjects - through their words, whatever these words seem to be referring to or about. Even in just referring to and talking about ourselves we are effectively using this subject word I to objectify ourselves thus forever deferring expression of our silent, subjective awareness of self.
Edited by addx, 11 April 2014 - 02:40 PM.
Posted 11 April 2014 - 07:52 PM
With all the name calling and off topic comments I don’t feel it necessary to resound to the Logical Fallacies in the last two windy posts by addx. Not one serious point. He needs to read the forum guidelines and stop trying to derail the topic.. Ho humm
Posted 12 April 2014 - 01:38 AM
Let's go on.
How do you know that Christianity is the one true worldview?
https://www.youtube....WY-6xBA0Pk#t=17
Posted 12 April 2014 - 10:53 AM
Edited by addx, 12 April 2014 - 11:03 AM.
Posted 12 April 2014 - 10:43 PM
addx, I am, sorry you can’t read the topic. I have repeatedly been asked why Christianity is different than other religions, including Atheism. I am discussing which one and we have been doing this since last October. I have not discussed Baptism.
This is the “Spirituality & Religion” section of the forum and you are telling me we can’t talk about religion? Christianity, the last time I looked was a religion. I guess you fancy yourself a bully with your demand to get my act straight and the tone you have come at me with.. I have been talking about these subjects and others for over four years now and I am doing nothing everyone else does not do.
Next time why don’t you try to say something meaningful. By the way, here are the forum rules.
USER GUIDELINES
http://www.longecity...es/#entry623817
http://www.longecity...180#entry629606
http://www.longecity...180#entry629606
Posted 12 April 2014 - 10:57 PM
Are All Religions Equally Wrong?
Posted 13 April 2014 - 03:29 PM
Edited by addx, 13 April 2014 - 03:31 PM.
Posted 13 April 2014 - 03:35 PM
KALAAM COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT FOR GODS EXISTENCE 2.
1) Everything that begins to exist has a cause.
2) The universe began to exist.
Edited by addx, 13 April 2014 - 03:40 PM.
Posted 13 April 2014 - 07:41 PM
Edited by addx, 13 April 2014 - 07:53 PM.
Posted 14 April 2014 - 12:09 PM
Yes, yes, I'm familiar with the story of jesus christ, but the meat of my question is not how he came into THE world, but how he came into YOUR world. Of course, if the question is too personal you may decline to answer, but I know of jesus, what I don't know of is you, and your story. That, here, is what interests me the most.What did God do for me? God loved me so much that He sought me and came into my world.
When I became a Christian I was surprised by joy. Everything changed. Colors were more saturated, like after a rain, when the sum just comes out. I was in love with God and my heart was bursting with wonderment. My heart was excited and warm, I was in a love relationship with God. I didnt have a clue of what it meant to be a Christian but I was afraid of what my friends would think, especially after the animal I had been. All my friends thought Christians were nuts. At first I could not tell anyone because of fear what they would think.
I thought Christians had to pray at their meals and I thought they got on their knees every night and said a little prayer. I was in a battalion of gnarley men. Well I stopped eating so I would not have to let anyone see me praying. I starved myself half to death. I was too afraid to get down on my knees before I turned in for the night. I didnt expect God to answer my prayer and when He did, I was I a fix if I did anything about it.
To make a long story short, I started asking grace at my meals and I would pray every night. It created a huge reaction and many became Christians. When I got out of the military I went back to school.
God has been a mystery to me beyond words. How do you put into words your hearts deepest love. There are no words for it.
Posted 14 April 2014 - 06:37 PM
Addx, You need a Tantric tool adjustment. Not interested in your attempt to derail the topic with this windbag stuff. Have a nice day.
addx: "You can quote me forums rules, I don't give a crap if I get banned, although I doubt this will do it."
Me to. http://www.longecity...e-6#entry648240
Edited by shadowhawk, 14 April 2014 - 06:55 PM.
Posted 14 April 2014 - 07:16 PM
Addx, You need a Tantric tool adjustment. Not interested in your attempt to derail the topic with this windbag stuff. Have a nice day.
Posted 14 April 2014 - 07:37 PM
addx: "Im not really writing to you, Im writing simply to show this thread for what it is so no more flies get caught into your webs of bating and changing the subject and ignoring comments."
