I don't believe the Bible is inspired by God, but merely a collection of documents which reflect the mythology and history of one ethnic group. As to the existence of God, I would say that the answer depends on how one defines "God". As described in the Bible, i.e. creator of "heavens and earth", no.
gaiagirl
JoinedPosts by gaiagirl
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65
POLL: Do You Believe In The Bible or God At All???
by minimus inat this point in your life, do you believe in god or any parts of the bible as being god's word???.
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If there was no reward or punishment would you be involved in any religion?
by restrangled ini ask this because i have just started a book called, sermon on the mount and i believe the author is "fox".
i have also been reading c.s.
lewis, surprised by joy.
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gaiagirl
I believe a number of religions offer a better life right now, rather than in some hypothetical future. Most pagan belief systems fall into this category.
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Where in the Bible does it say man has free will?
by lovelylil ini was doing some research on another topic and this scripural point kept coming up - jesus said "no one comes to me unless the father who sent me draws him" this word draw means to "entice" or "attract".
in light of this statement, does this mean we actually do not have free will to decide to serve christ?
for it says we cannot do so unless drawn by god.
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gaiagirl
I don't think I need the Bible to confirm that I have free will. If we do NOT have free will, then does it logically follow that all of us are posting on this site because "God" is directing us to do so? And those of us who have left the WTBTS, did we CHOOSE to do so, or did "God" direct us to leave? Conversely, if we DO have free will, does it logically follow that we could use that free will to violate physical laws such as gravity or properties of matter, space and time? I believe I have free will, but that doesn't mean I can stop bullets with my own flesh, make time go backwards, or lift automobiles over my head. The fact that posters on this thread do not all have the same opinion leads to the conclusion that those posters have free will, and are not just acting as directed by some higher intelligence. There are admittedly physical limits to what we can do, imposed on us by the properties of the universe in which we live, and by the limits of flesh and bone. However, within those limits, we can direct our own actions and words with complete freedom. If I see that I am making poor choices, I can make choices differently in the future. Sometimes, I can even reverse the consequences of previous choices.
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Have you ever noticed how "Born-Agains" get angry when you don't believe?
by booker-t insince you have been out of the jw's have you ever noticed how born-again christians get angry when you don't believe in their "interpretation of the bible"?
it never fails since i have been out for over 15 years when i run across a born-again and they don't know my past they will try to force their interpretation down my throat until i show them that i am very versed in the old and new testaments.
i know all of the scriptures that they will bring up and if i disagree with them then i am going to "hell" according to them.
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gaiagirl
The same person who told me about the Hormel chili/gay connection tried to evangelize me a few weeks ago. They asked me some questions about my own beliefs, which eventually moved to whether or not animals had souls. I pointed out that Solomon clearly believed that they did, and that he believed they came from and went to the same place as human souls. (Ecclesiastes 3:19-21). From there we progressed to discussing evolution. I asked this individual if they had actually examined any evidence which supported evolution, or read any books such as "Origin of Species". Their response was "Fuck Darwins Book". I replied that this response didn't sound as if they had examined both sides of the argument, and so really weren't qualified to take a position either way. This fine Christian person then told me to "Shut The Fuck Up!". So, yes, I suppose I have noticed how some Born-Again Christians react when they find you don't share their beliefs.
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New Urban Legend! Anyone heard about Hormel?
by gaiagirl ina member of another conservative cult (calls itself a bible fellowship) where i work told me that hormel, the makers of canned chili and other foods, is run by homosexuals, and that i shouldn't buy or eat their products.
i asked how the bedroom practices of the company owners or employees affected the quality of the food?
their reply was that "everything gives off something" and that the food would be tainted by some kind of deviant unnatural vibes because the owners/employees were deviant and following an unnatural lifestyle.
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gaiagirl
A member of another conservative cult (calls itself a Bible Fellowship) where I work told me that Hormel, the makers of canned chili and other foods, is run by homosexuals, and that I shouldn't buy or eat their products. I asked how the bedroom practices of the company owners or employees affected the quality of the food? Their reply was that "everything gives off something" and that the food would be tainted by some kind of deviant unnatural vibes because the owners/employees were deviant and following an unnatural lifestyle. I then explained that many of my friends were gay and lesbian, and I found them to be honorable people, and that I for one didn't care what they did in their private lives. This whole rumour reminds me of the story about Proctor and Gamble some years back.
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Which is greater, your time IN, or your time OUT?
by gaiagirl inspecifically, were you an active jw longer than you have been inactive or out of the organization, whichever applies?
i was active for about 15 years, then faded into inactivity, although never df'd or da'd.
time out hasn't yet caught up with time in, but time out is gaining.
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gaiagirl
Specifically, were you an active JW longer than you have been inactive or out of the organization, whichever applies? I was active for about 15 years, then faded into inactivity, although never DF'd or DA'd. Time out hasn't yet caught up with time in, but time out is gaining.
