The One True Religion

[Matt Greatorex]

Well, that pretty much ends the debate in a disappointing way. Pity. Nobody expects anyone to be converted one way or the other but it was interesting hearing the reasoning behind people's thinking.

"I know X to be true but I have no desire to convince anyone else of that fact. My knowledge is based on neither faith nor logic but I will, however, say that most people who claim Y to be true are using flawed reasoning"

I do have to admit that I don't understand this bit. Once you remove both logic and faith from a decision making process, what else is there to base your opinion on? One 'knows' that dropping a ball will cause it to fall, based on a logical inference made after seeing it happen before. Most Christians 'know' that God exists because they have faith in it being the case, despite no provable evidence.

If you don't think God exists for logical reasons and you have no faith that he does, how can you 'know' it?

 

[jsanders]

Well, that pretty much ends the debate in a disappointing way. Pity. Nobody expects anyone to be converted one way or the other but it was interesting hearing the reasoning behind people's thinking.

If you don't think God exists for logical reasons and you have no faith that he does, how can you 'know' it?

Well at the risk of sounding insane, all I can say is that all my life, others have wondered at my "luck" and all my life, I knew it was not luck.

I can remove other peoples pain.

I'm sober; all the things in my life are gifts, not earned but simply there. People will dismiss them as hallucinations, so I tend not to talk about them much.

And there’s something else, because of the agreements I have with God I have to be very good (as I can) because I seem to get punished, rather severely, whenever I’m not.


Non-believer and believers alike tend to look at you weird when you tell them these things.

So from most people point of view, I’m just extremely lucky.

I could tell you how to get this but you wouldn’t believe me.

 

[Matt Greatorex]

Well at the risk of sounding insane, all I can say is that all my life, others have wondered at my "luck" and all my life, I knew it was not luck.

So, have you always explained it as God's actions or did that come later in life?

I'm sober; all the things in my life are gifts, not earned but simply there.

Isn't there at least one 'branch' (for want of a better word) of Christianity that believes what happens to you is pre-ordained, so it makes no difference if you're good or bad? Or does that pre-ordination just relate to whether or not someone gets into Heaven?

People will dismiss them as hallucinations, so I tend not to talk about them much.

The objects themselves, who provides them, or the means by which they're provided?

..because of the agreements I have with God I have to be very good (as I can) because I seem to get punished, rather severely, whenever I’m not.

You don't watch 'My Name is Earl' by any chance?

I could tell you how to get this but you wouldn’t believe me.

I don't believe in God but it hasn't stopped me trying to understand how others can. If you were willing to share this I'd be interested to hear it.

P.S.

I can remove other peoples pain.

Physical or spiritual ('cos I notice from the forum you don't have much luck with removing pains in the a** )

 

[jsanders]

So, have you always explained it as God's actions or did that come later in life?

Later, after I got sober.

Isn't there at least one 'branch' (for want of a better word) of Christianity that believes what happens to you is pre-ordained, so it makes no difference if you're good or bad? Or does that pre-ordination just relate to whether or not someone gets into Heaven?

I’m not really much of a theologian. But I think too many people have religion as an entryway into the afterlife, based on fear of perishing I guess. There is much more to the Creator and his family than the Pearly Gates

The objects themselves, who provides them, or the means by which they're provided?

Don’t follow you there Matt.

You don't watch 'My Name is Earl' by any chance?

Don’t watch much TV.

I don't believe in God but it hasn't stopped me trying to understand how others can. If you were willing to share this I'd be interested to hear it.

This will take a long time, but be warned, it may not tale you where you think you're going.

P.S.

Physical or spiritual ('cos I notice from the forum you don't have much luck with removing pains in the a** )

Physical.

And yes, I am ashamed of the way I have treated him.

 

[jsanders]

One more thing Matt,
I such a pitiful servant, There are others you could learn more from.

 

[Matt Greatorex]

This part:

I'm sober; all the things in my life are gifts, not earned but simply there. People will dismiss them as hallucinations, so I tend not to talk about them much.

Do you mean the things you have in your life (e.g. health, possessions, luck) could be viewed as hallucinations, the person/thing that provided them (e.g. God) could be viewed as an hallucination, or the means by which they were provided (e.g. a dream) could be viewed as hallucinatory?

 

[jsanders]

This part:


Do you mean the things you have in your life (e.g. health, possessions, luck) could be viewed as hallucinations, the person/thing that provided them (e.g. God) could be viewed as an hallucination, or the means by which they were provided (e.g. a dream) could be viewed as hallucinatory?

I don't really hold much stock in possessions, other than my tools. I like my tools, I’m the tool man.

That I would choose to attribute the luck to divine intervention instead of just luck. People find it easier to be lucky than blessed.

 

[Kraj]

That I would choose to attribute the luck to divine intervention instead of just luck. People find it easier to be lucky than blessed.

An interesting statement, and one that I don't think holds true as a generality. I think whether this statement is true depends on the individual. Whether one path or belief set is "easier" than another depends mostly on the path an individual is already on and the belief set they already hold. It's not easier to believe in one thing over another, it's easier to keep on believing what you believe than it is to question or change your beliefs.

 

[Rich]

That's because it's a stupid question.

Well I didn't expect a sensible answer from an American

 

[KenHigg]

Well I didn't expect a sensible answer from an American

Sorry.

Where you been - Working on a heater?

 

[Rich]

Where you been - Working on a heater?

Several, now answer why American society is based on the old testament and not the new?

 

[Kraj]

now answer why American society is based on the old testament and not the new?

Because our crappy education system only teaches us Hebrew. We can't keep up with modern Aramaic texts.

 

[Rich]

Because our crappy education system only teaches us Hebrew. We can't keep up with modern Aramaic texts.

well a good answer, but not the correct one

 

[KenHigg]

Several, now answer why American society is based on the old testament and not the new?

Hum - That's a good question... I can see how it might appear that way. I'm not very articulate when it comes to religious topics and it appears you have the upper hand when it comes to biblical issues. So..... I'll try to keep my opinions regarding faith to myself.

Sorry I got everyone riled up when I zonked your four letter word a while back - Don't know what I was trying to accomplish.

 

[Rich]

Sorry I got everyone riled up when I zonked your four letter word a while back - Don't know what I was trying to accomplish.

I'm not a vindictive person, so provided you send me one of the WMV HD dvd's only available in the States, I'll forgive

 

[KenHigg]

I'm not a vindictive person, so provided you send me one of the WMV HD dvd's only available in the States, I'll forgive

How much are they and where do you get them?

 

[Kraj]

How much are they and where do you get them?

Well he only asked for a single DVD, so it shouldn't be very expensive. A few doallars, maybe. You could probably order it online and have it shipped direct.

 

[KenHigg]

Well he only asked for a single DVD, so it shouldn't be very expensive. A few doallars, maybe. You could probably order it online and have it shipped direct.

I could probably swing that - PM me the address you want it shipped to -

 

[Rich]

Well he only asked for a single DVD, so it shouldn't be very expensive. A few doallars, maybe. You could probably order it online and have it shipped direct.

They are only a few dollars each, unfortunately they won't ship to the UK

 

[Rich]

How much are they and where do you get them?

One of them is here http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...1/104-4483769-2865562?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846

I don't know how much the postage is to the Uk though, obviously I'd send you the money if I knew how much to send