You don't mind if I don't relate to you because we have had lots of discussion of the topic. I know you want to derail the topic "IS THERE EVIDENCE FIR CHRISTIANITY???" so I pass. Not interested and off topic,
Edited by shadowhawk, 14 April 2014 - 08:24 PM.
Posted 14 April 2014 - 07:55 PM
HOW DO EASTERN AND WESTERN RELIGIONS DIFFER???
Posted 14 April 2014 - 08:50 PM
Which beliefs are closer to Christianity? In order of closeness.
Traditional Judaism, which worships the same God but not via Christ.
Islam, greatest of the theistic heresies.
Hinduism, a mystical pantheism, some monotheism;
Buddhism, a pantheism without a theos;
Modern Judaism, Unitarianism, Confucianism, Modernism, and secular humanism, none of which have either mysticism or supernatural religion but only ethics;
Idolatry;
Satanism.
Agnosticism, hard, soft;
Atheism
Edited by shadowhawk, 14 April 2014 - 08:55 PM.
Posted 14 April 2014 - 11:06 PM
PASSOVER TONIGHT.
Introduction
The festival of the Passover has been celebrated by Jews for thousands of years. It is the retelling of the great story of how God redeemed the Jewish nation from enslavement in Egypt. The celebration itself was given to the Jews while they were still in Egypt. The original celebration centered around the Passover lamb, which was sacrificed and its blood put over the doorposts as a sign of faith, so that the Lord passed over the houses of the Jews during the last plague poured out on the Egyptians - the killing of every firstborn. To a large degree, the Passover lamb has been eliminated from the Passover festival (with the only remnant being the roasted lamb shank bone). The New Testament says that Jesus is our sacrificial Lamb. The Passover lamb was to be a "male without defect," which is the same description given to Jesus. In addition, when the lamb was roasted and eaten, none of its bones were to be broken.8 This fact was also prophesized for the Messiah, whose bones were not to be broken. It was customary during crucifixion to break the leg bones of the person after a few hours in order to hasten their death. The only way a person could breathe when hanging on a cross was to push up with his legs, which was very exhausting. By breaking the legs, death followed soon by asphyxiation. However, in the case of Jesus, they broke the legs of the other two men, but did not break His, since He was already dead.
Passover symbolismMuch of the symbolism of Jesus' last Passover week is lost to us because we are unaware of the customs of the time. For example, Jesus came into the city of Jerusalem five days before the lamb was killed in the temple as the Passover sacrifice for the sins of the people of Israel. Five days before the lamb was to be sacrificed, it was chosen. Therefore, Jesus entered Jerusalem on lamb selection day as the lamb of God. The people did not understand the significance of this, since they greeted Him with palm branches and hailed Him as King, shouting "Hosanna," which means "save us." However, they were not looking for a spiritual Savior, but a political savior. Palm branches were a symbol of freedom and defiance, since Simon Maccabeus had entered Jerusalem with that symbolism. Jesus' reaction was to weep, since He realized that they did not understand the Messiah's purpose in coming.
Passover sacrificeThe day Jesus was crucified was the day of the Passover celebration and the day that the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed. For the previous 1,200 years, the priest would blow the shophar (ram's horn) at 3:00 p.m. - the moment the lamb was sacrificed, and all the people would pause to contemplate the sacrifice for sins on behalf of the people of Israel. At 3:00, when Jesus was being crucified, He said, "It is finished"18 - at the moment that the Passover lamb was sacrificed and the shophar was blown from the Temple. The sacrifice of the lamb of God was fulfilled at the hour that the symbolic animal sacrifice usually took place. At the same time, the veil of the Temple (a three-inch thick, several story high cloth that demarked the Holy of Holies) tore from top to bottom - representing a removal of the separation between God and man. Fifty days later, on the anniversary of the giving of the law (Pentecost), God left the earthly temple to inhabit those who call on the name of Jesus through His Holy Spirit.
BurialThe festival of unleavened bread began Friday evening (at sunset). As part of the festival, the Jews would take some of the grain - the "first fruits" of their harvest - to the Temple to offer as a sacrifice. In so doing, they were offering God all they had and trusting Him to proved the rest of the harvest. It was at this point that Jesus was buried - planted in the ground - as He said right before His death. Paul refers to Jesus as the first fruits of those raised from the dead in 1 Corinthians.23 As such, Jesus represents the fulfillment of God's promise to provide the rest of the harvest - resurrection of those who follow the Messiah.
