I think ashitaka put it best on the second page of this thread:
No. I believe in the power of a delicious steak, though.
And I don't have to dream up complicated and sometimes nonsensical arguments to justify that steak's existence .
crownboy
JoinedPosts by crownboy
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69
Who Here Believes in God?
by The_Bad_Seed inpersonally, i do not believe god ever has or ever will exist.
i have my reasons -- i guess i could be considered an agnostic, rather than an athiest.
i was curious to see what the larger part of the former borg community believed, now looking from the outside in, rather than the opposite.
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crownboy
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She is dying
by Vivamus ini have never felt more helpless in my life.
my grandma is sick, dying, and there is nothing i can do.
when i look at her, i see this echo of a woman that once was vital, strong and alive.
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crownboy
(((Vivamus)))
So sorry to hear this. Enjoy the time you have with your grandma, she sounds like a wonderful person. Who knows, maybe see could make a recovery, stranger things have happened? Just try to soak in the time with your grandma, make it the best she's ever had.
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What's your political compass?
by crownboy ina political compass test from:.
http://www.politicalcompass.org/.
my results were:your political compasseconomic left/right: -5.12. authoritarian/libertarian: -6.00. .
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crownboy
A political compass test from:
http://www.politicalcompass.org/
My results were:
Your political compass
Economic Left/Right: -5.12
Authoritarian/Libertarian: -6.00So I guess that makes me very liberal then . What are your results?
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Anyone ever mess up??
by freedom96 ini remember once doing the closing prayer for field service.
at the time, i didn't know what to believe, and was simply going through the motions.
i would much rather been in bed.
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crownboy
What you are saying is so true funkyderek.
It's amazing how people take so long to figure out when the wrong song is playing. Aside from song numbers 3 and 12, I can't think of any two songs that are so alike you can't tell you're singing the right one from early on (and even those two have subtle differences). It's even more hilarious when they mess up and start singing the wrong tune to a "popular song".
Since I don't pray to any dieties anymore, over the past year or so I've actually prayed more times at Bookstudy than I have personally (0 times). I remember at one bookstudy, at which I'd payed unusually low attention, I was called upon to close in prayer. Now during my "praying days", I had a standard list of things I'd ask for, and of course the overall act of praying was a lot easier to execute.
I could pretty much pray on any given occasion with no problem. However, here I was about to give a prayer, and I did not know what to say! I had no info from the BS to repeat, and I was going over in my head "what is it I should be praying for again?". It took a good 20 second pause or so, but I was able to figure out something to say, and was done in less than a minute. I'm usually more prepared now for such a situation, though I always do a little chuckle to myself thinking maybe I should just say "god already knows what we need supposedly, so why do we need to ask?". -
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An explanation for God's behaviour
by crownboy inthis is a funny article, but better than any explanation theists have given: .
http://www.theonion.com/onion3716/god_diagnosed_bipolar.html.
new haven, ctin a diagnosis that helps explain the confusing and contradictory aspects of the cosmos that have baffled philosophers, theologians, and other students of the human condition for millennia, god, creator of the universe and longtime deity to billions of followers, was found monday to suffer from bipolar disorder.
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crownboy
This is a funny article, but better than any explanation theists have given:
http://www.theonion.com/onion3716/god_diagnosed_bipolar.html
NEW HAVEN, CTIn a diagnosis that helps explain the confusing and contradictory aspects of the cosmos that have baffled philosophers, theologians, and other students of the human condition for millennia, God, creator of the universe and longtime deity to billions of followers, was found Monday to suffer from bipolar disorder.
Above: The Lord, found to be manic-depressive by Rev. Dr. Jurgens (left). Rev. Dr. J. Henry Jurgens, a practicing psychiatrist and doctor of divinity at Yale University Divinity School, announced the historic diagnosis at a press conference.