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Dinosaurs: reptile or not?
by BlackSwan of Memphis inmy 4 year old has a strong interest in dinosaurs lately.
well, it's been lasting for a good few months.. i've bought books and checked some out of the library, done internet searches.. the thing is some of the research/books say, 'yes, dinosaurs were reptiles.
' other sources say they weren't.. i'm wondering if any of you have researched this topic and what you came up with in regards to this specific topic.. i'm not sure what to think.. .
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gaiagirl
Archeoptryx is generally considered to be a bird, however, Pteryodactyls (the name means "wing-finger") are not, because the skeletal structures of their wings are different in that their wings are formed by a membrane of skin, supported by a very long finger bone, similar to a bat. They may have had feathers for thermal insulation, but did not need feathers to fly. Birds, including Archeoptryx, do not have the long finger bone or the membrane of skin. Their wing surface was formed by the feathers themselves, and the feathers are attached to the arms. If you removed the feathers, Archeoptryx could not have flown at all, just like any other bird. So Pterodactyls are considered to be another branch which are usually called "flying reptiles" and not "birds". In a similar manner, the aquatic creatures such as Plesiosaurus, Mososaurus, and others are usually termed "marine reptiles" and not dinosaurs, just as modern sea turtles are not considered dinosaurs, although they can reach a fair size.
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Dinosaurs: reptile or not?
by BlackSwan of Memphis inmy 4 year old has a strong interest in dinosaurs lately.
well, it's been lasting for a good few months.. i've bought books and checked some out of the library, done internet searches.. the thing is some of the research/books say, 'yes, dinosaurs were reptiles.
' other sources say they weren't.. i'm wondering if any of you have researched this topic and what you came up with in regards to this specific topic.. i'm not sure what to think.. .
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gaiagirl
In addition to what has already been said, some dinosaurs exhibited bone characteristics (channels though their bones) which suggest that, if not fully warm blooded, they were evolving in that direction. Some dinosaurs demonstrated more reptilian characteristics than others. Even in the 19th centuries, it was recognized that dinosaurs fell into two classes, those with reptilian pelvis, and those with avian (birdlike) pelvis. These classes are termed Sauriscia and Ornithscia, respectively. Regarding the link between birds and dinosaurs, this is hard to dispute in the face of anatomical evidence. There are many dinosaurs, such as Ornitholestes and Struthiomimus (its name means "ostrich-mimic"), which have very birdlike skeletons. Additionally, the earliest known bird, Archeoptryx, does have crude feathers, but retains many reptilian characterisitcs such as toothed jaws (instead of a beak), a lizardlike vertebrate tail (although with feathers growing from the sides), and fingers with claws in its wings. If the feathers were not visible, Archeoptryx would be considered another small dinosaur, like a smaller Velociraptor. Recent discoveries have demonstrated that other dinosaurs, including Velociraptor, also had feathers, although no one suggests that they could fly. So, are dinosaurs reptiles? This depends on how you define "reptile", but many dinos would classify as a special type of reptile. Are dinosaurs birds? Well, SOME dinosaurs could be said to be very closely related to birds. It does seem safe to say that all birds are descended from one branch of the dinosaur family. Hope this helps a little.
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Earth History according to Creation Science
by gaiagirl ini found the following in the february, 1996 of earth magazine.
it is based on the calculations of archbishop ussher several hundred years ago, who claimed that, based on his counting backwards through generations in the bible, that earth was created in 4004 b.c.
if everything now known about the history of the planet and life on the planet must be compressed to fit into a 6000 year time span, russell seitz offered this modified timetable showing when significant events fit into the overall scheme of things.
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gaiagirl
