The Faith & Religion mega Thread

Strange topic to find on Linux-related forum...
Anyway, I consider myself an atheist, but also tolerable to any other beliefs or religions

http://youtu.be/4KXidr0z1RY Dear "god" lol

Originally Posted by Arcane Maybe there is posting deity aswell but just like God we discuss here, he chooses to be invisible? Ok jokes are fun bet seriously this discussion has gone too inactive. Kinda miss those believing trolls - at least they driven this mega thread forward with pretty nice argumentation even if weak but still.

My thought on the matter is just: "and lean not to your own understanding." Because, truth be told, you don't "understand" anything. You can't. You're a carbon-based being with a ~70-year lifespan and then, like they said on Hee Haw, "Pffft! You are gone!" You have no objective frame-of-reference by which to "understand" a deity. And, you never will. Deal with it.

It's fine to believe whatever you believe, and "to thine own self be true." Be true to your god/God if you have one, and be true if you don't. Follow the dictates of your own conscience; your "still, small voice" if you happen to hear one. But don't "sin against your neighbor," so to speak, by interfering with his or her prerogative to do the same. You don't have to "save" him/her, even if you are "utterly convinced" that Hellfire And Brimstone are his/her "certain fate." Neither of you are truly an authority on the matter. Just leave them alone. God/god does not require a public-relations agent. Stones, or donkeys, or the flowers in the field, presumably will preach or talk or sing if told to do so.

Originally Posted by sundialsvcs My thought on the matter is just: "and lean not to your own understanding." Because, truth be told, you don't "understand" anything. You can't. You're a carbon-based being with a ~70-year lifespan and then, like they said on Hee Haw, "Pffft! You are gone!" You have no objective frame-of-reference by which to "understand" a deity. And, you never will. Deal with it.{...}

Same goes for your posts. You also have no objective frame-of-reference by which to claim we will never understand "deity". It's called collected collective material to work with from all human lifespans. Deal with it.

Originally Posted by Arcane Same goes for your posts. You also have no objective frame-of-reference by which to claim we will never understand "deity". It's called collected collective material to work with from all human lifespans. Deal with it.

Happy to do so! By all means, embrace your own opinions on these matters, and do so (so to speak ...) with my blessings. I will never, ever suggest that you are wrong, nor will I lay claim to be right. This is "the human condition," and a very vital aspect of it.

And in fact, I definitely cling to the notion that "if I cause my brother to stumble," I am wrong, even if I am "right." Certainly within this very-long thread, we've seen people "tearing at each other's throats" over some theological point, with not nearly enough thought (perhaps) being given to ... "what is my being so argumentative, doing to the person with whom I am speaking?" "Mere words" can cut like a most-wicked dagger, and maybe "he'll never let you hear him scream." You (impersonal "you" ...) might never get to know just what you have done. Mentioning no specific persons nor examples, and implying none whatsoever, I wince at some of the things I have "overheard."

Originally Posted by sundialsvcs Happy to do so! By all means, embrace your own opinions on these matters, and do so (so to speak ...) with my blessings. I will never, ever suggest that you are wrong, nor will I lay claim to be right. This is "the human condition," and a very vital aspect of it.{...}

Good! Cause knowledge is power and we are approaching age where even God question might be answered..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9WEwYBPVXc

Originally Posted by Arcane Good! Cause knowledge is power and we are approaching age where even God question might be answered.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9WEwYBPVXc

Well, that is certainly a very thought-provoking YouTube clip. Thanks for sharing.

Still, I am of the feeling that "religion" is actually more than just, as this speaker suggests, "something that is imposed upon others (by conquerors)." Likewise, I'm not sure that I share his conclusion about "an image of <<god>> that looks like you."

... but I don't "judge what he is saying, and find it wanting." Not at all.

"Religion," at least insofar as "spirituality," is certainly a part of the Human Condition. We all quickly realize that we are an impossibly-tiny, impossibly-brief part of an impossibly-vast and unknowable we-dont-know-what hell-we-cant-even-guess. (And we don't like that!) Even though religion has unquestionably been used as a tool of, and by, "conquerors," I think that they've been making malicious use of something that has always been with us.

And ... y'know ... "a still small voice" has always been with me, since my youngest days, and sometimes it does indeed(!) seem to cry out in some form of recognition that I do not begin to understand: "Abba!" ("Father!") I can't explain it. But, I also can't deny it. And, I really don't want to try.

I actually find it very comforting to think that there is a reality far beyond my/our hope of comprehension, and that, nevertheless, it is not "impossibly out-of-reach," but rather, "close at hand."

Nope. I'm no longer being "rational" here. Sometimes, the rational part of me simply gives-way to the part of me that simply wants to be a part of something ... something that is impossibly-bigger than me ... something that I could never explain. Something that will never ask me to explain it. Something that will never demand that I submit to anyone-else's interpretation of just what it is.

Sometimes, I just desperately want to go out, "in the cool of the evening, at the close of the day ..." And, "be there, with my Friend."

(To many of you, "thirty years from now" means, say, "forty-five." To me, however, it means: "not here.")

Not generally speaking but as a know it all for the lulz, we are floating spores nothing more; "spirituality," is certainly not part of my Human Condition (f#!k religions devils I'm good because it's right(.)) but a stepping stone for humanity like Zeus and war!

Edit: If a system is so flawed that it allows slavery and relies simply upon ignorance of youth, like indeed humanity, then it’s days are numbered as it is wrong; period! (New-new-new-new-testament to there is no answer for everything) Should you have kids before it’s thought out of course not, should you have seven!?.

Originally Posted by sundialsvcs Well, that is certainly a very thought-provoking YouTube clip. Thanks for sharing.{...}

Liked that? Here is more. -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AhibqA4G4A <- Also read comments below - interesting stuff..

Originally Posted by sundialsvcs {...}God/god does not require a public-relations agent. Stones, or donkeys, or the flowers in the field, presumably will preach or talk or sing if told to do so.

Due to recent events we are not done. You seem to claim you understand God's plan. In that case can you please comment on this tragic event?:
http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...maxima+tragedy
What did these people(~60 died from roof collapse including saviours) do to get such disgusting death and so on? Seriously..i'm starting to believe that if your God exists - either he is lazy, powerless or prefers evil. In which case it contradicts statement he is holy...and also supports movement of not worshiping it because it really makes no difference if people pray or not because they will die and suffer anyway!

Originally Posted by Arcane Due to recent events we are not done. You seem to claim you understand God's plan. In that case can you please comment on this tragic event?: http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...maxima+tragedy What did these people(~60 died from roof collapse including saviours) do to get such disgusting death and so on? Seriously..i'm starting to believe that if your God exists - either he is lazy, powerless or prefers evil. In which case it contradicts statement he is holy...and also supports movement of not worshiping it because it really makes no difference if people pray or not because they will die and suffer anyway!

No, I don't claim to understand anything of the sort ... and, I never will.

I have no idea why these things happen. I'm not even going to speculate, let alone to judge.

You've got exactly the same 'access (if any) to deities' that I do ... why don't you ask him? I mean that perfectly seriously.

The fact is(!) gods don't exist and (just) (lost my train of thought!?.)

No Edit : (4onceish) good enough!

Originally Posted by jamison20000e The fact is(!) gods don't exist

Prove that claim and collect your nobel price.

I refuse to get involved in a debate/discussion like this. I do find the poll very interesting though. I am glad to see I am not the only one here at LQ that believes in the same thing I believe in.

If only I hadn't lost my train of thought...

I don't really need to prove it tho if the thread is read should be "commonsense" therein lies the problem; K1 for everyone!

You don't think believing in ghosts is silly?