ResurrectionChristian symbolism in the Passover occurs early in the Seder (the Passover dinner). Three matzahs are put together (representing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The middle matzah is broken, wrapped in a white cloth, and hidden, representing the death and burial of Jesus. The matzah itself is designed to represent Jesus, since it is striped and pierced, which was prophesized by Isaiah, David, and Zechariah. Following the Seder meal, the "buried" matzah is "resurrected," which was foretold in the prophecies of David.
Christian communionIt was during a Passover seder that Jesus proclaimed that the meal represented Himself and that He was instituting the New Covenant, which was foretold by Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah. The celebration of this covenant has become the ordinance of communion in the Christian Church. At the end of the meal, Jesus took the unleavened bread, broke it, and said that it represented His body. Then He took the cup of wine, which would have been the third cup of the Seder - the cup of redemption. He said that it was the new covenant in His blood "poured out for you." It is through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we are declared clean before God, allowing those of us who choose to accept the pardon, to commune with Him - both now and forevermore through the eternal life He offers.
ConclusionIf you are a Christian, I encourage you to celebrate the Passover with your friends and neighbors. Our family has been doing this for the last six years and have used the celebration as a way of sharing the gospel of Christ in a fun and non-threatening manner
Posted 15 April 2014 - 01:46 PM
addx: "Im not really writing to you, Im writing simply to show this thread for what it is so no more flies get caught into your webs of bating and changing the subject and ignoring comments."
You don't mind if I don't relate to you because we have had lots of discussion of the topic. I know you want to derail the topic "IS THERE EVIDENCE FIR CHRISTIANITY???" so I pass. Not interested and off topic,
Or a continuation of one of the longest-lived unpunished sessions of continuous and successful trolling. Seriously, this is just too perfect, I think it's an attempt at Guiness.
This is not really a topic. The only things that needed saying were said at the beginning. The fact that they have been ignored by SH is neither here nor there. They were said. They were sufficient; beyond that point we are just encouraging him to play with himself.
Oh dear! I've been away for two weeks in the sun and the topic still hasn't improved. I don't suppose it ever will: SH will just go on demanding the impossible and, as was pointed out above, triumphantly maintaining his preposterous position in defiance of everybody else's demands for common sense, honesty and a coherent interpretation.
You are apparently incapable of reasoning by analogy or refuse to do so. Rather than address points, you dismiss them as off-topic or as red herrings even when it is clear to everyone that they are relevant to the topic being discussed.
I am amazed at how long this thread has been so far and what kind of endurance some users have in answering shadowhawk.
We should all ignore ShadowHawk, because he's proven himself to be a very poor debater, unwilling to concede in the least any faults in his arguments, or see the merits of other people's points.
So why continue with him?
Most of the things you say, even your syntax, seem quite ridiculous and even incoherent. So since you don't respond differently if approached in a more serious, reasonable manner, there is no reason to make any effort beyond jokes and sarcasm.
Your mind seems to be set: atheists are stupid, atheists are ignorant, atheists are irrational, etc
I have more than a decade's experience in this. If it acts like a bigot, if it talks like a fundy, if it's unresponsive to respectful dialogue, then it is not worthy of any serious time and effort of mine. Engage it only for my own entertainment or the entertainment of others, or for offering information to other people lurking the thread. If engage it at all.
There is evidence for atheism only if you accept that ageing is a basic form of altruism neccessary for sexual selection of eukaryotes. It evolved into advanced forms of altruism as selection mechanisms evolved.
The "gene pool" is the first evolved meta-entity to "source" altruism. Eukaryotes sacrifice their asexual reproduction for access to the gene pool. Gene pool only lets mature fit individuals access it. And eventually starts rejecting those that can reproduce asexually. After all in the gene pool have lost asexual reproduction(in favour building the multicellular body rathat than breed) they have subscribed and become hostages of the gene pool or "obligatory sociality".
The "knowledge pool"(mammals) is the second evolved meta-entity to "source" altruism. Spread of knowledge(behaviour) again requires sociality and is not spread by genes.
Subscription to and sacrifice for these two entities is what gives meaning to life of subhuman animals.
Humans evolved individuality which enables us to take knowledge from multiple knowledge pools and give it back. We are infact also motivated to do this and our motivation depends on our perception of such knowledge being useful(which infact means, reproductible, teachable, others want to know it). Useful knowledge will either motivate to teach it or use it. Either behavior will cause spread. Humans have unwittingly become pawns in evolution of knowledge.
