Posts by littlebird

86

A better way of doing it, with regards to the 'God' question. If you're a theist or deist, please answer this question.

by Psychotic Parrot in

jw
friends

why are you a theist or a deist?

please give any or all reasons why without resorting to a god of the gaps argument.

that is the only condition i am making, since in my (& presumably every other atheist's) opinion, a god of the gaps argument simply isn't convincing enough to demonstrate that there is a god, only that there might be a god.. thank you.. p.s.

littlebird

Ok, Parrot this is how I know, what I know, with regard to my belief in Jesus. Just to get my "disclaimer" in there, I'm not trying to impose, push or shove my beliefs on anyone, I'm just explaining where my views are coming from.

This is what I have learned from secular, non biblical sources regarding Jesus.

Jesus was known as Christ & Ananias had Jesus brother, James, stoned. (Flavius Josephus)
Christ was crucified by Pontius Pilatus during th reign of Tiberus. (Tacitus)
He claimed to be God & was said that he would return. (Eliezar)
Christ was honored as a God and his followers were executed for their allegiance to him. (Pliny the Younger, also Lucian of Samosata)
He was rejected by the Jewish leaders as a false messiah & a majic practicer. He was crucified on the eve of passover. (Babylonian Talmund)

From the bible, tradition, & secular sources we learn that 11 of the apostles were martyred, 6 were crucified, 3 by sword or spear, 1 by arrows, 1 by stoning. Their willingness to die horrible deaths for what they believed makes me trust what they said about Jesus. I could believe that possibly, 1 person would die for a known lie, but I don't accept that the whole group would die for a lie or allow others to die for a known lie. They had to truely believe that Jesus was the Son of God , that he died and was resurrected.

Cheers!

86

A better way of doing it, with regards to the 'God' question. If you're a theist or deist, please answer this question.

by Psychotic Parrot in

jw
friends

why are you a theist or a deist?

please give any or all reasons why without resorting to a god of the gaps argument.

that is the only condition i am making, since in my (& presumably every other atheist's) opinion, a god of the gaps argument simply isn't convincing enough to demonstrate that there is a god, only that there might be a god.. thank you.. p.s.

littlebird

I will save this page in my favorites, or I'll lose the thing, lol.

I will just add that his helping me, confirms my belief, I believed first, based on my belief in the accounts of Jesus and what I see in nature ( which I guess is a God gap thing) I didn't express myself correctly, sorry.

Have a good evening, parrot, I'll catch up with you tomorrow.

86

A better way of doing it, with regards to the 'God' question. If you're a theist or deist, please answer this question.

by Psychotic Parrot in

jw
friends

why are you a theist or a deist?

please give any or all reasons why without resorting to a god of the gaps argument.

that is the only condition i am making, since in my (& presumably every other atheist's) opinion, a god of the gaps argument simply isn't convincing enough to demonstrate that there is a god, only that there might be a god.. thank you.. p.s.

littlebird

I suppose I do have a least a decent opinion of myself. I would expect my father to help me out more than a neighbor kid. I guess I don't understand why you feel God owes you something, expecially since you don't believe in him. That would be like a neighbor kid expecting my father to give him an allowance. No disrespect meant, just trying to understand you.

I will be happy to respond to "how I know" , but I need to do it tomorrow. I'm at work and get on here inbetween clients.

86

A better way of doing it, with regards to the 'God' question. If you're a theist or deist, please answer this question.

by Psychotic Parrot in

jw
friends

why are you a theist or a deist?

please give any or all reasons why without resorting to a god of the gaps argument.

that is the only condition i am making, since in my (& presumably every other atheist's) opinion, a god of the gaps argument simply isn't convincing enough to demonstrate that there is a god, only that there might be a god.. thank you.. p.s.

littlebird

1.Yes, I do know why I believe those things.

2. Guess I don't understand what God of gaps means.

3. I just watched the video, the incidences I'm referring to have nothing to do with predictions. Even the video suggests a person would have to roll the dice several times for all the numbers to occur in sequence. For a serious situation, a crisis, to have all the pieces fall together the first time, at the right time, for me, is a miracle.

Cheers back, kiddo!

6

'Lost' in 3 Minutes

by leavingwt in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hwecqa23cs.

littlebird

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I get it now.

33

Hard question

by dgp in

a question for all those who managed to do it.

when you realize that it's unrealistic to expect someone in the wt to ever leave, and when you see the damage it does you to keep hoping, and to keep trying to get them out, how do you manage the pain?.

what do you do when you know that someone has spoiled the only life that person will ever have, yet you can't reach to them?.

littlebird

I have found it best in my situation with my husband to just accept it. He has had to do the same with me. I try to show him respect, and he is learning to show me some. A year ago, we were on the verge of divorce. If he asks me how I feel about something, I answer him and share what I believe. I don't initiate it because it immediately causes him to get defensive.

This approach seems to help keep the peace. As far as his future goes, he's a big boy and can make his own decisions.

86

A better way of doing it, with regards to the 'God' question. If you're a theist or deist, please answer this question.

by Psychotic Parrot in

jw
friends

why are you a theist or a deist?

please give any or all reasons why without resorting to a god of the gaps argument.

that is the only condition i am making, since in my (& presumably every other atheist's) opinion, a god of the gaps argument simply isn't convincing enough to demonstrate that there is a god, only that there might be a god.. thank you.. p.s.

littlebird

I believe due to 3 levels.

1. I believe the accounts of Jesus, both from biblical & secular sources. I believe he really was the Son of God, that he lived, he died and I believe he was resurrected.

2. I believe in God on a physical level. I look at nature and I see "design".

3. I believe in God on a spiritual level. I pray, I feel "guided". When I listen to this guiding, I fare better than when I don't. In times of trouble, I've had to many experiences where things all fell together that, to me, just couldn't have been coincidence.

Can I prove his existence? Nope. But, the above is all the proof I need for myself.

14

Going up to Colorado for a couple of weeks!

by JWoods in

jw
friends

well, in about an hour or so i am going to shut the computer down and get ready to go to colorado.. we bought a mountain cabin on the st. vrain river there last year - (a few miles south of estes park, just outside rocky mountain national park).. no tv, no internet, no phone.. will see you all after the 15th of june.... james.

littlebird

Ooooooo, I love everything but the snake! I thought it might be too cold up there for snakes, but , I guess not. I live about a 1/2 E of Aurora (suburb of denver). We have alot of rattlers out here, scary.

Yes, I know about the Stanley, they do ghost tours too. I would like to go for kicks, but the Jw hubby would protest. I'm really looking forward to going up there. We are going to stay at the Dripping Springs Resort, looks pretty nice for us outdoor types.

14

Going up to Colorado for a couple of weeks!

by JWoods in

jw
friends

well, in about an hour or so i am going to shut the computer down and get ready to go to colorado.. we bought a mountain cabin on the st. vrain river there last year - (a few miles south of estes park, just outside rocky mountain national park).. no tv, no internet, no phone.. will see you all after the 15th of june.... james.

littlebird

Hey, I'll be up there, well in Estes. Its our 25th anniversary on the 15th. Have a good time. I know we will, I love going just to watch the elk, there are probably more there than there are dogs.

127

LOVE your ENEMIES: where Jesus goes wrong

by Terry in

matthew 5:44 "but i say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,.

luke 6:35 "but love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.

the most radical teaching attributed to jesus has implications if followed.. an invading hoarde of mongols would not be resisted.. a christian husband would not only allow his wife and daughters to be raped; he would be compelled to forgive the rapist, pray for him and offer.

littlebird

Agreed!