I found the following in the February, 1996 of Earth magazine. It is based on the calculations of Archbishop Ussher several hundred years ago, who claimed that, based on his counting backwards through generations in the Bible, that Earth was created in 4004 B.C. If everything now known about the history of the planet and life on the planet must be compressed to fit into a 6000 year time span, Russell Seitz offered this modified timetable showing when significant events fit into the overall scheme of things. I've modified some of the phrasing to make it a little more understandable for non-geeks (although its still quite geekish). Usshering in the Millennium by Russell Seitz (Earth magazine, Feb 1996) Oct 25 4004 B.C. The Astroid Nemesis knocks Lucifer out of the Oort Cloud, whereupon he falls to Earth. Nov 1 4004 B.C. Earth still largely molten. Adam and Eve invent asbestos waders. 3714 B.C. Cain, the first biotechnologist, invents cyanobacteria. 3554 B.C. Komatitic lava intrusions inundate Earths crust. Noahs ark incinerated. 3254 B.C. Methuselah begins to notice passage of geologic time. 3124 B.C. Archean stratiform sulfide deposits form, making Bronze Age possible. 2844 B.C. Tired of reading graphic granite, Imhotep invents heiroglyphics. 2584 B.C. Earliest sedimentary rocks form. Discovery of slate leads to stone tablets. 2444 B.C. Oxygen content makes atmosphere breathable for first time. First sermon preached. 2384 B.C. Descendants of Tubal Cain inaugurate Banded Iron Age. Sphinx begins to fossilze. 2024 B.C. Nimrod the Hunter erects the Geosyncline of Babel. 1914 B.C. Advent of diapirism. Lots wife turned into first salt dome. 1794 B.C. Children of Ham split from Israelites, insisting that the Burgess Shale fauna are kosher. First chowder invented. 1704 B.C. Charshumash the Hittite bitten by first vertebrate. Lawyers emerge from the slime. 1624 B.C. Samson attempts perovskite synthesis, laboratory of the Philistines implodes. 1444 B.C. War of the Chaldean Succession, Pangea broken up in accordance with the Treaty of Uruk. 1334 B.C. Shang Empire abandons efforts to invent compass when China drifts over south magnetic pole. 1264 B.C. Moses invents hydrofracturing, opening of Red Sea rift drowns Egyptian Army. 1194 B.C. Odysseus runs aground on Gondwandan Riviera. Circe founds Club Tethys. 1104 B.C. Ezekiel see de pterodactyl 'way up in de middle ob de air'. 1024 B.C. Goliath stepped on by irate Barosaurus. David takes credit. 794 B.C. Jonah swallowed by Carcharas megalodon. 564 B.C. Pythagoras publishes Air-Earth-Water-Fire phase diagram. 454 B.C. Marble deposits form in Greece. Parthenon erected. 338 B.C. Aristotle concludes that quartz is another form of ice, as are diamonds and pearls. 48 B.C. Gaul is divided into three sections by collision of Corsica with the European plate. C.E. 31 Miracle of the loaves and the Icthyosaurs. C.E. 70 Paul undergoes indentity crisis on the road to Damascus and writes Epistle to the Cephalopods. C.E. 344 Vanguard of Attila the Hun perishes when Romans breach the Gibraltar escarpment, flooding the Mediterranean Desert. C.E. 494 Snakes evolve and are driven out of Ireland. C.E. 974 Lief Ericsson is lost with all hands when his dragonship is spotted by an amorous Kronosaurus. C.E. 1066 William the Conqueror invades England by walking through Northern France across the not-yet-existing English Channel. C.E. 1215 Magna Carta eaten by Velociraptor. C.E. 1324 Gunpowder and plate armor introduced, dinosaurs hunted to extinction. C.E. 1384 Dante Alighieri describes the core/mantle boundary conditions. C.E. 1444 Flowering plants appear, War of the Roses begins. C.E. 1484 Leonardo da Vinci designs Archeoptryx. C.E. 1492 Mesoamerica emerges, interfering with Columbus discovery of Japan. Santa Maria is attacked by Ammonites. C.E. 1522 Herman Cortez uses conveniently timed asteroid impact to conquer Aztec Empire. C.E. 1588 Spanish Armada frustrated by continuing absence of English Channel. C.E. 1636 Earliest primates appear, Harvard University founded. C.E. 1664 An English primate becomes Primate of Ireland. Archbishop Ussher successfully deduces last four out of ten digits of the age of the Earth. C.E. 1688 Hapsburg Iceboat Armada invades England via London-Bruges canal. Inquisition burns Isaac Newton at the stake for alchemy. C.E. 1754 Gibbons evolve and write masterpieces such as The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. C.E. 1776 Washingtons Mastodon Cavalry routs Hessians at Battle of Hudson Canyon. C.E. 1835 Charles Darwin attacked by giant ratite in Galapagos. C.E. 1867 Alexander Von Humboldt wins the Napoleon III Peace Prize for sabotaging the Baltimore Gun Clubs lunar cannon. C.E. 1894 Impressed by the extent of glaciation, Cecil Rhodes proposes Capetown-to-Cairo bobsled run. C.E. 1914 Interglacial period begins, Melting glaciers raise sea level, releasing U-boats into Atlantic. Holy Roman Empire wins World War 1 C.E. 1948 Interglacial period ends. Harry Truman proposes using ice to contain Stalin. Cold War begins. C.E. 1954 Glaciers retreat from Fulda Gap. de Gaulle invades Russia. C.E. 1957 Civil Rights Movement challenges Jim Cro-Magnon laws. C.E. 1961 Rachel Carson links DDT to glyptodont decline. C.E. 1969 Last sighting of sabre-tooth tiger in Central Park. C.E. 1971 Andy Warhol paints soup cans on walls of Lascaux caverns. C.E. 1983 Australopithecus wins the Americas Cup. C.E. 1988 Homo habilis volunteers to serve as Pat Robertsons running mate. C.E. 1990 Last Neanderthals perish in siege of Kremlin. C.E. 1991 Saddam Hussein discovers fire. Holocene tar sands form in Kuwait. C.E. 1997 Citing undersea volcanic emissions, the EPA bans continental drift. Thermophyllis wins Nobel Prize for sequencing its own DNA while trapped in amber.
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gaiagirl
I've seen the original, it is an interesting contrast between conservatism Christianity, and liberal Paganism. Amazon has many reviews for both the current film (unfortunately not well liked), and the original (liked fairly well).