As have multicellular bodies been pawns in evolution of form.
Subhumans have no perception of usefullness of knowledge(which is infact possession - a validated way to control something is posesion of it. The way to control is knowledge. Having such knowledge - of posesssion makes your ego big) except in the moment - they just behave and learn vicariously. Usefuless of knowledge is infact always judged against others. There is no useful knowledge on a deserted island giving rise to typical insanity(stemming meaninglessness from lack of perception of any reward).
Both evolutions (of genes and knowledge) require sacrifice to evolve. Genes need to be tested. Knowledge needs to be tested(applied and proven to work). This embedded sacrifice is the platform for observable altruism in species, even humans.
It gave rise to religion which actually recognized this process to be what it is. Be nice, share, breed, have kids, raise them well. That's it. All you need to do. And that is how mother nature programmed us to feel well and this will make most people die well and happy. Religion was built on this, they stole it from mother nature and said God did it. The nice feelings are from God.
But it's not that easy, evolution will make some of us feel pressured for more(especially in dense populations). If we survive, we evolved the knowledge pool(could also be called "posession pool" or "control method pool"), if not, we did our best. Someone else will try again. Such driven people end up wasting a lot of resources on a "dream". They may or may not make it. Some are more some less delusional, but without such people we would mostly stagnate. Religion has the idea that such people should be shot down and destroyed.
If you do not accept this line of thought you have to accept theism. The only 3rd option is Dawknins meaninglessness, but meaninglessness would result in emotionlessness and it doesnt, does it? So we can blind ourselves and say, emotions are just some obsolete thing from lower life forms, we dont need them, but infact you'd hardly be talking here if you didnt have them. The biggest problem with building an AI is in fact creating instrinsic incetive to actually do anything. Why would it talk to a person, what does it have to gain? If you just force it then it's not really an AI is it? People exhachange knowledge that they think is useful (most of you probably spent some time ignoring people talking about stuff you dont think is important). What would be useful for an AI? It can not "sense" usefulness.
Usefulness is sensed as chance of increasing control level. When applied and successful control level is increased. What is controlled? When you work it out to the end -> always people. The final end point of any control attempt is controlling people. Noone would invent anything if they didnt have anyone to show it to who would appreciate it. It can even be yourself(bettering yourself, your control of a car for example), but in the end, how you "invented yourself" is again something that you show to others and attract envy and awe as validation.
So, either we're all here playing for a gene-pool and knowledge-pools or we're playing for God. But we are players, pawns and that's it, disposable.
Very interesting. On topic and reasoned. No logical fallacies. I don't have time right now to respond.
Edited by addx, 15 April 2014 - 01:59 PM.
Posted 15 April 2014 - 05:36 PM
Ho Humm addx, Not interested in your bigoted raves. By the way, you are quoting from a different topic, "Is There Evidence For Atheism??" which I also started. Off topic here.
Edited by shadowhawk, 15 April 2014 - 06:02 PM.
Posted 15 April 2014 - 05:47 PM
What Distinguishes Monotheisms From Other Religions?
Edited by shadowhawk, 15 April 2014 - 05:49 PM.
Posted 15 April 2014 - 05:49 PM
Posted 15 April 2014 - 06:31 PM
Too bad, I'm all you got, hahaahah
Hardly anything new. Adjust your tool for your childish ad hominems and rave on. Bigots are like that. It has been done before. You are just the latest to try to derail the topic.
http://www.longecity...e-6#entry648240
http://www.longecity...e-6#entry656447
Posted 15 April 2014 - 07:06 PM
Jesus among other Gods.
Posted 15 April 2014 - 08:12 PM
Asked if a "homosexual subculture" (defined as a "definite group of persons that has its own friendships, social gatherings and vocabulary") existed in their diocese or religious order, 17 percent of the priests said "definitely," and 27 percent said "probably." 53 percent of priests who were ordained in the last 20 years (1982-2002) affirmed such a subculture existed in the seminary when they attended.[14]
The results made public in 2004 showed that even after the public outcry, priests were moved out of the countries where they had been accused and were still in "settings that bring them into contact with children, despite church claims to the contrary".[1] Among the investigation's findings is that nearly half of 200 cases "involved clergy who tried to elude law enforcement."[1]
Edited by addx, 15 April 2014 - 08:17 PM.
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