"I always knew there had to be some explanation," Jurgens said. "And, after several years of patient research and long sessions with God Almighty through the intercessionary medium of prayer, I was able to pinpoint the specific nature of His problem."
Bipolar, or manic-depressive, disorder is a condition that afflicts millions. Characterized by cycles of elation followed by bouts of profound depression and despair, the disorder can wreak havoc on both the sufferer and his or her loved ones, particularly if it goes undetected and untreated for an extended period. Though the condition is estimated to affect, in one form or another, 5 percent of the world's population, Monday marks the first time it has been diagnosed in a major deity.
Evidence of God's manic-depression can be found throughout the Universe, from the white-hot explosiveness of quasars to the cold, lifeless vacuum of space. However, theologians note, humanity's exposure to God's affliction comes primarily through His confusing propensity to alternately reward and punish His creations with little rhyme or reason.
"Last week, I lost my dear husband Walter to the flood," said housewife and devout churchgoer Elaine Froman of Davenport, IA. "I asked myself, 'Why? Why would God do something like this, especially when He had just helped Walter overcome a long battle with colon cancer, and we were so happy that we finally had a chance to start our lives anew?'"
New York attorney Ruth Kanner also gained firsthand knowledge of God's wild mood swings.
"Last Saturday, on a gorgeous spring afternoon, I was jogging in Central Park with my daughter. We were marveling at the beauty and majesty of nature, and I remember thinking what a wonderful world we live in. Then, out of nowhere, I heard the gunfire," said Kanner, speaking from her hospital bed at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. "All they took was a measly $17, and for that, the doctors say my daughter will never walk again. If only Our Holy Father didn't have those mental problems, my precious Katie might not be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life."
Jurgens stressed that God's earthly subjects need to understand that, because of His bipolar condition, He is not in control of His actions and does not realize how they affect others.
Above: Taken on the same day, these photos offer evidence of God's mood disorder. "What He needs from us is understanding and patience," Jurgens said. "To paraphrase the words of the Lord God Himself, 'Humans, forgive Him, for He knows not what He does.'"
While such drugs as Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft have proven effective in the treatment of bipolar disorder among humans, there is no modern earthly medicine that can be prescribed for a deity as vast and complex as God. Jurgens is in the process of forming a support group, "Living With A Bipolar Creator-Deity," for all of humanity to "get together and discuss their feelings about living in a universe run by an Omnipresent Loved One not fully in control of his emotions."
Jurgens said he believes God's essential condition is seasonal, as evidenced by the bursts of energy and elation associated with springtime and summer, followed by the decay and bleak despair of fall and winter. Sometimes, however, the condition cycles even faster.
"The average person with bipolar disorder may go through as many as 10 or 12 cycles of mania and subsequent depression in a lifetime. In severe cases, a sufferer may experience four or more per year, which is known as 'rapid cycling,'" Jurgens said. "We believe God suffers from the even rarer 'ultra-rapid cycling,' which would account for the many documented cases in which He alternates between benevolence and rage toward humanity within a matter of seconds. For example, last week, He brought desperately needed, life-giving rain to southern Mali while simultaneously leveling Turkey with a devastating earthquake."
Further evidence of God's manic-depression can be found in the Bible, in which the erotomania of the Song of Songs sharply contrasts with the sadness and existential despair of the Book of Ecclesiastes. The Book of Job, Jurgens noted, marks the best example of His condition. The book begins with the bleak lamentations of Job and ends with a full-blown manic episode by God, complete with such classic bipolar symptoms as the illusion of omnipotence and delusions of grandeur.
"One of the major 'heresies' of Christian history is the Gnostic belief that the Creator, or 'demiurge,' of this troubled world is a blind, idiot god who is insane," Jurgens said. "This idea surfaces in many religious traditions around the globe. As it turns out, they were only half right: God has His problems like anyone else, but He is essentially trying His best. He just has a condition that makes His emotions fly out of control at times."
