simon17

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Posts by simon17

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  148

  Have you ever had a prayer answered?

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  prayer topics seem to be the bandwagon of the moment so i'm jumping on!

  seriously, has anyone here asked for something specific in prayer and actually gotten what they asked for?

  what convinces you that you wouldn't have got it in any case?

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  simon17

  Would you say that to the alcoholic, that drinks to escape his problems? Would you say that to someone suffering any addiction to "help" ease the pain or give them comfort? Or would you think it better to help them see the real problem?

  But drinking is not ultimately profitable. Overcoming the need to pray may very well not get a believer anywhere further than where they would have been: they're dying either way. And dying with the knowledge that it is 'the end' may be much more traumatic than dying otherwise.

  Incidentally, I'm kind of half playing devil's advocate here...
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  148

  Have you ever had a prayer answered?

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  prayer topics seem to be the bandwagon of the moment so i'm jumping on!

  seriously, has anyone here asked for something specific in prayer and actually gotten what they asked for?

  what convinces you that you wouldn't have got it in any case?

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  simon17

  But for some it's just to painful to except otherwise. When we believe there's a daddy up in the sky watching our every move, thought, ect, we "feel" safe, protected.

  Well and there's nothing wrong with that. In the words of William James "An idea is 'true' so long as to believe it is profitable to our lives." If people can't think or calm down to escape anxiety or escape trauma or despair without having God to pray to, then God is real because he needs to be.
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  148

  Have you ever had a prayer answered?

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  prayer topics seem to be the bandwagon of the moment so i'm jumping on!

  seriously, has anyone here asked for something specific in prayer and actually gotten what they asked for?

  what convinces you that you wouldn't have got it in any case?

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  simon17

  I have to be honest, I don't believe in the power of prayer

  I think its important to note a major distinction here. I belive what was intended was "I dont belive god answers prayers", but that is distinctly different than disavowing the POWER of prayers. It is calming. It is reassuring. It is hopeful and strengthening. It is often mind-clarifying. Prayer can be a very powerful and helpful last resort for people under trial or people who need support.

  You might think these people weak, but thats not the point. Billions of people across the globe are not doing this for fun. There is obviously some perceived benefit for all these religious folks, and we shouldn't say that we don't believe they feel that. A large portion of the world could not handle being an athiest (and maybe most athiest can't handle it when the going gets extremely tough, i.e, "there's no athiest in a foxhole")
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  21

  To the theists: Your reaction if God hypothetically changed the standards of right and wrong

  by simon17 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have more to say on this and its implications, but i'll keep this short to get some initial discussion.

  to those that believe in god, suppose he were to hypothetically change various standards of right and wrong, suppose with the new scrolls to be opened.

  things such as rape, theft and immorality are now perfectly fine and acceptable.

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  simon17

  No trick villabolo, just interested in what people will say. Arguing events in the Bible is like trying to paddle against a tsunami, so that probably wasn't my intention. I'm more interested in the concept of where morality comes from. Is it absolute above god, such that he is bound to have his standards of right and wrong align with what is good? Or does god define morality (hence my question).
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  21

  To the theists: Your reaction if God hypothetically changed the standards of right and wrong

  by simon17 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have more to say on this and its implications, but i'll keep this short to get some initial discussion.

  to those that believe in god, suppose he were to hypothetically change various standards of right and wrong, suppose with the new scrolls to be opened.

  things such as rape, theft and immorality are now perfectly fine and acceptable.

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  simon17

  Fair enough...

  Peace
• 
  54

  Am I the only one who felt sorry for adam and eve?

  by Joliette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the witnesses always blame everything on adam and eve (besides satan).

  for some reason, when i used to look at the my book and bible stories when i was little, i used to feel bad for adam and eve?

  its kinda like getting mad at a baby for making a mistake.

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  simon17

  Forget Adam and Eve... Balaam and Pilot got SHAFTED.
• 
  21

  To the theists: Your reaction if God hypothetically changed the standards of right and wrong

  by simon17 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have more to say on this and its implications, but i'll keep this short to get some initial discussion.

  to those that believe in god, suppose he were to hypothetically change various standards of right and wrong, suppose with the new scrolls to be opened.

  things such as rape, theft and immorality are now perfectly fine and acceptable.

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• 

  simon17

  No, i didn't mean to mean the 'new scrolls' as per the JW theology, I just figured it would be a term everyone would be aware of, especially here. But thanks...

  So you agree the standards of right and wrong can change, which is intersting. So would you be willing ot do things like that if they were needed to change things again? Its an interesting question as to what you would do I think.
• 
  94

  Why God keeps silent to somebody even after intensive cry?

  by dattaswami1 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

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  simon17

  I gave you the answer. Whether you really are willingly to "carefully consider" that answer is now the question. It appears to me, however, that you are not and so weren't truly serious when you made the statement. Unfortunately, I gave you the benefit of the doubt and took you seriously. My bad.

  No, your "answer" was essentially: people who are going through hell aren't getting help from God because all their pain made them not look for god.

  Thats not an explanation: Its a cop out (and a very cruel cop-out at that!)
• 
  21

  To the theists: Your reaction if God hypothetically changed the standards of right and wrong

  by simon17 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have more to say on this and its implications, but i'll keep this short to get some initial discussion.

  to those that believe in god, suppose he were to hypothetically change various standards of right and wrong, suppose with the new scrolls to be opened.

  things such as rape, theft and immorality are now perfectly fine and acceptable.

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  2. 
  3. 
• 

  simon17

  Not sure why you wouldn't just answer a hypothetical question.... why not weigh in?
• 
  94

  Why God keeps silent to somebody even after intensive cry?

  by dattaswami1 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

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  [endif][if gte mso 10]> <style> /* style definitions */ table.msonormaltable {mso-style-name:"table normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"times new roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif].

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  simon17

  Given the definition of "tangible", dear S17 (again, peace to you!), I could never make such a statement. I can say, however, that not all evidence is tangible, nor is tangible evidence the only reality. They only are to those who are limited... in their thinking... and ability to perceive beyond that which is physical.

  Well, fine but realize that you're limited from the Muslim reality. And the hindu reality. An a thousand other "non-tangible realities" perceived only by the limited.

  Dont fret though, its ok. You're still 1 better than me. I am limited as to all of them and will stick with the one tangibly evident reality that I've got.