Belief is Absurd (page 2)

CoolBreeze

Farkel,

I learned how to windsurf on Lake Isabella back in the early eighties. I was living in Bakersfield at the time and and driving up Hwy 178 in my Mazda RX7 with my board and mast strapped to the top was half the fun

Anton

Farkel

Anton,

There are a whole bunch of trails around Isabela in the mountains that surround it. I spent my time riding those roads and looked down at that pathetic little "lake' and scoffed at it.

I grew up where lakes were LAKES. Isabella is a joke as a "lake." You' ve been there like I have. You know this.

Farkel

CoolBreeze

Farkel,

You are most correct with your assertion that Lake Isabella is a joke of a lake, especially during the droughts of the late '80's and early 90's. But when the water levels were high in the early 80's and the wind came over the dam at at 25-30 MPH cutting back and forth across the lake was an absolute rush. When the small craft advisory flags went up it was time to play for the windsurfers.

Anton

hippikon

Do some research on the brains temporal lobe and temporal lobe epilepsy

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.aspx?id=6626&site=3

Edited by - hippikon on 9 November 2002 3:17:2

searcher

So we each carry our own god around in our heads ?

OK I;ll buy that.

The problem is with the ones who feel compelled to force their god on others, especially the ones who have a book that ' proves ' they are better than the ones who dont.

searcher.

Navigator

Coolbreeze, Iron Gland

I agree that there is no one way or one truth. Met a guy the other day who described his belief structure as being "metaphysical bapticostal". Some of the "new thought" groups such as Religious Science, Unity, Divine Science, are much less critical of other faiths and willing to look for the good(read God) in everyone. Perhaps it is because none of the above are "bible based" although all use and revere the bible. I have concluded that the practice of "bibliolotry" is hazardous to your perception of God.

Iron Gland

The absurd part is the idea that their religion is the only correct one.

Granny Linda

Ah, Christians! Their minds are made up. What they have, everyone should have or else miss out on sooooo much.

And of course God is always described in the male gender...oh well, "live and let live." Just leave me the heck alone. I've had enough religion to last me many life times, and I'll just go with what makes me happy. And, accept full responsibility for my decision, thank you very much.

granny

donkey

God is an answer looking for a problem

Realist

IronGland and SS

excellent posts!

Zechariah

Irongland,

You have allowed religious misconceptions about the true nature of God motivate you to consider belief in his existence absurd. I agree the typical Judeo/Christian concept of God presents God in ways that is undesireable. Understand though that the Bible described God in ways that men could only understand in past times using physical terms to describe spiritual things.

God correctly is spirit. As such he is not subject to physical laws of time, space, etc. Therefore it is clear that God cannot and does not exist merely outside ourselves but also inside ourselves as well. He is neither male nor female as such does not apply to him. Like radio waves God exists everywhere in and around us.

God is always with us as a spirit inheritance but whether we are able to commune with God and access all his programming for us depends upon us tuning in to him. This is just like tuning in to a station on the radio. This must be done willingly and willfully. Although like with a radio we can coincidentally run across a certain station by surfing the dial. But we will not stay tuned to that station if we dont appreciate whats being aired.

Tuning into God is only done by trusting and faith. This is what keeps us tuned into God and receptive to what we receive there. Because of the intimate location of God wthin ourselves when one believes and trusts in God it translates to belief and trust in ourselves as well. Conversly it works that disbelief and mistrust in God translates to mistrust and disbelief in ourselves.

For successful living we must begin with the understanding that we are one with God in this very real way. Whether or not we are in communion with God is whether or not we have tuned into him by inviting him to live in our hearts (God's temple) by our acceptance of him by faith.

Faith is the one simple requirement for such a relationship with God. The hellfire you mentioned in the way of seperation from God should not be distasteful in any way to one who does not believe God exists. A person without God can have success but not true peace and contentment that comes with being one with God.

An accurate view of God comes from realizing our onness with God. Most every religion in the world including Judeo/Christian ones support this concept. God truly does not live in temples built by men but rather in mens hearts.

I'm in agreement that a man does not need religion to have a relationship with God. However
the belief that a universal God of all people exists is for certain and is the only beneficial thing for one to believe. Belief is the ultimate powerful tool to create a happy and fulfilled life. But if used incorrectly it can just as easily damage our lives.

It is the most important thing in our lives to make changes when they benefit us. Our lives are shaped by what we believe. Believing makes it so. We are what we think.

Special Serenity Prayer

I am willing to believe in God whether or not there is evidence to do so. There is no benefit in not believing. I rewrote the serenity prayer in line with faith. It goes ike this:

God give me the faith to believe the things it benefits me to.

To reject the things that offer no benefit.

And the wisdom to know the difference.

Anonymous Poem

Mind the master power that moulds and makes
And man is mind and evermore he takes
The tools of thought and shaping what it wills
Brings forth a thousand joys and a thousand ills
Man thinks in secret and it comes to pass
Environment is but his looking glass

The last line means that our environment or circumstances don't determining what we are . It simply shows us up for what we are.

The following poem is one of my own
called All I See in Life Is The Good...

All I see in life is the good
Only Joy I feel never sorrow
In my world it never rains
All day long the sun shines bright
Theres no place in which I know
That is other than a paradise
Theres no man that I hate
Because with love there is no room
And I never sing the blues
I always sing a happy tune

All I see in life is the good
Only joy I feel never sorrow
My whole life is a success
For only blessings do I count
And despite my lack of funds
A rich man is to what I amount
Rich in joy, peace, and love
and the hope of better days
For to just see good in life
Is the only thing that ever pays

Funkyderek,

The obligation you feel you owe to the intellect is one that will enslave and hamper you all your life. In view of everything I just said about the power of belief it should be obvious that what you call intellectual dishonesty is the very obligation of a man of faith. It is only by challenging the devilish notion that we must always face the facts that one can succeed in positively changing ones circumstances.

The physical (carnal) man is dominated by the intellect. He is slave of or in bondage to the intellect. He is EGO in the cute illustration I related of the two babies in the womb. He feels obligated to believe whatever the intellect tells him is fact. If you failed before you'll fail again. The Doctor says you are going to die. Etc.

The spirit man challenges the ego always as he is dominated by the spirit of God within him. He is a overcomer. He rises above his circumstances and succeeds with the power of God. He is SPIRIT in the cute illustration about the babies in the womb. There is life after death as there is life after birth. Belief in this eventuality makes our current circumstances better.

Zechariah

Belief is Absurd

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