"So it's up to us to make the best of God's emotional problems," Jurgens continued. "Thus, mankind is born to trouble, as surely as sparks fly upward."
Edited by - crownboy on 11 September 2002 20:36:37
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Atheism and Theism.
by Norm ina great deal of believers seems to suffer the delusion that atheism is some kind of religion.
on the theist agenda seem to be a claim that atheism isnt anymore scientific than theism.
and that theism doesnt promote a state of stupidity in theists.. atheism, which basically is absence of faith in god, in itself, might not be particularly scientific.
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crownboy
An interesting post. I agree with most of it, but I don't necessarily believe theist are being "stupid" by believing in God, but maybe misinformed. When I believed, it made perfect logical sense, but YHWH simply became impossible for me to believe in after much weighing of the evidence. While I don't agree with theist, I do respect them when they don't claim that I'm stupid for my position. I value mutual respect above all.
I totally agree on the stupidity of declaring evolution a religion. It's supported by evidence, and anyone who does not presuppose a religious dogma can see that. Plus evolution does not equal atheism anyway, so the two views can be reconciled.
MY 300th POST!!!!
Edited by - crownboy on 11 September 2002 19:41:36
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Where were you?
by joannadandy in.
sorry if this has been done to death, i only did a quick scan and didn't see a topic like this, so i appologize in advance if this was started someplace else.. this morning i woke up and thought about where i was last year, and the complete shock i felt at this same time last year...and i was just wondering if any of you had those same feelings this morning.. so where were you?
i always find stories of what people were doing at the time they heard to be really interesting-please share if you'd like.
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crownboy
Being in NYC, it was especially poignant for me. I was at work when I heard about the first tower being hit. Unlike most, I immediately connected the first hit to terrorist, and I said to myself "Osama bin Laden is behind this", since I knew he was the number one terrorist on the FBI list, and he had attacked the USS Cole. I thought they had come to finish off what they started in 1993. When the 2nd plain hit, everyone else around me began to concur, and the Pentagon getting hit initially scared me (like a lot of people have been, I was just numb most of the day). We got sent home early (I'm happy I didn't work in Manhattan). What was usually a half hour commute was closer to two hours. I remember I was sleepy as hell going to work that morning, but I stayed up past 3 in the morning watching the coverage that night (no work the next day, thankfully ). I still remember it vividly, and can't believe a year has passed so quickly. We had a couple of minutes of silence at work for the 9/11 victims this morning. I didn't think about how decadent the world is, or how I want God's kingdom to come and destroy everyone. I thought about the victims families, what they've gone through, and how everyone affected (including me) has healed and continues to heal from this great tragedy.
Hopefully this anniversary will remind us about just how alike we all are, no matter what religion, race, etc. we are. We all come together and try to heal when tragedy strikes (I wonder if the family of JW victims were at ground zero today?). -
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remembering 9/11
by teejay insometime today--i don't remember exactly when--it dawned on me that tomorrow is 9/11.
when the revelation hit me, i damned near cried on the spot.
a fuckin 44 yearold, cynical, hardass black bastard like me!
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crownboy
Being in NYC, it was especially poignant for me. I was at work when I heard about the first tower being hit. Unlike most, I immediately connected the first hit to terrorist, and I said to myself "Osama bin Laden is behind this", since I knew he was the number one terrorist on the FBI list, and he had attacked the USS Cole. I thought they had come to finish off what they started in 1993. When the 2nd plain hit, everyone else around me began to concur, and the Pentagon getting hit initially scared me (like a lot of people have been, I was just numb most of the day). We got sent home early (I'm happy I didn't work in Manhattan). What was usually a half hour commute was closer to two hours. I remember I was sleepy as hell going to work that morning, but I stayed up past 3 in the morning watching the coverage that night (no work the next day, thankfully ). I still remember it vividly, and can't believe a year has passed so quickly. We had a couple of minutes of silence at work for the 9/11 victims this morning. I didn't think about how decadent the world is, or how I want God's kingdom to come and destroy everyone. I thought about the victims families, what they've gone through, and how everyone affected (including me) has healed and continues to heal from this great tragedy.
Hopefully this anniversary will remind us about just how alike we all are, no matter what religion, race, etc. we are. We all come together and try to heal when tragedy strikes (I wonder if the family of JW victims were at ground zero today?). -
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Fornication......*blushing*
by d0rkyd00d inas many may know, i'm still a teenager.
i'm not willing to reveal my age, which is one less than 17 or one more than 15. but i just wanted to get your guys' opinion on sex before marriage.
a lot of people here have kinda lost their "watchtower" and biblical standards as i have gathered.
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crownboy
I see nothing wrong with pre-maritial sex anymore. However, I think it's important that the two (or three, or four.... ) people should really be in love and care for each other, as sex is a powerful emotional connector (I guess some can reasonably do the "one night stand" thing, but I don't think I could). I definitely disagree with younger kids not having sex. Getting an STD or pregnancy early in life can really screw up you up (and younger ones probably aren't as careful to guard against it), and some may simply not be emotionally mature enough. While you can't necessarily set a firm rule about when is a good time to have sex, if I had kids, I would encourage them to hold off on sex at least untill 18 or so.
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Public opinion on the issue of Iraq???
by Celtic inwhen prime minister tony blair was 'summoned' to camp david a couple of day's ago, he looked succinctly uncomfortable when doing a press interview with president bush.
today, the prime minister faces the tuc conference, the main agenda covering the impending war on iraq.
british public opinion is very much for the action to not take place against iraq.
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crownboy
Thanks siegswife for providing that list. I always get a chuckle out of the people who use the "Saddam kills his own people" reason as a valid excuse for the US going into Iraq. Besides the fact that the US has done the same thing, they have turned a blind eye to other nations that have done the same thing (including Iraq at one time). Don't get me wrong; I hate Saddam as much as the next guy and I'd like to see him go as much as I wanted to see Miloshevic go, but he does not present a real threat to US security (mearly hating the US is not a valid enough excuse). Scott Ritter(see: http://truthout.com/docs_02/07.25A.wrp.iraq.htm), former chief weapons inspector for the UN (and an ex- US marine, so if anything he'd have a pro- American bias), says that Saddam does not have the capability to have Weapons of Mass Destruction, since he was disarmed of 95% of his weapons at the time of the inspectors leaving (which the US requsted, BTW. Iraq did not kick them out). Iraq has said they will let inspectors back in, the US should go with this plan. Only if Iraq is being severely uncooperative should action be taken by the international community (and people seem to keep forgetting that Saddam is not well liked in the Middle East, so if he really were a threat, the Saudi's, Iranians and Kuwaitis would be first on board to go after him, because he would be a threat to them too, as he has been in the past).
What basically irritates me I guess, is that the US is pretending to be some kind of "good guy", out to save the world from Saddam. This is all about controlling the Iraqi oil market for the US. The US is sending a message to Mid East oil countries on what could happen to them if they try to screw up the oil market like Iraq has been doing. The US & Britain say that they will "present their case" in the near future (admitting that their stupid, unproven or irrelevant assertions need butressing). If they can make the case that Saddam really a threat, I'll be the first to cheer the troops on. But if the best they can come up with is "he gases his people", after we applauded Gen. Suharto in Indo-China for doing the same thing, then we can add yet one more reason to the "why the hate us" list.
I say take out Saddam by paying off people to assisinate him, if necessary. Even if they could prove that he has WMD and all that, they should try to take the guy out with as little force as necessary (I'm sure you can find Iraqis who hate Saddam who'd like to see him go, even in his close circle). We've already helped to kill enough Iraqis with the sanctions in place, let's try to prevent more bloodshed.
Edited by - crownboy on 10 September 2002 14:6:8